Christians, tell your children there is no Santa Claus

[Emily~Anne]

Shalom,

The Chronological History of the Christmas Tree

St. Boniface Story

Why do we have a decorated Christmas Tree? In the 7th century a monk from Crediton, Devonshire, went to Germany to teach the Word of God. He did many good works there, and spent much time in Thuringia, an area which was to become the cradle of the Christmas Decoration Industry.

Legend has it that he used the triangular shape of the Fir Tree to describe the Holy Trinity of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The converted people began to revere the Fir tree as God's Tree, as they had previously revered the Oak. By the 12th century it was being hung, upside-down, from ceilings at Christmastime in Central Europe, as a symbol of Christianity.

The first decorated tree was at Riga in Latvia, in 1510. In the early 16th century, Martin Luther is said to have decorated a small Christmas Tree with candles, to show his children how the stars twinkled through the dark night.

Luther's tree

Christmas Markets

In the mid 16th century, Christmas markets were set up in German towns, to provide everything from gifts, food and more practical things such as a knife grinder to sharpen the knife to carve the Christmas Goose! At these fairs, bakers made shaped gingerbreads and wax ornaments for people to buy as souvenirs of the fair, and take home to hang on their Christmas Trees.

The best record we have is that of a visitor to Strasbourg in 1601. He records a tree decorated with "wafers and golden sugar-twists (Barleysugar) and paper flowers of all colours". The early trees were biblically symbolic of the Paradise Tree in the Garden of Eden. The many food items were symbols of Plenty, the flowers, originally only red (for Knowledge) and White (for Innocence).

Tinsel

Tinsel was invented in Germany around 1610. At that time real silver was used, and machines were invented which pulled the silver out into the wafer thin strips for tinsel. Silver was durable, but tarnished quickly, especially with candlelight. Attempts were made to use a mixture of lead and tin, but this was heavy and tended to break under its own weight so was not so practical. So silver was used for tinsel right up to the mid-20th century.

The First English Trees

The Christmas Tree first came to England with the Georgian Kings who came from Germany. At this time also, German Merchants living in England decorated their homes with a Christmas Tree. The British public were not fond of the German Monarchy, so did not copy the fashions at Court, which is why the Christmas Tree did not establish in Britain at that time. A few families did have Christmas trees however, probably more from the influence of their German neighbours than from the Royal Court.

Decorating a Victorian household

The decorations were Tinsels, silver wire ornaments, candles and small beads. All these had been manufactured in Germany and East Europe since the 17th century. The custom was to have several small trees on tables, one for each member of the family, with that persons gifts stacked on the table under the tree.

(more here) http://www.christmasarchives.com/trees.html

Glad you asked Sierra.

[Emily~Anne]

Others may have worshipped the pine tree, but GOD created the pine tree.

Shalom Emily Anne,

This is something the anti-tree people forget.

G-d CREATED the tree.

Just because people take something of G-d and use it for evil purposes does not make the THING evil!

http://www.christmas-tree.com/where.html

CHRISTMAS TREE HISTORY

Did a celebration around a Christmas tree on a bitter cold Christmas Eve at Trenton, New Jersey, turn the tide for Colonial forces in 1776? According to legend, Hessian mercenaries were so reminded of home by a candlelit evergreen tree that they abandoned their guardposts to eat, drink and be merry. Washington attached that night and defeated them.

The Christmas tree has gone through a long process of development rich in many legends, says David Robson, Extension Educator, Horticulture, with the Springfield Extension Center.

Some historians trace the lighted Christmas tree to Martin Luther. He attached lighted candles to a small evergreen tree, trying to simulate the reflections of the starlit heaven -- the heaven that looked down over Bethlehem on the first Christmas Eve.

Until about 1700, the use of Christmas trees appears to have been confined to the Rhine River District. From 1700 on, when lights were accepted as part of the decorations, the Christmas tree was well on its way to becoming a tradition in Germany. Then the tradition crossed the Atlantic with the Hessian soldiers.

Some people trace the origin of the Christmas tree to an earlier period. Even before the Christian era, trees and boughs were used for ceremonials. Egyptians, in celebrating the winter solstice -- the shortest day of the year -- brought green date palms into their homes as a symbol of "life triumphant over death". When the Romans observed the feast of saturn, part of the ceremony was the raising of an evergreen bough. The early Scandinavians were said to have paid homage to the fir tree.

