The story behind of the Christmas tree
If there is one thing that marks the beginning of the festive season of Christmas, it is without a doubt the Christmas tree. The famous Christmas tree is the ultimate symbol of Christmas.
But where did the custom of decorating a Christmas tree come from?
Fir trees have been widely used since ancient times and have been used in many religions. For example, pagans used fir branches to start the winter solstice. Later, with the advent of Christianity, fir trees were associated with the immortality of God.
Although no one knows exactly when the decoration of Christmas trees began, it is estimated that their “mother” is Northern Europe about 1000 years ago, with the main “candidate” country being Germany. In the past, the inhabitants of the regions of Northern Europe hung fir trees upside down from the roof with chains. If they could not buy a tree, then they improvised and created Christmas trees from wood, which they placed in a pyramid shape and decorated with candles, paper and apples.
These looked like Christmas trees that later began to be systematically decorated in medieval Germany in front of the Churches on Christmas Eve. From Germany, in fact, comes the prevailing view on the basis of which the Christmas tree was created, as we decorate it in our homes today.
According to this quite popular view, the first to decorate a Christmas tree was the German preacher Martin Luther in the 16th century.
According to the legend, as the preacher was walking in the forest, he looked at the stars between 3 branches and what he saw was so beautiful that he then returned to his house and told his children that it reminded him of Christ, who fell from paradise. on Earth at Christmas. So he decided to decorate a tree in his house.
In general, however, there are many more myths and legends about the origin of the Christmas tree, most of which come from the Baltic countries, Germany and Northern Europe in general.
In Greece, however, the Christmas tree came as a custom from the first king of the country, Otto. Before the Christmas tree in Greece we decorated boats as a symbol of the navy and the sea, which from antiquity until today plays an important role in our country.
Of course, Othon decorated the first Christmas tree in a palace and more specifically in the palace of Nafplio. The one who decorated a Christmas tree at home for the first time in Greece was the Greek diplomat, Ioannis Paparrigopoulos.
from: https://www.neolaia.gr/2020/12/25/istoria-hristugenniatikou-dentrou/
