For millions of children around the world, the best part of Christmas is the tree,
with its pile of glittering presents lying beneath it on December 25, waiting to be
unwrapped. The Christmas tree however, has a far more valuable and lasting gift
to offer which, unfortunately we tend to forget about, in our excitement of unwrapping presents. That is the story of the Christmas tree itself, and what it really means.
There are several versions of the story. Most accounts however agree that the
tradition of having a Christmas tree started in Germany, way back in the
Middle Ages. According to one version, a British missionary and monk,
St. Boniface was preaching a sermon to German druids, who apparently
worshipped oak trees. To show them that there was nothing extraordinary
or sacred about oak trees, the monk felled one with a single blow. The tree
crashed to earth and crushed everything in its path, save one small fir sapling.
The monk took this to be a miracle and declared, `let this be called the tree of
the Christ Child.'
Another legend has it that Martin Luther, founder of the Protestant faith, while
walking through a forest one night was inspired by the sight of stars twinkling
through the trees. He cut down a small evergreen tree and brought it home,
decorating it with candles, thus starting a tradition.
According to yet another version, it did all start in Germany in the Middle Ages,
but under different circumstances. Here every Christmas, `miracle and mystery
plays' were performed depicting the happenings in the Garden of Eden with
Adam and Eve. The only prop used on the stage was an evergreen tree that was
decorated with shiny red apples. After these plays were stopped from being
performed, the Germans brought the trees into their homes so that they could
recount the story of Adam and Eve to their children.
The evergreen tree, called the Paradise tree, symbolised immortality because it
remained green even in winter, and also reminded the people, that eventually
spring and sunshine would return. The red apples of course, symbolised Adam's sin.
Wafers and cookies were added as decoration, representing the fruits of redemption
(and were probably the most popular items on the trees!). Candles too were
important — they were the only source of light during the dark winter (for some
of us, even today!) and represented Christ being the Light of the World.
As the Germans spread and settled elsewhere, they took their Christmas tree
customs with them. In England, it was Prince Albert, the German husband of
Queen Victoria, who made it the `in thing' among the upper classes. German
mercenaries, fighting on the side of the British during the American Civil war, set up Christmas trees for the children of the colonists to remind them of home.
It is marvellous that a tree can bring happiness to so many — and even so much
happiness and prosperity to the economy of entire nations (all those gifts!). A lot
of people abhor the idea of cutting down a tree every year for Christmas and use
artificial trees instead which serve the purpose. But perhaps the greatest gift of the Christmas tree is that it reminds us of how we should be valuing trees for what they
are and what they mean to us. Across the world, across religions, trees have been worshipped for good reason.
The peepul and banyan trees are still worshipped in our country, one reason being that
they provide berries when other trees are fruitless. Then there is the concept of the kalpavriksha or wish-fulfilling tree. Buddha's story too is well known.
All this tree worship may have started out as superstition — but our ancestors did
have a respect for trees that we are fast and foolishly dispensing with. We know today,
how valuable trees really are and how essential to survival of life on earth. Yet we are
so eager to cut down entire forests because they make us quick money, and even cut
trees in our cities and gardens for the silliest reasons. (Like we always say that the
tree had to be cut because it came in our way. Or did we come in its way?)
