Oh Christmas Tree, O Tannenbaum, how lovely are your branches…

Our Christmas tree in the Queensland bush as a child was a spindly, needled tree that was more grey than green. My Dad would venture into the nearest scrub to cut down the tree on Christmas Eve.  Its trunk was placed in a crepe paper covered metal bucket of river rocks and water. We would drape its branches with crepe paper streamers before hanging a few special and colourful glass balls from it.  The most important decoration was the angel that had to be placed on the top of the tree.  

Today, my tree is artificial and dark green,and lives in a box  during the year.  Our decorations are much more sophisticated and mass produced.  These days our family can afford tinsel and fairy lights and grand baubles.  Most years the tree is setup in early December.  This year I have not even unpacked it. 

Why do we put up a Christmas tree?  Why did my Dad set ours up on Christmas Eve and not the beginning of December?  He is not around to ask but I suspect it has something to do with his German and Protestant roots and customs.  Some say legend has it that Martin Luther invented the Christmas tree, although there are many pagan and Christian examples of the tree being centrepiece to Christmas celebrations before then.  It was German immigrants who introduced the Christmas tree to England and America in the nineteenth century and of course why we as Australians have associated a tree with Christmas today.

I confess I have placed more symbolism in the decorations rather than the tree itself. I have associated it with a place to lay the gifts rather than it being a gift itself.  Tradition says the evergreen tree symbolises faithfulness during a time when most trees in the forest during the European winter are without leaf.  And so it is with Christ, whose birth we celebrate at Christmas time which represents God’s faithfulness to mankind. Just as the tree is evergreen, so is God’s love for us. 

The Christmas Carol “Oh Christmas Tree” is translated from the German song ‘O Tannenbaum’ that is centuries old. There are many versions it seems. Here is one that is said to be a translation that is truer to the original than many others. (Credit to Tradition in Action.)

O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree
How steadfast are your needles!
Green not only in the Summertime,
But also in Winter when it snows.
O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree
How steadfast are your needles! 

O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree
Your dress wants to teach me something:
Your hope and durability
Always provide comfort and strength.
O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree,
That’s what your dress teaches me.

Will you have at tree this Christmas?  Have you thought about the why?  Perhaps you, like me will look at the tree itself differently this year.  I think I shall go and put mine up. Or should I wait and get an evergreen on Christmas Eve?

Photo by Manuel Will on Unsplash.com