The story of the new year we decorate the Christmas tree. Why they decorate a Christmas tree for the New Year - features of tradition, reasons for choosing this particular tree
New Year is a mystical holiday when all people are waiting for a miracle and positive changes. Various traditions are associated with it - for example, installing a Christmas tree in your home, decorating your house with toys, writing a wish on a piece of paper and burning it when the clock strikes twelve ... All traditions have their own origins, and if you want to know why they put a Christmas tree on New Year's Eve Then I suggest you read this article.
Why do they put up a Christmas tree on New Year's Eve?
Today, with great difficulty, we can imagine the New Year, devoid of the traditional forest beauty - spruce. Not everyone knows that in history the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree for this celebration arose back in the days of the pagan faith, that is, a very, very long time ago.
It was customary for our ancestors to attribute certain magical powers to various trees and plants. At the same time, coniferous trees stood out in a separate category, since the Slavs believed that they were most liked by Yaril (or the Sun), who was the main pagan deity. The increased love of God for spruce was due to the fact that this tree retains its appearance regardless of the season, which means that spirits responsible for strength and longevity live in its branches.
The reverence for spruce continued much later, when paganism as a religion withdrew from the world stage. The Christmas tree symbolized fertility and eternal life, as a result of which the custom arose to decorate its branches with all kinds of gifts. The first who acted as the founders of this custom were the Germanic peoples, and after some time it was borrowed by the British and the Dutch.
As for Russia, here the New Year tradition was officially established thanks to the efforts of Peter I. Surprisingly, before that, the celebration of the New Year fell not in the winter, but in the spring: people believed that when nature is renewed, a new life stage begins. Then the festive actions also involved a tree, but not a spruce, but a birch. But in 1700, everything changed after the publication of the famous decree of Peter the Great, which was called "On the celebration of the New Year."
According to the latter, noble people, as well as spiritual and worldly rank, were obliged to install various decorations at their gates, which were made from pine, spruce, juniper twigs. Shooting from cannons and rifles was also mandatory. Those whose financial situation did not allow them to acquire a whole tree should buy at least a twig or a small tree and put it next to their dwelling.
Initially, the indicated innovations of Peter did not please the population (which, however, happened with all his reforms), however, after only a few years, the ritual of decorating the New Year tree became an obligatory attribute of the holiday.
By the beginning of the twentieth century, the old custom fell into disfavor through the fault of the Bolsheviks. Therefore, right up to 1935, the New Year ceased to be a holiday for the Soviet people. But all the same, the people could not forget the magic and the magical atmosphere of this amazing winter celebration and the evergreen beauty was returned “to service” again. And in 1949, the first of January at the official level received the status of a non-working day, which continues to this day.
How spruces are decorated at different times
Now, having dealt with the history of the emergence of the tradition of putting up a Christmas tree, I suggest you talk about the features of decorating this evergreen tree.
- Initially, when the Christmas tree just started to appear as an obligatory element for the New Year, it was decorated with a variety of delicacies: nuts, which were put on a bright wrapper, dried fruits.
- Over time, more fantasy and variety can be traced in the theme of Christmas decorations. Then the coniferous tree began to be decorated with sweets that were cut out of cardboard, figures of people and living beings, angels and bells. And at the very top they began to place the Star of Bethlehem.
- A little later, European glassblowers begin to make special Christmas balls. And instead of wax candles, previously used more to illuminate the room, modern versions of electric garlands began to come.
- As for the Soviet Union, here Christmas tree decorations traditionally acted as a symbol of the spirit of that time. Therefore, cute angels and bells were replaced by glass soldiers, astronauts and paratroopers. And instead of the biblical Star of Bethlehem, they began to use the Soviet alternative - the red five-pointed one.
- Today, thanks to the variety of Christmas tree accessories, it is possible to satisfy even the most demanding and capricious taste. Popular as handmade, varied texture, as well as very interesting options that differ in their shape and style. Decorating the Christmas tree is now becoming a real art, in which everyone gets the opportunity to realize their creative abilities.
- Artificial versions of Christmas trees are quite popular at the moment. The latter differ in their height, volume, material from which they are made. The obvious advantage of artificial Christmas trees and pines over their natural counterparts lies in the maximum manifestation of all the power of design ideas in them. And besides this, in this way the problem of illegal destruction of the forest is solved - that is, natural resources are preserved. And this is also a significant savings - after all, having bought an artificial beauty once, you will not have to purchase it for at least several years. So, you thereby save yourself from additional troubles on the eve of the New Year holidays!
