The Christmas Tree
The history of the Christmas tree
by Hannah Taylor
Suitable for Whole School (Pri)
Aims
To consider the traditions behind the Christmas tree.
Preparation and materials
- You will need the PowerPoint slides that accompany this assembly (The Christmas Tree) and the means to display them.
Assembly
- Show Slide 1.
Ask the children whether they have ever wondered why at Christmas, so many of us have a Christmas tree standing proudly in our homes.
Ask the children whether they have any ideas about where the tradition began.
Ask the children why they think we hang lights, ornaments and treats on our Christmas tree.
Listen to a range of responses. - Explain that the shortest day of the year falls on 21 December in the UK.
Long ago, many people believed that the sun was a god, and that winter came every year because the sun god had become sick and weak. Therefore, plants and trees that remained green all year round had a special meaning for people in winter. Seeing a green plant or tree in winter was a reassuring reminder that other plants would grow again, and summer would return.
The Ancient Egyptians, Romans and Vikings used to decorate their homes with palms and evergreen boughs to mark the shortest day of the year. This is what lies behind the tradition of the Christmas tree. - Over 500 years ago, Germany started the tradition of the Christmas tree as we know it today by putting up a tree in their homes on 24 December.
One approach was to decorate the tree with apples and use it as a prop in the story of Adam and Eve. Germans also used something called a Christmas Light. This was a small wooden frame in the shape of a pyramid that was usually decorated with baubles, tinsel and a candle on top. It symbolized the birth of Christ as the Light of the World. - Show Slide 2.
As the years passed, Christmas trees started to become very popular. In the nineteenth century, they were introduced to England by the German-born Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s husband. The royal family decorated their Victorian tree with toys, small gifts, candles, sweets, fancy cakes and paperchains.
A famous portrait was drawn of the Victorian royal family standing around the Christmas tree. It wasn’t long before everyone else wanted one too. - Later, the discovery of electricity led to the creation of Christmas lights, which meant that Christmas trees could sparkle with lights for days at a time.
- Many Christians believe that the Christmas tree represents the birth and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Time for reflection
For many of us, the moment we put up our Christmas tree feels like the start of the Christmas celebrations. Decorating the tree will mean something different to all of us, bringing back special memories and reminding us of what Christmas is all about.
Just now, we heard about some of the traditions behind the Christmas tree; maybe we could think about these as we decorate our trees and ask ourselves, ‘What does Christmas mean to each of us?’
Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for this special time where we can all be together
To celebrate the birth of Jesus, our saviour, and his love for us.
Amen.
Song/music
‘O Christmas tree’, available at: https://youtu.be/R00GbYoJJtc (2.25 minutes long)
