Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-22
1.-The First Christmas Tree.

/ 10 (" Sui louo loCl, AuitC HI
keeping with the modern concep-
ton of the German character. that
while the Christmas tree originated
in Germany. it sprang, in a way, from
the savagery of the people. Twelve
hundred years ago northern Germany
was inhabited by semi tribes.
some of whose religious rites resem-
bled those of our North American In
dams. They WorShiped Wodin. a
Great White Spirit, Thor and other
pagan gods. Every forest contained
its thunder oak. sacred to Thor the
awesome ceremonies, human sacrifices
were made, the victim being slain by
blow from mighty hammer in the
hands of the tribal priest
On Christmas eve, the story goes.
old ST. Boniface, the Englishman. on
mission from Rome. was making
his way alone through a dense forest
in northern Germany, carrying great
wooden cross almost as tall as him
self. Suddenly he saw through the
trees dense crowd standing around
mammoth oak. At the foot of the
beside rude altar stood little fair
haired boy, who had been chosen as
the tribal sacrifice. Behind the priest
stood Veritable giant, the tallest and
strongest man in the tribe. bearing
the mighty race. In obedience to a
signal from the priest, the lad kneels:
low murmur. expressive scarcely of
horror or compassion. but rather of
intense interest and feeling of rev.
erence for the. Impending ceremony.
is heard from the assemblage. The
priest motions Ito the executioner.
who raises hiss hammer and then
swings it through the air. But just
as it is aboutstS fall on the head of
the kneeling boyh strange figure leaps
from the underbrush, and thrusts a
great wooden cross in the wayi The
blow is averted. iiit !lttft.it'Ii
No one dares to move a step or
speak a word as the tail, whitet beard :
ed stranger Selling a. battlef PIX IL at
lacks the thunder pax and wtthHa
dozen vigorous blows sends IT hHaA-
fallen monarch Of lie Forest Efua Ills
pulpit. ST. Boniface told the 1er-
man barbarians the story of Christ's
birth and of the first Christmas. AS
he observed young fir tree. standing
straight and green apart from it's fell
'0M The sRe is ela i nsihs flS
sacrifices of blood that lis At I'd ne THE
sign of your new Christian WbtHRHp.
1t is the tree of the Christ Child fi<e
chieftain, for this Is the birth hfghtlhf
the Christ. No more shall you GeiR
brate your pagan feasts in the shah
ows of the forests. Instead, you shall
celebrate your Christian feasts hat
home, with your wives and children.
and laughter and good cheer and ,sopg
and love to all mankind shall
abound" 81 lt'"
Some years later, it is said. ST. Boni-
face was murdered by another tribe
of Germans. But the Christmas tree
which he introduced remained the
central feature Of the German cele-
bration. 1t is only within recent
years that the Christmas tree has sheen
adoped in some other European nulrn-
tries Early German settlers In Hetfn-
sylvania and other of ours stAtes
brought the custom with them. It is
now thoroughly American custom,
especially since the Christmas tree is
embellished with electric lights and
other "fxings" unknown to the an
clients.
Last December single firm in
Pittsburgh transported from New
England 100000 Christmas trees for
sale in the middle states. This year
fewer will be in the market, owing to
industrial and transportation condi-
tons. but still plenty of American
families will unconsciously follow the
example of those half-civilized Ger
mans who twelve hundred years ago
brought home the first Christmas
tree.