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20 Holiday Gift Guide Supplement of The Canadian Statesman, Wednesday, November 21,1990 Modern F estive Trees Originated in Ancient Egypt Part One Long before the advent of Christianity, plants and trees that remained green all year had a special special meaning for people in winter. Just as people decorate their homes at Christmas with pine, spruce and fir trees, ancient ancient people hung evergreen evergreen boughs over their doors and windows. In many countries, people believed that evergreens would keep away witches, ghosts, evil spirits and illness. illness. The ancient Egyptians worshipped a goa called Ra, who had the head of a hawk and who wore the sun as a blazing disc in his crown. At the solstice, when Ra began to recover from illness, the Egyptians Egyptians filled their homes with green palm rushes which symbolized for them the triumph of life over death. Across the Mediterranean Mediterranean Sea, the early Romans Romans marked the solstice with a feast called Saturnalia Saturnalia in honour of Saturn, Saturn, the god of agriculture. agriculture. To mark the occasion, they decorated their homes and temples with evergreen boughs. The Saturnalia was a special time of peace arid equality when wars could not be declared, when slaves and master could eat at the same table, and when gifts were exchanged exchanged as a symbol of affection and brotherhood. brotherhood. In northern Europe the mysterious Druids, the priests of the ancient which was Adam and tions got eaten before the tion of its own. Bundled jj* ^ re -ties Celts, also decorated Eve's Day, was about the tree was taken down the m boots and winter coats, Jove joy ana close ues ' - - -i-- cookies were replaced families walk through the that are snarea ny iami their temples with ever- Garden of Eden. The play green boughs as a symbol showed how Eve was of everlasting life. The tempted by the serpent, fierce Vikings in Scandi- how she picked the apple navia thought that ever- from the forbidden tree, ' greens were the special and how the couple was plant of the sun god Bald- expelled from Paradise, er. Many historians be- The time of year that with decorations made out of thin, painted metal. metal. When families combined combined the decorations on the Paradeisbaum with the candles on Martin Luther's Tannenbaum, snow to Christmas tree hesandfriends, lots in the city or drive to ^ er J nan „ * son &> plantations in the coun- O Tannenbaum , says: tiy in search of just the N°t only in the summers summers glow right tree. On some choose-and-cut farms, the growers may welcome the lieve that our word for the play was held created they created the Christ- family with hot chocolate, __ . _ . i . y s 11 i • i 'll n KAnfivA yve» n nrn/VAn n»-i ri n Yule came from the came Norse word "rol", the Gothic word "huil" or the Saxon word "hweol", all of which mean wheel and mas tree that is still found in homes today. Part Three The first Christmas tree in Canada was set up in Sorel, Quebec in a problem for the actors and organizers of the play. How do you find an apple tree with leaves on it in the middle of winter? refer to the cycles of the In Germany, the problem sun. was solved by cutting 1781 by Baron Friederick When families bring down an evergreen tree, von Riedesel. The baron, home their Christmas probably a spruce or pine, tree from a sales lot or a and tying apples onto it. choose-and-cut tree farm As well, the tree was they are following a tradi- hung with round, white tion that is more than a wafers to remind the audience audience that even though Adam and Eve were ex- who was born in Germa- a bonfire or a wagon ride through fields covered with beautifully shaped trees. Making the right choice is never easy, especially especially when it comes to Christmas trees. Discussions Discussions on the matter are always lively. Is the tree thousand years old. "Bringing in the Yule log" was a ntual that began in Great Britain and that spread throughout Europe, Europe, eventually reaching North America. On ny, selected a handsome always nveiy. is me wee balsam fir from the fo- & hïï&h'tt full' on every side? Is a pine tree with its long soft needles rests that surrounded his home and decorated it with white candles. The next recorded Christmas Christmas Eve, the large pies amused people in central trunk of a great Germany so much that tree was dragged from before long many families the forest. Everyone in were setting up a "Para- pelled from Paradise, the tree appears in Halifax in birth of the baby Jesus 1846 when William Prior, would bring redemption. The idea of a Christmas Christmas tree hung with ap- a local merchant, cut down an evergreen and decorated it with glass ornaments ornaments imported from Germany to please his more beautiful than a spruce or fir with their shorter, stiffer needles? Decisions are difficult but sooner or later everyone agrees on the perfect tree. Decorating the tree is an especially important German wife. After that, job that is shared V eve- , . , „ _ _ the custom spread qmck- •_ the family, both adults deisbaum or paradise ly as German and British H on ® Lf pütS tree, in their own homes. p j one ers settled through- - y ' B e out the growing nation. The Christmas tradi- and children, helped with tree, in their own homes the job by pulling on The custom persisted ropes. When tne log was long after the miracle finally brought into the plays were no longer per- house, it was thrown on formed. Ever since, red the family fireplace and green, the colour of where it burned for the the apples hanging on a f twelve days of Christmas, pine tree, have been the families who have come Part Two official colours of Christ- from all over the world In the fourteenth cen- mas. tion that is celebrated in Canada today has borrowed borrowed many customs from many lands, but glass ornaments, electric lights and shining tinsel have replaced the gilded But 'mid the winter's frost and snow 0 faithful pine, O faithful pine, You're true and green forever. As it has for centuries, the evergreen still symbolizes symbolizes our belief in renewed renewed life and the hope and faith that lives in all mankind, regardless of race or creed. It is a symbol symbol of joy and a delight to all. A Christinas By Any Other Name is... The English word for Christmas comes from Cristes Maesse, which means "The Mass of Christ." Most nations derive derive their term for Christmas Christmas from the lengthy Latin name Festum Nati- vitatis Domini Nostri Jesu Christi (The Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ) or the fruits, pine cones, sweets, shorter form Dies Natalis apples and candles that Domini (The Birthday of tury, when few knew how to read, churches held "miracle plays" to tell people in villages and towns stories from the Bible. The play that was held every December 24, The wafers that once hung on the Paradise tree were replaced with cookies cookies in the form of hearts, bells, angels and stars. With time, perhaps because because so many decora- over have all adopted the Christmas tree as the symbol and centerpiece of the festive season. As much as decorating the tree, choosing the tree has become a tradi- were once used as decorations. decorations. But the ceremony itself has changed little over the centimes. Glittering Glittering with colour and light and topped with a star or radiant angel, the Christmas V WWME Jit.'. It Just when we believe the meaning of the season is lost, someone gives the priceless gift of Quality. Share a special moment with someone you love by giving a gift that's small in size but big on quality: John Deere toys. Big and little people alike love these die-cast scale replicas of full-size John Deere machines. Brighten the holiday with John Deere toys. 4EVERGREEN M FARM & GARDEN LTD. 983-9119 JOHN DEERE SALES & SERVICE 623-1122 TAUNTON ROAD, ORONO Our Lord). In Spain, Christmas is called La Navidàd, in Portugal, Natal Natal and in Italy, Il Natale. Christmas is called Rozh- destvo Khrista in Russia, and the German word for tree, green Christmas, Weinachten, and lush in the winter, is stands for Holy Night or a symbol that life is eter- Blessed Night, referring nal while the gifts below to the Nativity only by implication. THE GIFT 25 Hours Class Time 14 x 45 minute lessons BOWMANVILLE-OSHAWA DRIVING SCHOOL 99 King St. E., Bowmanville 623-4641