At the end of the topic
At the end, we can summarize that:
- Initially, the custom of decorating fir trees for the New Year originated in paganism. Then the New Year's holiday was celebrated not in winter, but in spring. Then this tradition gradually spread throughout the world.
- In Russia, Peter the Great motivated people to decorate their homes with Christmas trees and pines by his corresponding decree. Subsequently, the custom disappeared for a short time in Soviet Russia, but already in 1949 it returned again and was fixed at the official level.
- Candies, Christmas decorations, nuts, dried fruits, bells, stars and the like can be used as decorative elements for fir trees.
And for a snack, be sure to watch an interesting thematic video material:
Without an elegant Christmas tree in the house, it is difficult to imagine the New Year and Christmas. When did the tradition of putting fir trees in houses and decorating them on New Year's Eve appear, and how did this tradition develop?
Even primitive people treated trees with respect, believing that the souls of the dead move into them and protect people from evil forces, diseases and destructive weather phenomena - storms, thunderstorms. Spruce has been especially revered since ancient times, it was considered a magical tree: ancient people considered this tree the favorite of the god - the Sun, which allows it to always remain green, while deciduous trees shed their leaves for the winter. Therefore, spruce personified immortality, eternal youth, and was also a symbol of fearlessness, loyalty, dignity. Thus, the tradition of making offerings to the spruce, decorating its branches with gifts, dates back to time immemorial.
Spruce became a New Year's and then a Christmas tree in Germany, where this evergreen tree has long been revered as a symbol of undying nature and immortality. The choice of spruce as a New Year tree was also facilitated by its evergreen cover, which allowed it to remain green even in winter. After all, deciduous trees that stand naked in winter cannot symbolize immortality, rebirth by their appearance. Other coniferous trees, except for spruce, were also revered and even used as New Year's decor, but spruce, in addition, unlike the same pine, fir or juniper, has a successful pyramidal shape.
The ancient Germans had a custom on New Year's Eve to go into the forest to the tallest and most beautiful Christmas tree chosen in advance and decorate it with candles and colored rags, and then dance round dances around it and sing ritual songs. Later, Christmas trees were cut down and brought into houses. The Christmas tree was put on the table, apples, sugar products were hung on it, candles were attached to the branches.
After the Germanic peoples were baptized (converted to Christianity), they did not abandon this rite, but gave it a new meaning: the Christmas tree became a Christmas tree. It is currently impossible to establish exactly when and where spruce was first used as a Christmas tree. This event took place around the beginning of the 16th century. In the 17th century, instead of small Christmas trees that were placed on the table, they began to put large Christmas trees in houses, and at the beginning of the 19th century, tall Christmas trees began to decorate the squares of German cities.
Half a century later, the custom of setting up Christmas trees crossed the borders of Germany and gradually began to spread in all European countries, as well as in America.
Each of the traditional Christmas decorations also has its own history. The star that crowns the top of the Christmas tree symbolizes the Star of Bethlehem - the one that lit up over the birthplace of the baby Jesus. This star became a guide for the priests-sorcerers: they went to her when she lit up at sunrise (east) to bow to the born "King of the Jews." And the star led them to the place where Mary and Baby Jesus were. In our country in the Soviet years, when there was an active struggle against religion, the Christmas star was replaced by a red five-pointed star, similar to the ruby stars crowning the Kremlin towers.
At first, one of the indispensable attributes of the Christmas tree was apples - a symbol of fruits from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Later, sweets, nuts, and fruits were hung on the Christmas tree, which were wrapped in foil.
The time of the invention of glass Christmas decorations is not known exactly, but it has been established that this happened in Germany, where already in the middle of the 19th century their production became widespread.
Most Christmas decorations were originally edible. In addition to fruits, sugar gingerbread and cookies were hung on the Christmas tree. They were designed to remind of the rite of communion, during which they eat special bread.
Often in stores on New Year's Eve you can see artificial Christmas trees and wreaths decorated with scarlet berries. This is an imitation of holly berries, which grows in Western and Southern Europe. This is also an evergreen tree, the bright red berries of which hang on the trees until February. The idea to use them as a New Year's decoration came to us from the Celtic tradition.
Candles as Christmas decorations symbolized angelic purity. The legend connects the decoration of the Christmas tree with wax candles with the name of the famous German reformer Martin Luther. By the way, some attribute the idea of installing a Christmas tree in the house to him. According to legend, Martin Luther was walking home through the woods one Christmas Eve. Looking up at the sky, he saw the stars shining brightly through the branches of the fir trees. This picture reminded him of the events of the night of the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. Luther began to reflect on the boundless love of God, who sent his only son into the world as the Savior of sinful mankind. These thoughts did not leave him even when he returned home, and he shared them with his household. To illustrate his thoughts, Luther went out into the garden, cut down a small Christmas tree, brought it into the house, attached candles to it and lit them. After this incident, every year at Christmas, Luther set up a Christmas tree in the house with candles burning on it as a reminder of the goodness of God.
