What is the history of the New Year tree?
What is the history of the New Year tree?
New Year's tree in many countries of the world for a long timebecame a symbol of the New Year and Christmas. It's hard to even imagine that once upon a time people did not suspect that a coniferous tree can be used as a kind of festive decoration.
It is believed that the tradition of decorating Christmas trees in the New Yearfirst appeared among the Germanic peoples many centuries ago. Fir was not chosen by chance: this tree symbolized courage, immortality of the spirit, faith in the best and even rebirth. Spruce became a sign of the birth of the new year, the appearance of new hopes. Moreover, it was believed that she was able to bestow protection, protect her from evil people, help win the battle. It was the firs who should pray in the New Year to men, women, children and the elderly. Christians changed the pagan tradition somewhat. For them, spruce has become a Paradise tree, reminiscent of people about God. To decorate this tree was supposed to be a symbol of the Bethlehem star, as well as paradise fruits - apples. Some Christians decorated the tree with nuts, candy and figures of angels. Over time, the eight-pointed star of Bethlehem was replaced by a five-pointed star, and the Christmas tree ceased to be a symbol that recalled the birth of Christ. Apples also stopped attaching to the tree, because they were too heavy and pulled the branches down. Instead of fruits, light balls were used. Initially, Christmas toys were a simple replacement for apples, but over time this relationship was forgotten even by many Christians, and in addition to the balls, there appeared a huge number of other New Year decorative elements. In Russia, the custom of decorating a Christmas tree in the New Year was established by Peter I. Learning about this western tradition, he wished to accede to it and his subjects. So there was a decree according to which every family on New Year's holidays had to decorate yards, streets and gates of houses if not with trees, then at least branches, besides it was possible to use not only spruce, but also pine and juniper. At first, people did not like this decree, and they observed it only out of fear of angering Peter I. However, over time, decorated Christmas trees became an attribute of the New Year and remain to this day.
