Last night was very special. Epic might be the more crucial word. My roommate and I put up our first christmas tree. I managed to do a few very important first christmas tree things....1. I hugged it. 2. I got sap all over my hands; they'll never be the same again (sticky fingers!) and 3. I decorated it with friends by a not-so-open fire. It was great and really fun. Even though I am not really religious myself, the tree thing and sense of tradition and family is what's most important. Plus my house is by far the coolest on the block.
- There are approximately 25-30 million Real Christmas Trees sold in the U.S. every year
- North American Real Christmas Trees are grown in all 50 states and Canada. Eighty percent (80%) of artificial trees worldwide are manufactured in China, according to the U.S. Commerce Department.
- It can take as many as 15 years to grow a tree of typical height (6 - 7 feet) or as little as 4 years, but the average growing time is 7 years.
- The top Christmas Tree producing states are Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Washington
- The Christmas Tree concept was originated in Germany, a Fir tree was used starting in the 16th century, however documents placed the tree starting in the 15th century in Estonia
- An angel or star is often placed at the top of the tree, representing the host of angels or the Star of Bethlehem from the Nativity
- The tradition of the Christmas tree as it is today known is fairly young. It was established by Martin Luther as a Protestant counterpart to the Catholic Nativity scene. Luther established the Christmas tree as a symbol of the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden
- According to the first documented uses of a Christmas tree in Estonia, in 1441, 1442, and 1514 the Brotherhood of the Blackheads erected a tree for the holidays in their brotherhood house in Reval (now Tallinn). At the last night of the celebrations leading up to the holidays, the tree was taken to the Town Hall Square where the members of the brotherhood danced around
- The term Charlie Brown Christmas tree is used in the United States and Canada to describe any poor-looking or malformed little tree
- In 2005, the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport removed all of its Christmas trees in the middle of the night rather than allow a rabbi to put up a menorah near the largest tree display
Awesome post!
ReplyDeleteIf trees could talk, I would ask them:
1) How old are you?
2) Where were you born?
3) What were your parents like? (Considering a chopped tree’s life span is about a month, I am going to assume the parents of any particular Christmas tree were also martyrs in the name of Christmas and are probably decomposing as we speak.)
4) How do you really feel about being touched in so many different ways when people string lights on your branches and hang odd glittery looking balls from every part of your being?
Also, on a separate note -- whoever is responsible for decorating the tree in that picture…hot damn…they MUST be distant cousins to Martha Stewart.
Loves it! Great looking tree! Martha would be proud.
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