O Christmas Tree: Its History and Holiday Traditions
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A glittering Christmas tree trimmed for the holiday season is a joyful sight Children can’t wait to decorate their trees for the holidays Families love to see the decorations on their neighbors trees People come together to celebrate the tree lighting at the town hall Christmas trees make us feel happy and uplifted How did the Christmas tree custom begin The story goes back many centuries
Evergreens are trees and bushes that remain green year-round Lush branches from these plants have been used in holiday celebrations and ceremonies for more than three thousand years Around 1300 BCE Egyptian families decorated their homes with palm branches to mark the winter solstice the shortest day of the year It was a happy holiday for evergreens reminded the Egyptians that as the hours of daylight increased their crops would begin to grow
Ancient Romans also celebrated the winter solstice Their festival was called Saturnalia in honor of Saturn the god of farming Like the Egyptians Romans brightened up their homes with evergreen branches knowing that soon their crops would be flush with new green growth
