'Tis the season...to have a Christmas tree. I love to sing and I think of the song, O Tannenbaum. So those of you who have read some of my posts know what I like to do...google and do some research on the subject of which I am talking.
Here is the English translation of a German Carol:
"O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are your branches!
In beauty green will always grow
Through summer sun and winter snow.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are your branches!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
You are the tree most loved!
How often you give us delight
In brightly shining Christmas light!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
You are the tree most loved!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
Your beauty green will teach me
That hope and love will ever be
The way to joy and peace for me.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
Your beauty green will teach me"
The interesting tidbit I learned, this song was not even written about a Christmas tree. The author, Anschutz, was writing a tragic love story comparing a fir tree to a faithless lover back in 1824.
Trees that stayed green all year long held special meanings to people. Some felt it would keep evil spirits away. The Germans were credited with having Christmas trees first. Many believe a legend about Martin Luther who saw the stars outdoors and a snow covered fir tree and wanted to show his family what he saw so he structured a tree in his house and hung candles from the branches. In the 1850's Queen Victoria made having a Christmas tree fashionable and the traditions started. Ornaments made their appearance by the turn of the century.
To many Christians, a Christmas Tree reminds us of another tree-a tree that was cut down and roughly hewed into a cross upon which our Savior died-to take upon himself the sins of the world.
Galatians 3:13-14
"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),
1 Peter 2:24
" who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed."
As we live one day at a time and enjoy each day of the Christmas season, maybe your view of your Christmas may change just a little. Remember not only the lowly birth of our Savior in a stable but look ahead also to His death on a cross made from a tree. His death and then conquering death allows us to have the most wonderful gift ever given-salvation!
"Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, how lovely are your branches!"
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