Christmas Tree

O’ Christmas Tree
By Audrey Sneddon

Martin Luther, the father of modern day Protestants, had a really good idea. We went into the woods around the time of the Christmas celebration, and found a tree. Once there, he decorated the tree with fruit, ribbon, and candles- all in celebration of the birth of Christ. That year, the tradition of the Christmas tree was born. Initially, the tree never left the woods. Families would take trips into the woods and, essentially, adopt-a-tree which they decorated and prayed around. It wasn’t until years later that families began cutting the trees down and bringing them into their homes to decorate and pray around. The Christmas tree began as a place for prayer and family devotions, but it soon became a place to house the various presents and heirloom ornaments.

How To Decorate Your Christmas Tree

Some people believe that throwing up tinsel, haphazardly winding colored lights, and hooking bulbs and ornaments in a messy fashion is considered decorating the Christmas tree. This is absolutely incorrect. Just like the Christmas dinner, everything has a place.

Before you even begin to get the decorations down from the attic, you first have to go and pick your Christmas tree. For some, this means a trip to a Christmas tree farm where they can pick a tree out from rows and rows of Christmas trees. For others, this means a trip to Wal-mart to pick a pre-cut tree out from piles and piles of Christmas trees. Whichever kind of tree you choose, make sure that it will fit through the front door and stand up right in the living room. Once you have your tree picked out, you must find a place to put it. Finding the perfect place to display your Christmas tree is a must. Hiding it in a corner or putting it in the middle of a room, might not be a bright idea.

Once the tree has been cut and positioned, the decorating can begin. I would recommend putting a Christmas CD on and listening to the holiday tunes as you gather and dress the tree in lights and tinsel.

As you would have guessed, there are specific layers and rules to decorating a Christmas tree. First, you put on the lights. The lights should go around an even amount of times, with an even amount of space in between strings. Second, you put on the shiny tinsel. It is recommended that you put on one strand at a time, but this can take forever. Take a handful of tinsel in between your thumb and forefinger, and blow in the direction of the tree. This will ensure almost even distribution and overall coverage. Third, gather all of the family ornaments and put them in prominent positions around the tree. Fourth, hang the generic store brand bulbs in various positions around the family ornaments. Lastly, you gather your whole family around the tree, and place the Christmas star on the very top of the tree. Once the tree has been decorated you can turn off the lights, and collectively gasp at the beauty that you, as a family, have created.

The Christmas tree is a wonderful and fun tradition that should not be passed up. From the woods into your living room, the tree has a rich history and beautiful beginning.

Author Details:
Audrey Sneddon, copywriter for various websites including, Christmas and The A to Z of.

Article Source: Simply Top Articles

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