Candle lights on fluffy branches look very beautiful, but this decoration is extremely fire hazardous. Therefore, over time, burning candles gave way to electric garlands. The author of this idea is the American telegrapher Ralph Morris. The filaments of signal lights were used on telephone consoles, and Morris had the idea to hang similar filaments on the Christmas tree. This happened in the 70s of the XIX century, and already in 1895 an electric garland decorated the New Year tree in front of the White House in Washington. After that, the tradition of decorating Christmas trees with electric garlands quickly spread throughout the world.
Today it is difficult to imagine a New Year's holiday without snow and spruce. But a few centuries ago, an evergreen tree was not an attribute of the New Year, and the holiday itself was celebrated in Russia in September.
The tradition of decorating the Christmas tree is known from Celtic traditions. The ancient Slavs dressed up an oak or a birch instead of a Christmas tree.
In Europe, the tradition of celebrating the New Year with a green beauty began in Germany with an ancient German legend about trees blooming magnificently during the winter cold. Soon the decoration of Christmas trees became fashionable and spread to many countries of the Old World. In order to avoid mass deforestation, in the 19th century, artificial spruce trees began to be produced in Germany.
Old Christmas card
Sergei Korovin. Christmas
The New Year tradition came to Russia on the eve of 1700, during the reign of Peter I, who was ordered to switch to a new chronology (from the Nativity of Christ) from January 1, 1700 and to celebrate the New Year on January 1, and not September 1 . The decree stated: “... On large and passable streets, for noble people and at houses of deliberate spiritual and worldly rank, in front of the gates, make some decorations from trees and branches of pine and juniper ... and for meager people, each at least a tree or branch on the gate or over the temple [house] put ... »
After the death of the king, the prescriptions were preserved only regarding the decoration of drinking establishments, which continued to be decorated with Christmas trees before the New Year. Taverns were identified by these trees. The trees stood near the establishments until the next year, on the eve of which the old trees were replaced with new ones.
Heinrich Manizer. Christmas tree auction
Alexey Chernyshev. Christmas tree in the Anichkov Palace
The first public Christmas tree was installed in the building of the Ekaterininsky railway station (now Moscow) in St. Petersburg only in 1852.
At different times, Christmas trees were decorated in different ways: first with fruits, fresh and artificial flowers, to create the effect of a flowering tree. Later, the decorations became fabulous: gilded cones, surprise boxes, sweets, nuts and burning Christmas candles. Soon handmade toys were added: children and adults made them from wax, cardboard, cotton wool and foil. And at the end of the 19th century, wax candles were replaced by electric garlands.
During the First World War, Emperor Nicholas II declared the Christmas tree tradition "enemy". After the October Revolution, the ban was lifted, but in 1926 the power of the workers and peasants again eliminated the "Christmas tree" tradition, considering it to be bourgeois.
Christmas tree in the Hall of Columns. 1950s Newsreel TASS
Christmas tree in the Kremlin Palace of Congresses. Photo: N. Akimov, L. Porter / TASS Newsreel
Only in 1938, a huge 15-meter Christmas tree with ten thousand decorations and toys appeared in Moscow, in the Hall of Columns of the House of the Unions. It began to be installed annually and held there for children's New Year's holidays, called "Christmas trees". Since 1976, the main New Year's tree of the country has become a tree installed in the State Kremlin Palace. Babies in New Year's hats near the Christmas tree. Photo: T. Gladskikh / photo bank "Lori"
They were the first to decorate the Christmas tree in Germany. According to legend, for the emergence of this tradition, we should be grateful to Martin Luther, an outstanding German reformer. On the eve of Christmas in 1513, he, as legend says, returned home and admired the sky strewn with stars. One got the impression that they sparkle on the branches of trees. When he got home, Martin Luther decided to reproduce what he saw, so he put a small Christmas tree on the table, decorated it with candles and a star, which he placed on top as a reminder of the Star of Bethlehem, which showed the way to the birthplace of Jesus according to the Bible.
It is widely known that in Central Europe of the 16th century there was a tradition to decorate a small beech tree with pears, plums and apples, which were previously boiled in honey, as well as hazelnuts. On Christmas Eve, a beech decorated in this way was set in the center of the festive table.
