The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-12-21
THE CHRISTMAS TREE.

A vast deal of interesting legend
has gathered around the feature of the
Christmas celebration known as the
Christmas tree. The famous minstrel
Walrom Won Eschenbach describes in
his songs the custom of welcoming
guests with branches Ornamented with
burning candles In Scandinavia there
is an old myth of mysterious lights
seen flaming during the Christmas sea-
son in the branches of trees, that no
wind could extinguish.
There is a French romance of the
thirteenth century in which the hero
finds a gigantic tree, the branches of
which are illumined with burning
candles, some erect, some turned
downward, and on top the vision of
a child with a halo around his head.
The knight asks for an explanation,
and is informed that the tree repre-
sents mankind. the child the Savior,
and the candles good and bad men.
The old German legend ascribes the
idea of the Christmas tree to st. Wini-
frid. One day, after speaking to those
whom he had converted to Christian
ity he hewed down huge oak which
had formerly been an object of Druid
worship.
The legend goes on: Then the
sole wonder in Winifred's life came
to pass. AS the bright blade circled
above his head, deepening cash in
the body of the tree, whirling wind
passed over the forest. 1t gripped the
oak in it's foundations. Backward it
fell like a tower, groaning as it split
asunder in four pieces. But just be-
hind it, and unframed by the ruin,
stood young fir tree, pointing a green
spire toward the stars.
"Winifred let the axe drop and
turned to speak to the people.
"'This little tree, a young child of
the forest, shall be your holy tree to-
night. 1t is the wood of peace, for
your houses are built of the fir. 1t is
the sign of an endless life for it's
leaves are evergreen. See how it
points upward to heaven. Let this
be called the tree of the Christ-Child.
Gather about it, not in the wild wood,
but in your homes. There it will shell
ter no deeds of blood, but loving gifts
and rites of kindness.
The historic records of the Christ
mas tree can be traced back to the six
teenth century. 1t appeared in Strass-
burg in the Middle Ages. From a
manuscript published by a Strassburg
writer, in 1908, it became evident that
the Christmas tree was a regular feat
ure of the Christmas season along the
Rhine
1t maintained it's distinctive place
for over two hundred years in that
region, and from Germany spread all
over the world, until today it is found
everywhere as feature of the Christ
mas celebration.
It was introduced into Munich in
1880 by Queen Caroline, and about
the same time, became popular among
the Magyar aristocracy of Hungary.
1t was introduced into Paris in 1910,
by the Duchess Helen of Orleans, who
had one in the Tuileries. 1t was also
taken up by the Empress Eugene, but
did not become popular at first among
the French people, because of it's
German origin.
The marriage of Queen Victoria to
a German prince led to the introduce
ton of the Christmas tree into Eng
land, although in the older records
there is a description of a feature
somewhat like the Christmas tree in
the Christmas pageant given in hon.
or of Henry VII.
Now, all over the world the Christ
mas tree is one of the prominent fea-
lures of the Christmas celebrations,
and even in Paris, which held out for
such long time against the custom,
$4,000 trees are sold each year 1t
is the center of attraction for the
children during the Christmas season,
and no doubt the custom has spread all
over the world because of the general
recognition of the special place which
children hold in the Christmas celebra-
ton.