Each ornament that hangs on the tree comes with its own history. As does the tradition of decorating the Christmas Tree. Rituals to obtaining these items are also represented in their meaning. Every household is different when it comes to decorating their evergreen.
Decorating an evergreen tree, or it’s clippings, has dated back to the ancient pagan times during their celebration of the winter solstice. Fruits and nuts were hung in hopes for a bountiful harvest in the year to come. Lit candles were added as a decoration for the anticipation the days of spring. Shiny or metallic items adorned the evergreen with the intention to please a particular deity or to ward off evil spirits. Each of the pagan cultures had their own beliefs for adding particular objects, but in all, the tradition of the ornaments was to symbolize their hope.
As described in the history of the tree, Martin Luther had added candles to represent the stars in the night sky and the German churches placed apples on their Paradise tree to signify the apple that Adam and Eve ate in the Garden of Eden. When families started putting their own Paradise trees in their homes they also started putting a personal touch to the tradition. Small white wafers and cookies were the most popular at first, generally baked in the shapes of angles, hearts, stars, fruits, and bells. As time went on, paper streamers and other items of personal interest made each tree different. Families started making items that showed off their talents or hobbies such as pressed tin, carved wood, or even shapes cut from paper or magazines, generally all were from scraps of their trades. Ornament making evolved into gift giving. Families found that sharing interests and talents made for great gifts. In turn, all this leading to a family’s focus on making ornaments for more that just friends and some turning their hobby into a means for income giving to the rise of the hand blown glass ornaments that Germany is known for to the present day.
During the Victorian times in England, popular magazines starting publishing instructions for ornament making and ideas for hobby enthusiasts. Most of the ornaments depicted were lacy and cute and thus leading to the standards we think of coming from the Victorian influence. But the concept of finding ways to have a homemade holiday is still found at the checkout aisle (now even the internet).
Look at the ornaments hanging on your tree. Take the time to add personal touches and pass on a little of yourself by making ornaments for gifts. It is the season of sharing.
