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Can you imagine a Christmas without the Christmas tree, because I don't. But what about two thousands years ago, in Jerusalem, where most of the trees are palm-trees? Do you think they celebrate Christmas the same? We cannot deny the close connection of the sparkled tree with Christianity, but we have to keep in mind the fact that the Christmas tree is more like an old pagan custom that was adopted by Christianity recently.

The coniferous is a phallus symbol, associated with the fertility of the nature gods. Northern Europe countries practiced the decorating of coniferous trees during old, pagan times in winter. Around 21st of December is the winter Solstice. Firstly it was seen as the date of the rebirth of the Nature. Tree decoration was later adopted into Christian practice after the Church set December 25th as the birth of Christ, thereby supplanting the pagan celebration of the solstice.In some traditional villages people still have pots with new, green wheat, recollecting the old custom that celebrated the rebirth of nature in the middle of the winter. The Christmas tree was brought indoors for celebrating in the 16th century.

Other sustaining points of our theory that the Christmas tree started as a pagan symbol are the Roman mosaics from what is today Tunisia. There we have the image of Dionysus, the god of wine and male fertility, returning from India caring a tapering coniferous tree.

But the pine stands also for the image of the man, or at least a desired image: straight, always green and with a refreshing smell, different from the other trees, because it lasts through all the seasons, almost every climate and area, but searching for high places, like the human soul should aspire to purity, light, and hope. There are some Eastern Europe countries that have a decorated coniferous as a symbolic image of the human life. It is used when somebody dies, to recollect about his fruitful life, or when it is born, to set a pattern for the new born to follow: straightness, always green, and special, or at his wedding, recollecting the phallic symbol of fertility.

Nowadays there is this opposition: Christian symbol or just a decorated tree, a Pagan custom. Many people see in it primarily a symbol of faith and hope that the New Year will bring only the good things that the Christmas Tree makes you experience during the Holy Celebrations. Look in the eyes of the children and there you will find your answer.

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