Holiday Greenery - Where It All Began

It's that time of year - the post Thanksgiving decorating binge! Our decorations are decidedly Christmas, but most likely the process is much the same if you are decorating for Hanukkah, or generic "holidays". Pull out all the boxes, look through the items that bring memories of special times and family members that have passed, decide where to put things and see if you "need" anything new.  As I (Stacy) was reflecting on our (MANY) boxes of decor, looking at some vintage ornaments that haven't been on display since pre-kids, I began to think about how all of this decorating got started. Is it an "American" thing, did our forbearers bring things from Europe when they emigrated, and is any of this related to the Christian Christmas we celebrate? Being the history nerd I am, I of course started googling... in the pre internet ages I would have lived at the library I'm sure!

After reading a variety of sources- books, websites, articles and the like - I came to the general conclusion that's there's nothing new under the sun. Most of our Christmas decorating originated in Northern Europe, where they were borrowed and adapted from the Druids and other pagan groups that resided in the area. As Christianity spread, local converts wants to keep some of their festive traditions - so they assigned Christian meanings to them. For example, holly and ivy were used to celebrate the winter solstice - they were believed to ward off evil spirits and promote new growth. In Christian cultures the Holly has been said to represent the crown of thorns worn by Christ on the cross, while the Ivy (growing only with a support structure) reminds people to cling to God for support.

Window wreaths

Wreaths have been used since ancient Roman times to celebrate victory - in wars and in sport. They were both worn on the head of the victor and hung as decoration by the victorious side in a conflict. This tradition was adapted to represent Christ's victory over death and sin.  Wreaths of many styles are now commonly found hanging throughout homes at the holidays.

Mistletoe on the other hand, draws its story from ancient Norse mythology where it became associated with romance. In England it was traditional to bring mistletoe into the house to ward off evil spirits. As the Norse stories of romance spread, the strict English social customs were relaxed to allow the servants "a kiss under the mistletoe" as long as the berries lasted... 

Tree Lighting at The Jefferson Hotel, Richmond VA

The Christmas tree itself seems to have the most history/legend surrounding it.  From ancient times, the evergreen symbolized life in midwinter. Romans decorated their houses with evergreen branches to celebrate the New Year, and pagans of Northern Europe brought cut evergreens into their houses. Early Christians were vehemently against such practices. It seems as though, by the time Germanic areas were converted to Christianity, missionaries began trying to convert pagan traditions as well.   Some stories credit German reformer Martin Luther with originating  the Christmas tree as we know it, while others tie it to "paradise trees" in medieval morality plays. What seems more certain is that the tradition was brought to the US by early German immigrants. The first family Christmas tree in Williamsburg, VA was introduced by a German scholar boarding with a local judge in 1842. They did not have access to European style ornaments, so they decorated with paper ornaments and nuts.  The family trees eventually expanded to the idea of a community tree in the early 20th Century - this tradition continues today with elaborate tree lighting celebration.

Whichever of these holiday traditions you embrace....

Happy Decorating!
-Stacy & Christine