The Joy of a Christmas Tree
The story of the popular carol and the first American National Christmas Tree
Christmas has been and always will be one of the most cherished and favored holidays. One of my favorite songs is “O, Christmas Tree”. Back in the 700s, there was a monk called Saint Boniface who wanted to let people know that oak trees were neither sacred nor magical. He wanted everyone to understand that it was Christ or the creator of the trees himself that we needed to worship and not the trees.
One Christmas season Saint Boniface got so frustrated with the pagan rituals that worshiped oak trees that in anger he chopped down a large oak tree. When this mighty oak came crashing down it crushed everything underneath it except for a tiny fir sapling. To Boniface, the survival of this fir sapling seemed a true miracle and from then on people planted fir saplings to celebrate Christmas. As time passed people started to bring the bows of green right into their homes and the custom was to take a small tree and tie it upside down from the rafters just as it was without any decorations.
Lots of years went by and one day German priest Martin Luther was going through a thick German forest trying to find a fir tree to bring home for Christmas. Suddenly night fell sooner than he expected and he began to be afraid. He started praying and lifted up his head. There in the sky, he saw that the stars were shining g brightly and would light his way home. When he got home he wanted to give his family a surprise and hang the tree while they were not around. Because of what he had just experienced and in honor of the great star that had led the Wise Men to Bethlehem and the stars which had lighted his way home he decorated the tree with lights.
When he was done he called to his family and they were delighted to see that little tree in a flower pot, on the kitchen table with candles burning bright on its branches. This started a new Christmas tradition and brought about a Christmas song. “O, Christmas Tree” is a German Christmas carol “O Tannenbaum” from 1550 but the composer is unknown. The best version was written by a German organist and teacher Ernst Anschutz in 1824 and was soon translated into English.
The most popular version of this Christmas carol is:
O Christmas Tree
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are your branches!
In beauty, green will always grow
Through summer sun and winter snow.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are your branches!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
You are the tree most loved!
How often you give us delight
In brightly shining Christmas light!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
You are the tree most loved!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
Your beauty green will teach me
That hope and love will ever be
The way to joy and peace for me.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
Your beauty green will teach me.
“O, Christmas Tree”
First National Christmas Tree in America
It was the 30th President of the U.S. Calvin Coolidge who lit up the first national Christmas tree on the White House grounds. This began a tradition followed by every administration.
It was also the first Christmas tree to be decorated with strands of electric lights. The strand of lights had 2,500 red, green and white bulbs. The tree was a balsam that came from the state of Vermont. It was 48 ft. tall. At this tree-lighting ceremony, entertainment was provided by such musical groups as the U.S. Marine Band and the Epiphany Church choir. Later on carols were sung by members of the First Congregational Church in Washington, D.C.
Then in 1981, the 40th President of the U.S. Ronald Reagan started up another custom and authorized the first official White House ornament. Copies of this ornament could be purchased.
History states that it was the 23rd President of the U.S. Benjamin Harrison who set up the first indoor Christmas tree in 1889. This tree was decorated with candles and ornaments. In 1929, First Lady Lou Henry Hoover started the annual tradition that became the duty of all first ladies – the trimming of the official White House indoor Christmas tree.
In the photo is the present National Christmas Tree 2024
About the Creator
Rasma Raisters
My passions are writing and creating poetry. I write for several sites online and have four themed blogs on Wordpress. Please follow me on Twitter.
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