The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1914-12-24

HISTORY OF THE
CHRISTMAS TREE
III IS COMPARATIVELY A SHORT
ONE IN THE UNITED
STATES
Came Down From Early German
Legend-StOry of Interest Con-
cerning Its History

The history of the Christmas tree il
a comparatively short one in the Uni
ted States. During Revolutionar.
ldays Christmas was anything but
children's day. Their elders sat Ions
over their punch or hot toddies, oftel
with disastrous results, and the chic
event of the day from the children;
lstandpoint was the big dinner tina
came on Christmas night or Christina
even. Even in the Springfield news
Ipapers of the beginning of the 19tl
century we find few references to an.
special Christmas observances, ant
certainly comparatively recently tha
the practice has held good of closing
the stores on the day, though for years
the churches held solemn services
sometimes lasting all day.
| 1t was not until the beginning of the
great tide of German immigration into
this country that the Yultide trees as
an institution began to come into
popular recognition and favor. 9th
Ter nations-Germany, France, Eng
land, Sweden and Italy-had for years
recognized the fir or pine tree as
symbolic in some way of the birth oi
Christ, and it seems strange indeed
that the custom did not penetrate in
to the United States until about 1925
which was the time when it first made
its appearance. Once here, however,
it became deeply implanted in peoples
minds and hearts, and not even the
fashion of telling youngsters the crush
ing truth about Santa Claus, almost
from their cradle days, could '.proot
it. f..u N-
Early German Legend
The actual introduction of the CHI ist-
mas tree as an institution in this conn
try came about 1926, when the Ger
mans implanted it, thought it took
some time for the other peoples to
grasp the idea. There are few here
that know the early legends OF the
tree, most of. the younger generation
looking upon it as merely something On
which to hang gifts. The story, how
ever, is almost as old as history. Ac-
cording to the German tale, on tue ilrst
Christmas eve, when the wise ne1 Ware
hurrying to. Bethlehem, they saw the
lights of the village at great distance.
1t happened to be the night of the
Jewish feast of Chaunckah, the feast
Of the lights" and in every house
little flame was burning in honor of
the day. To the wise men the lights
as a symbol as did the star,
which is one of our explanations for
he lights upon the Christmas tree.
Another story has a more recon. his
orical basis. 1t recounts that Martin
luther was Fastening home one Christ
mas eve. The night was clear and still
md there was no moon. The twinkling
stars made an immense impression up
IN his mind but when he arrived
lome and attempted to explain it, he
ould find no words to do the story
ustice. Finally he arose, went out in
O his garden and cut down small
emlock tree. He brought this into
he house and on the branches he fas-
ened little candles, putting out all
he other lights in the house. Using
his as an example, he showed to the |
hildren in a small way the vastness !
f the night and the beauty of the stars
n Christmas eve.
How France Explains 1t
The French myth of the Christmas
zee is the most complete and in some
-ays the most interesting which has
escended to us. According to the
,gend there was one cold Christmas
We early in the 18th century when
rench knight was journeying to his
lateau and saw before him the Wis ;
N of fir tree full of lights. Upon
oking closer he saw that there were /;
umerous candles upon the tree, some
; them burning brightly and upright
Id some of them upside down and S
lrning with a Pickering glare. On
Ie top of the tree was curly-haired Ia
lid with a halo about it's head. The /
light was greatly troubled over this
sion and went to the pope to ask I
r an explanation. Here he was told {
at the tree represented humanity, Il
at the child was Christ and that the