Sometime in the late Fall our thoughts turn to Christmas and one of the first things we begin thinking about is the tree or trees that will adorn our homes and yards during this festive season. We want the perfect tree to decorate in a special way. But where did the tradition of trees as part of the celebration of Christmas come from?
The tradition of Christmas trees in America came from German immigrants who had settled in Pennsylvania. It is believed that the tradition of Christmas trees started in Germany from as early as 700 A.D and was practiced by many Germans in the 1800s. Christmas trees have also been available for sale in the United States since that time.
While artificial Christmas trees are becoming more and more popular, many people still like to have a fresh Christmas tree in their homes, or outside on their lawns. And similar to all other trees, Christmas trees also have different shapes and qualities that make some types more popular than others. Along with other decorative Christmas items such as wreaths and garlands, having a Christmas tree in your home is for most people essential in creating a special atmosphere for the season. It is believed that Christmas trees have been available for sale in America since the 1800s, which is about the same time that the former Woolworth’s department store started selling ready-made ornaments for Christmas trees.
Choosing the right type of Christmas tree is important because Christmas trees are often a focal point for many family activities and traditions. Given the many types of Christmas trees that are available, it is important to think about how the tree will be used. While a tall tree may look very elegant, it may not be suitable if there aren’t many adults around who can reach the tree’s height. And a very short tree may be dwarfed by other furniture in the room. It’s therefore important to carefully consider and get a tree that has a suitable height and also one that has sturdy branches to hold heavy ornaments.
Artificial and real Christmas trees can often be bought from the same retail stores. The best place to get a real and fresh Christmas tree, and also to see a wide variety, is likely a Christmas tree farm however.
Using modern technology, both types of trees can also be obtained through online transactions, via telephone as well as by mail-order through catalogs. Among Christmas trees there are certain types that are always favorites and which are bestsellers. These include: Douglas, Fraser, Noble and Balsam firs, and Scotch, Virginia and white pine trees. These evergreen trees all have all have one or more excellent features related to shape, color or sheen and fragrance, which makes them favorites for Christmas trees.
The most favorite Christmas trees basically have a pyramid or cone shape. A pyramid-shaped tree is likely taller and has somewhat of an elegant look. The Douglas Fir, which ranks first among Christmas tree favorites, is an example of a pyramid-shaped tree. Other examples are Fraser, Balsam and Noble firs.
A cone shape tree tends to be short with dense branches, which makes them excellent for holding many ornaments and other decorations. Families that have a tradition of making their own ornaments, or putting mementoes on Christmas trees usually consider a cone-shaped tree. Virginia and Scotch Pines, Norway Spruce and the Eastern White Pine all have cone shapes.
Another feature that makes Christmas trees appealing is their color. While all trees have a green appearance, a closer look at their needles will reveal differences such as a bright or dark-green, blue- green or yellowish-green hue. The needles may also emit a silvery sheen with the right lighting. Fraser and Noble firs both have needles with a silvery sheen, and the branches of both trees are also used for garlands and wreaths.
Most people choose a fresh Christmas tree for its fragrance, which can be fairly strong or just subtle, giving off just enough of a whiff of scent. Douglas Fir, which is the most popular Christmas tree in homes and public places, is a very fragrant tree. The Balsam fir is also fairly fragrant. The Eastern White Pine is however, a tree that doesn’t have much fragrance. Whether you have a favorite type of Christmas tree or will choose one from its appearance, there are many choices to satisfy the desire to have a fragrant and well-decorated tree for Christmas.
Filed under Santa by on Sep 15th, 2010. 
Maybe it’s the undeniable alliterative appeal of Rudolph the Red-Nosed reindeer
that makes him the most known or popular of all Santa’s nine flying reindeers.
It certainly doesn’t seem as easy to come up with a similar catchy description
for the others – Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and
Blitzen – as named in the song.
The story of Rudolph whose glowing red nose made him a standout, first appeared
in 1939 when Montgomery Ward department stores distributed about 2.4 million
booklets with the poem in the form of a story about “Rudolph the Red-Nosed
Reindeer.” It was written by Robert L. May, who worked in the store’s
advertisement or marketing department, to be used to attract more people into
the store.
When the booklet was reissued in 1939, sales soared to more than 3.5
million copies. But it wasn’t until a decade later, in 1949, that the story
really gained immense popularity when Gene Autry sang a musical version of the
fable. As a Christmas song, it is second only in popularity to ‘White Christmas.’
Rudolph, the ninth reindeer whose lighted nose guides Santa’s sleigh through the
night, is now known worldwide as the song has been translated into more than 20
different languages and an animated television movie has also been based on the
story.
Rudolph and his noticeable nose have also become the subject of jokes and
sparked more interest in reindeers which has led to much research into Santa and
the flying reindeers who pull his sleigh through the sky.
Along with the catchy rhythm of the lyrics, Rudolph’s story is also appealing
because of the moral lessons it contains. As the story goes, Rudolph was
ostracized by the other reindeers, which laughed and teased him about his shiny
red nose.
But on a foggy night, when Santa must have been concerned that he may
not be able to deliver his Christmas gifts around the world, Santa spotted him
and kindly asked if he would step to the front as the leader to ‘guide my sleigh
tonight.’ His shiny red nose would after all be very useful in lighting the way,
Santa thought. From then on ‘all of the other reindeers loved him,” and rightly
predicted that he ‘would go down in history.’
Among the moral lessons the story can impart is that an attribute that is
perceived as negative or as a liability can be used for a positive purpose, or,
become an asset. It also makes the point that an individual should not let the
negative behavior of others define him or her and limit expectations of what can
be achieved. And it also illustrates how quickly opinions and attitudes about a
person can change.
The question still lingers however of where Rudolph came from. He is commonly
regarded as the son of Donner (or Donder), one of the original eight reindeers.
But the Snopes.com site rejects this however, saying that he dwelled in a
reindeer village elsewhere and it was there that he was seen by Santa who had
already started on his Christmas Eve journey to deliver gifts.
And in a more modern evolution of the story according to Wikipedia.com, an animation by the
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) introduced a son, named Robbie, of
Rudolph. That son has now become the tenth reindeer.
It’s also interesting to note that the idea of Santa’s sleigh being pulled by
reindeers was originated in the poem, ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas.’ That
poem tells the story of St. Nicholas, who is Santa, calling his eight tiny
reindeers by their names, as previously mentioned, just before he came down the
chimney of a house to start filling the stockings from a sack full of toys he
carried on his back. 
Filed under Santa by on Jun 22nd, 2010. 2 Comments.
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