To the Druids, sprigs of evergreen holly in the house meant eternal life; while to the Norsemen, they symbolized the revival of the sun god Balder. To those inclined toward superstition, branches of evergreens placed over the door kept out witches, ghosts, evil spirits and the like.

This use does not mean that our Christmas tree custom evolved solely from paganism, any more than did some of the present-day use of sighed in various religious rituals.

Trees and branches can be made purposeful as well as symbolic. The Christmas tree is a symbol of a living Christmas spirit and brings into our lives a pleasant aroma of the forest. The fact that balsam fir twigs, more than any other evergreen twigs, resemble crosses may have had much to do with the early popularity of balsam fir used as Christmas trees.

Written by: David Robson Extension Educator, Horticulture Springfield Extension Center.

bump

[Emily~Anne]

Wow, I'm a liar and a bad parent.................................ooops and grandparent!

I just love the way the same ones that scream "pagan holiday" for everything except Christmas........

Scarletprayers, I advise you grow up and stop acting like a school yard bully before you post.

[sierra21]

Others may have worshipped the pine tree, but GOD created the pine tree.

Shalom Emily Anne,

This is something the anti-tree people forget.

G-d CREATED the tree.

Just because people take something of G-d and use it for evil purposes does not make the THING evil!

http://www.christmas-tree.com/where.html

CHRISTMAS TREE HISTORY

Did a celebration around a Christmas tree on a bitter cold Christmas Eve at Trenton, New Jersey, turn the tide for Colonial forces in 1776? According to legend, Hessian mercenaries were so reminded of home by a candlelit evergreen tree that they abandoned their guardposts to eat, drink and be merry. Washington attached that night and defeated them.

The Christmas tree has gone through a long process of development rich in many legends, says David Robson, Extension Educator, Horticulture, with the Springfield Extension Center.

Some historians trace the lighted Christmas tree to Martin Luther. He attached lighted candles to a small evergreen tree, trying to simulate the reflections of the starlit heaven -- the heaven that looked down over Bethlehem on the first Christmas Eve.

Until about 1700, the use of Christmas trees appears to have been confined to the Rhine River District. From 1700 on, when lights were accepted as part of the decorations, the Christmas tree was well on its way to becoming a tradition in Germany. Then the tradition crossed the Atlantic with the Hessian soldiers.

Some people trace the origin of the Christmas tree to an earlier period. Even before the Christian era, trees and boughs were used for ceremonials. Egyptians, in celebrating the winter solstice -- the shortest day of the year -- brought green date palms into their homes as a symbol of "life triumphant over death". When the Romans observed the feast of saturn, part of the ceremony was the raising of an evergreen bough. The early Scandinavians were said to have paid homage to the fir tree.

To the Druids, sprigs of evergreen holly in the house meant eternal life; while to the Norsemen, they symbolized the revival of the sun god Balder. To those inclined toward superstition, branches of evergreens placed over the door kept out witches, ghosts, evil spirits and the like.

This use does not mean that our Christmas tree custom evolved solely from paganism, any more than did some of the present-day use of sighed in various religious rituals.

Trees and branches can be made purposeful as well as symbolic. The Christmas tree is a symbol of a living Christmas spirit and brings into our lives a pleasant aroma of the forest. The fact that balsam fir twigs, more than any other evergreen twigs, resemble crosses may have had much to do with the early popularity of balsam fir used as Christmas trees.

Written by: David Robson Extension Educator, Horticulture Springfield Extension Center.

bump

I didn't ask for historical evidence...I asked for biblical evidence.

[Emily~Anne]

Umm.., did I say that Christmas trees are biblical? No, but, celebrating the birth of Christ certainly is!

[sierra21]

Umm.., did I say that Christmas trees are biblical? No, but, celebrating the birth of Christ certainly is!

mmkay.

[ladypeartree]

Excuse me ....what happened to "PEACE AND GOODWILL TOWARDS ALL " ?

