A Traditional Christmas?

[l_h_kings]

What is the significance of the Christmas tree? I know it is symbolic of something religious. Am I correct in thinking that tinsel represents a spider's webs? Can anyone tell me what the religious significance is behind that? I'm sure there is one, but can't remember the details. Thank you

[Wraith]

These date back to early tribes who adorned the trees with blazing brands at the mid-winter solstice to persuade the sun to shine again. Lights, ornaments and offerings were hung on the trees in the groves, sacred to the Mother Goddesses who gave birth to the new sun and to pagan solar gods, such as Dionysius, who were reborn at this time. The Druids hung golden apples on trees.

The first Christmas decorations were made of pastry and were suns, moons and stars to represent the rebirth of the sun. The Romans trimmed trees with gifts and trinkets during Saturnalia.

On 21 December at the pagan Mid-winter Solstice, St Boniface, who in the eighth century travelled from England to convert the Bavarians, encountered some Druids about to tie a young boy to a sacred oak and sacrifice him. Boniface chopped down the tree and behind it was a tiny evergreen. The Druids fell to their knees and hung their lanterns on the little tree.

[Wraith]

Continued from above:-

 

The decorated Christmas tree gained popularity in Germany at the time of Martin Luther who hung candles on a tree to show his family the wonders of the stars in the firmament. Prince Albert, the Consort of Queen Victoria, made the Christmas tree a tradition in Britain by introducing one at Windsor Castle in 1841. British families, eager to emulate the royal family, took up the custom.

The pine tree was the symbol of Attis, the Phrygian God of Death and Resurrection. He was killed under a pine tree, then reborn on 25 December. Sacred offerings were placed at the base of a pine tree and it was decorated with gold and silver ornaments.

 

Quoted from 'Ancient Wisdom' by Cassandra Eason.

[Kingaroo]

I always thought tinsel was supposed to look like icicles, not spider webs.

[ursula62]

I was told in sunday school that the tinsel represents spiders webs covered in dew.

When the Holy Family were on the run, they hid from Herod's men in a cave. A spide spun a web across the cave entrance and the soldiers didn't search the cave because of this.

[Pinotage]

ursula62's explanation sounds like a desperate excuse by the church for using a pagan  totem. They took over the old winter sun ceremony and called it christmas, but the old earth religion symbols of holly, ivy and holy trees are still the just under the surface.

[El D]

yes - a bit like most other major xstian holidays. lol

[ursula62]

Lol.... did I say I believed it?

 

I just said I was told in Sunday School !  ;-P

 

Anyway, for those that want a "religious" justification for having a pagan symbol in their house during the winter months, it's a nice idea.

 

[Peter Pedant]

Traditional?

Did I hear you say traditional.

As theanswers show, this is a Germanic idea and not Anglo Saxon.

Try cooking and eating a goose if you want to do something traditional!

 

and Yes thegreen bit is to do with the old religion, altho' what exactly is dificult to define considering we have been Xtian for 1400 years