Christmas tree story: Why did we start to decide?

Every winter, families around the world adorn a tree to call it officially open holiday watching. The history of Christmas trees dates back long ago from the use of evergreens in ancient Egypt and Rome to German traditions.

Long before Christianity, plants and trees that remained green throughout the year had a special meaning for people in winter. Just as people today decorate their homes during the holiday season, many ancient peoples were hanging evergreen branches on their doors and windows. In some lands it was believed that evergreens would keep witches, ghosts, bad spirits, and disease away.

In the northern hemisphere, the shortest day and the longest night of the year falls on December 21 or 22, called winter solstice. Many ancient people believed that the sun was a god, and “was sick” during the winter, which explained why it occasionally appeared, unable to warm up. They filled their homes with green plants to bring spring as soon as possible. The evergreen branches reminded them of all green plants that would grow again when the god of the sun was healed and the wine returned.

The ancient Egyptians worshiped a god called Ra, who had the head of a hawk and held the sun as a flaming disk in his crown. When it was believed that Ra began to recover from the disease, the Egyptians filled their homes with green palms and papyrus reeds, which symbolized the triumph of life over death.

The Germans were the people we think started the Christmas tree tradition we know today. In the 16th century, Christians brought home decorated trees. It is thought that Martin Luther, the principal figure of the XVIth - century Protestant Reformation, was the first to add burning candles to a tree. According to tradition, by fleeing home during a winter evening, Martin Luther was amazed by stars glistening amid everlasting greenery. To set up “The scene for his family, he set up a tree in the main room and placed burning candles.

Over the years, the Christmas tree, or New Year's, as it is known in Albania, has become a holiday tradition, often embraced by unbelievers. /Periscope