Why is it that EVERY holiday we have the same "bash the fun out of it " posts and they ALWAYS turn out to be nasty with a "holier than thou" attitude that would do satans job for him with no help at all

[Guest Biblicist]

There is nothing wrong with giving gifts to your children or family at Christmas as well as decorating for the celebration as long as the decorating is not sending the message that the season is about someone other then Jesus.. And if your waistline isn't a problem, there is no harm in exchanging chocolates at Easter.

In fact, it is nice to give and receive gifts. And let us not forget that God gave the world a more wonderful gift than we could ever give: salvation to all who confess (receive) Jesus Christ is Lord and who believe in their heart that God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9; Ephesians 2:8-9).

However, it is inadvisable for Christians to tell children lies about Santa Claus. Do you really want them to put their trust in a buffoon on the street corner who doesn't even know their name, let alone being totally unable to fulfill any wishes they may secretly tell him? Do you want them to think it's OK for strange men to visit them in the middle of the night? Worst of all do you really want to plant the suggestion that lying is acceptable if it brings pleasure for the moment? Why set yourself up to be exposed as a liar later by saying that Christmas is celebrating a man in a red and white costume instead of Christ's birth? We don't call it Santamas, but Christmas.

Truth more exciting than fiction

The truth about Jesus Christ is exciting, wonderful, and true. Do you really want to downplay God's miracles by replacing them with a warped insistence that your children believe what you don't even believe yourself: that a fat cartoon figure actually comes to their house at night and brings them gifts? Show some courage and treat your children like human beings.

Explain to the very young ones that Santa doesn't exist, even though they see Santa clones in stores every Christmas. You can point out that these "Santas" are men dressed in Santa suits

[Guest Biblicist]

Excuse me ....what happened to "PEACE AND GOODWILL TOWARDS ALL " ?

Why is it that EVERY holiday we have the same "bash the fun out of it " posts and they ALWAYS turn out to be nasty with a "holier than thou" attitude that would do satans job for him with no help at all

Is that the way you really feel, ladypeartree? That those of us who are against lying to our children about Santa being real are acting "holier than thou" and "doing satan's job for him"?

[Vickilynn]

Dear Ovedya,

You are certainly welcome to your viewpoints that it is not okay for your daughter to have told her friend that, and I once felt simular to you.

But I respectedly disagree with your position and will continue to stand fast by everything I have said on this subject. Let me expand on why...

I am convinced in my own heart and mind that for me to tell my daughter that she could not speak truth when the subject arose was shameful to me and this conviction runs deep. I thought about all the times I felt obligated to believe all the lies I was told, and then as I learned truth, pressured to keep the truth silent, as if it was a secret that noone else was supposed to know. Truth suppresion is REAL problem with mankind. It is a sin to lie. It is devilry. BUT it is reversible and it is forgivable. I could rant and rave about it, but I won't. I have not told her to run and tell all the decieved children she can find that they are being lied to, but when the subject is broached with her, she is certainly free to speak what she believes to be true whilst exercising respect for their parents authority, just as all the children that believe it to be true are free to say so to the kids who don't believe. I have already been convicted that to silence her was wrong and a double standard and somehow hypocritical to the honesty I was hoping to instill in her. And the more i might think about, then more I might wonder about the double standard that is imposed on her to not broach the subject.

The fact is, there is nothing disrespectful about my daughter speaking the truth accept the offense that is taken to it. It is honest and right and true. I do not want her to be rude when she does it and I will do my best to train her to understand how to be tactful and thoughtful of various perspectives, but no matter what, someone will always be offended by the truth, nevertheless, it is a worthy suffering. I have learned to accept this and have moved past feeling the way you do about this subject. If God did not offend us when we are not being honest with the truth, we would all be in darkness, meaning well and telling others whatever other whopper someone wants to try to plant in our hearts. He tell us the truth because He loves us and he admonishes us to be imitators of Him.

There are times when we don't know the truth and we think we do and we honestly spread the deception. It takes for someone who really has the truth to share it in order to break the spell. Our Lord was wise enough to know when to be silent and when not to and I will pray that he grants us the wisdom to do the same.

I rest my case.

With Much Agape Love,

Shalom,

Excellent, excellent post. Thank you and AMEN!!!!!!