Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1895-01-31
A MYTH OF THERHINE
VARIOUS VERSIONS OF The ORIGIN
OF CHRISTMAS TREES.
How the Custom of Decorating Q Spruce
Has Spread to All Christian Na.ions-A
Legend Of Martin Luther-Memories Of
Tiny Taper> and Sweet Surprises

Rhine district q mysterious tree that
blooms only On the night before Christ
mas, and the old myth assures Is We
have only 70 go 70 certain spot 70 find
II all 70 IL true. As the first authentic
accounts Ct Christmas gift tree are in
the annals Of this same Rhine neiehbor.
ho1d, may we not believe that the holy
mystery supposed 70 b concealed in the
blossouing tree was commemorated and
perp4tuated in the decoration Of the
Christmas spruce: A. all events, il is
in historical records Of Scrasburg from
the year 1905 we first read Of a real
Christmas tree. The man who has left
the record writes:
During the Christmas holidays a
spruce is SCI up il Strasburg homes, On
which are hung horses Of many colored
paper, apples, consecrated waters, clay
cucEocs, sugar, etc.
The use q thu tree spread very slow.
y during the 200 years following, and
we neZt Rad q il in 1916 in theolog.
ical work called Milk Of the Cate.
chis-n. This time il is not mentioned
lovingly, but the author inveighs
agains. its Use in the home in these
words:
Among ocher t-ivo,ities with which
more than with Gods word the holy
days are celebrated the Christmas spruce
is found, which Is set up in the houses
and decorated with puppets and sweet
things. Finally one shakes it, and so
its blossoms fall Whence comes this
custom know not. The whole thing is
child's play. Better would it be il one
allowed the children 70 keep holy day
around that spiritual cedar tree, Christ
Jesus"
Next we hear Of it from the stand.
point Of the jur;st in 1871. In a very
learned treatise On the Gifts Bestowed
On Our Redeemer's Birthday" iuriss
striving for position Of decent at Wit.
tenberg SPEAKS Of the candle decked
Christmas Tree, under whose boughs the
gifts to the housefolk are spread, gifts
whose justification he sees from legal
standpoint.
Late il the eighteenth century the
t-ee was more frequently mentioned,
and !. was evan the great Goethe who
introduced it 70 the literary world in
his Sorrows Of Werther." Goethe
first saw Christmas tree in 1865, when
ne was Is ?ears old, at the house Of
Theodor korner's grandmother He
says, 1T was hung with all kinds Of
sweets, managers holding the Christ
child, the Virgin Mary and Joseph
standing beside the oxen, asses and
lamts"
Do you remember Werther's visit to
Locte On the Sunday before Christmas,
when he finds her alone, preparing
packages Ct presents for her small
brothers and sisters: Just as he, suspect
ing nothing, pours cut his ecstasy over
their friendship the door suddenly
opens, and the Christmas rree bursts On
his view, with It's glimmering wax can.
dies, is cal,es and apples
Germany ether idol, Schiller, does
not himself write Q: any Christmas tree,
but in work BY friand Of his we
!earn that az Christians time, 1889, he
became betroched u LCtte ven Lenge.
field and withdrew from an engage.
uenr 70 pass the holidays under the
Christmas tree with a family in jena
in order 70 BE- with her.
The following Christmas he and his
wife Lotte stood beneath brightly
glowing t-ee" in their own home.
The first time the Christmas tree was
enshrined in verse was in 1905, just
200 years from its first historic mention.
From that year the custom Of decorar-
ing a spruce at Christmas spread rapid.
IL all over Germany until about 1890 it
went over the border into France and
was introduced in 1870 by Helen, Ouch.
ess Of Orleans, into the Tuileries
Now over 40 900 trees are decorated
annually in France. The French people
observe the custom with all their char
acteristic enthusiasm and warm p:ety.
They have very pretty way OF protect
ing the roots Of the tree and planting
it again after the holidays are over.
The Christmas tree found its way into
England through Prince Albert soon aft
er his betrothal to QUEEN Victoria A Pc
culiar English custom is that Of passing
small tres round the table after the
Christmas dinner, from which each per
son plucks the gift previously placed
there for him OF her.
Nor are these the only countries to
follow the Germans in their Christmas
festival. In Italy, the Netherlands,
Russia and Scandinavia the little ones
are made happy By the blooming Of the
Christmas tree. Indeed an old German
legend ascribes the origin Of the custom
to Sweden, whence it was introduced
into Germany at the time Of the Thirty
Years war. But this is only legendary
and has no more claim to our belief
than that other legend Of Martin Lu.
thar taking forest tree into his house
and decking it with numerous lights to
symbolic the glory Of the starlit heav.
ems.
In cur own country the history Of the
Christmas tree is young, and although
many foreigners think the only kind
we have ever seen is one from which
the poetic sentiment is fed, one made
Of iron and lighted by the pressing of a
button with gas OF electricity, we, who
have our delightful memories Of trim.
ming the fragrant evergreen, Of helping
1t blossom and bear fruit full q sweet
surprises, and who have lighted the
tiny tapers amid much merriment, not
unmingled with tender awe at the
though. Of the starlight whose rays
have beamed upon Us since that first
Christmas long ago-we can testify to
the beauty, the poetry, the warm glow.
ing love, surrounding our Christmas
tree, which blooms perennial in our
hearts long years after the mystery Of
hearts. Boston Transcript