About a century later, in Switzerland and Germany, not only deciduous trees, but also conifers already appeared at Christmas feasts. The main requirement that was presented to them concerned the size. The tree was supposed to be miniature. At first, small Christmas trees, decorated with apples and sweets, were usually hung from the ceiling, and only over time did the tradition appear to install a large tree in the living room.
From the 18th to the 19th centuries, the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree went beyond Germany and took root in England, Denmark, Holland, the Czech Republic and Austria. Thanks to the development of emigration, immigrants from Germany taught Americans to decorate Christmas trees. At first, fruits, candles and various sweets were used for this, but over time, the custom arose to decorate Christmas trees with toys made of cardboard, cotton wool and wax, and later glass.
New Year trees came to Russia thanks to Peter the Great. He, while still a very young man, visited his friends in Germany, where he saw a strange tree dressed up with sweets and apples, and received very pleasant impressions from this spectacle. After Peter ascended the throne, funny Christmas trees in the manner seen in Europe appeared in Russia. Decorations made of coniferous trees and their branches were installed on the central streets and near the houses of noble people.
Over time, when Peter the Great died, everyone forgot about the newfangled custom. The Christmas tree became a popular Christmas attribute only a century later. In 1817, Princess Charlotte appeared at the Russian court and became the wife of Prince Nikolai Pavlovich. On her initiative, a tradition appeared in Russia to decorate the New Year's table with bouquets of spruce branches. In 1819, the first festive tree appeared in the Anichkov Palace, which, under the influence of his wife, was installed by Nikolai Pavlovich, and 1852 became the year of the demonstration of the first decorated Christmas tree in public. She appeared in the premises of the Ekaterininsky (later Moscow) station in St. Petersburg. After that, there was a surge in the popularity of Christmas trees. Wealthy Russians began to order expensive European jewelry and hold festive matinees for children.
Christmas card, 19th century The Christmas tree perfectly displayed Christian postulates. The fruits, sweets and toys she adorned with were a symbol of the gifts brought to the newborn Jesus. Candles served as a reminder of how the place of residence of the Holy Family was illuminated. In addition, at the top of the spruce there was a star, which served as a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem, which appeared in the sky at the time of the birth of Christ and showed the Magi the way to him. All this contributed to the transformation of the Christmas tree into a Christmas symbol.
The First World War is the period of abandoning the decoration of the Christmas tree, as from an enemy tradition that came from hostile Germany. Nicholas II introduced a ban on it, which was canceled after the October Revolution. The public New Year tree of the Soviet era was first installed on December 31, 1917 on the territory of the Mikhailovsky Artillery School in St. Petersburg.
Another ban on the use of a decorated Christmas tree as a festive symbol came in 1926, when this tradition was called anti-Soviet by the Central Committee of the Communist Party. Active anti-religious work was carried out, in the framework of which, in particular, it was forbidden to celebrate Christmas. Therefore, the use of any Christmas attributes was out of the question.
However, by 1935, the holiday tree is experiencing a renaissance again. On December 28, the Pravda newspaper published an article about organizing the installation of a Christmas tree for children. This proposal came from Postyshev, the second secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, and received the support of Stalin.
On the eve of 1938, a 15-meter New Year tree, decorated with 10,000 toys, was installed in the House of Unions, which became the central element of the children's holiday party. Since then, such events have become traditional and the Christmas tree in the House of Unions was considered the main Christmas tree of the country. Since 1976, this title has passed to the Christmas tree installed in the Kremlin. Originally a symbol of Christmas, a decorated Christmas tree gradually turned into a New Year's attribute. The tradition of decorating the Christmas tree with fruits and sweets also gradually transformed. Christmas decorations have become a reflection of the era. They depicted pioneers blowing bugles and portraits of members of the Politburo, and during the Second World War there were toys with weapons, paratroopers and orderlies. Later, military-themed pictures were replaced by snowflakes with hammer and sickle, planes and cars depicted on them. In Khrushchev's time, corncobs, tractors and hockey players appeared on the Christmas trees, and after a while - fairy-tale characters and everything related to space.
Soviet postcard with Christmas tree | depositphotos - nadi555 Today, there are many different styles of decorating the Christmas tree. The traditional option is to decorate the Christmas tree with colored glass toys, tinsel and electric garlands. In the last century, there has been a transition from natural Christmas trees to artificial ones, which sometimes very realistically imitate living trees. Some of them are stylized and do not require the use of additional decorations. There is also a fashion for certain colors of Christmas tree decor. The tree can be blue, red, gold, silver or any other color. Conciseness and minimalism are in fashion. Garlands with lights are invariably used to decorate the Christmas tree, however, these are often no longer light bulbs, but LEDs.
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