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History of the christmas tree
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the Before birth of
Christi
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Tribes in middle and northern Europe celebrate the Midsummer´s change, which should bring the spring and expel bad ghosts and demons.
Evergreen plants should have magical forces.
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In the year
0 - 5
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a child, named Jesus Christ, was born. The date is not exactly known, but the year falls into the regency of the roman emperor Augustus Octavian
(27. b.C. to 14 a.D.). Scientists date the birth of Christ into the first years a.D. The place of birth is still seen in Bethlehem or in Nazareth, too. Also the date of birth could be between March and November. The year of execution is also discussed by the scientists, doubtlessly, the name of the governor was Pontius Pilatus. Fact is, that the Happy message has kept its religious character for 2000 years and has not lost anything of its intensity.
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From 100 a.D.
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the written reports of the evangelists are widespread. IN 2 of 4 gospels, the birth of Christ is reported. The scanty reporting is caused by the fact, that the date of death of an important person was more important than the birth date of this person.
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354 a.D.
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the Romans celebrate Christmas for the first time. This was caused by the intention to build up a frontier between the Christian celebration and the "Day of the invincible sungod" (Dies natalis solis invicti).
The roman emperor Aurelian (214 - 275) declared this day as being a public holiday. Bishop Liberius also defined a day between the feast to the honor of Saturn, god of agriculture and calendars (17.12.) in order to put a sign because of the competition of the religions and the amazing parallels.
North of the Alpes, the Germanic Jul-Fest was celebrated, there were demon summonings between the 21.12. and the 06.01. (so-called Rough nights)
5.12., birthday of the sun god Mithra. There are still celebrations in Iran nowadays. The Greeks also celebrate the birthday of the sun god Helios on 25.12. and the jews celebrate the Channuka-celebration. The Christian church makes it happen to christianise some non-christian celebrations.
By celebrating the birth of Christ, somes cleric courses were set :
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313 a.D.
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Tolerance edict of Milan (Jesus was officially recognized as the son of God)
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325 a.D.
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The council of Nicaea confirms Christ to be a god, having equal rights to the Lord and the divine incarnation.
At first, the Christians celebrated The 6th of January, which was later declared being the celebration of the 3 saint kings.
And even today, the Eastern Church celebrates the 5th and 6th of January (also known as "Father Frost"). The tenth hour of the morning on the 6th of January is dedicated to the baptism of Christ.
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388 a.D.
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The first Christmas sermon is given. In Antioch, Christostomus made a talk about the celebration being the birth of all celebrations – the birth of Christ
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In the 4th century
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Germanic cults continue. Time and time again, evergreen branches ought to exorcise demons ands ghosts and to bring spring.
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About 440/450
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according to tradition, the first light mass with candles is hold in a church in Byzantium.
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In the 6th century.
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emperor Justitian declares Christmas to be a state holiday.
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In the 7th century.
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the Christmas festive time is defined (1. advent until Septuagesima)
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800 a. D.
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Charlemagne is coroneted to emperor by Pope Leo III in Rome.
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813 a.D..
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Definition of the 25th of December being a holiday – the birthday of Jesus Christ – during a synod in Mainz
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In the 9th century
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The 3 saint kings – Casper, Melcher and Balthasar – are named for the first time. In the gospel of Matthias /Matth, 2,1), astronomers from the East are mentioned, so-called "magio". Mostly members of a priest caste, they were the counsellors of kings. That’s probably why they received the title "Kings"
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1170
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Bavarian minstrel Sperrvogel sings about the sacred nights "ZE WIHEN NAHTEN” = Weihnachten
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In the 13th century.
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the first Christmas cribs are built containing the 3 saint kings. The messiah as being a human comes to the fore.
Of mayor importance are the doctrines of the Mystics :
Berhard von Clairvaux (1090 – 1153)
Franz von Assisi (1182 – 1226)
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1419
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The Freiburgian brotherhood of bakers decorated a Christmas tree with gingerbread, apples, gold stripes, coloured nuts and paper inside the “Heilig Geist Spital”
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1494
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in "Narrenschiff", Sebastian Brant confirmed the tradition to put up "Christmas Mays"
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1509
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za copperplate from Lucas Cranach the older shows the first Christmas tree decorated with lights.
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1535
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Hollies, box wreaths and yews are sold on the market of Strasbourg
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1588
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Elisabeth I. "creates" a holiday roast, which was very popular already before : the Christmas goose
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1597
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the craftsmen’s guild of Bremen decorates a Christmas tree. The citizens like that new customs and take it over quickly. Trees are also decorated along the upper Rhine.
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1605
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first decorated, but candle less trees improved the rooms in Strasbourg.
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1611
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Duchess Dorothea Sybille of Silesia decorates her chateau with a decorated candle tree.
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1708
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Liselotte von der Pfalz writes about decorated trees with candles in a letter towards her daughter. In all cultivated houses, the Christmassy light trees become a social attraction.
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1754
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a report about the new customs to decorate spruces with golden and red potatoes and to use them as a room decoration appears in a magazine in Berlin.
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1770
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Goethe reports about the beautiful christmas trees in Strasbourg, decorated with candles and jewellery
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1815
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Biedermann time starts. The christmas tree becomes the elegant center
of the family.
Santa Claus as the successor of the Nicolaus is mainly the present bringer in Northern Germany. The Christ child as being an angel brings gifts to the children in the South and in the East of the country. At first, it are only sweets. Later, also adults have been surprised by jewellery or little presents.
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1816
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Henriette of Nassau-Weibling, the wife of archduke Karl, winney of Aspern against Napoleon, brings the tradition from the Rhineland to Vienna to put one candle on the tree for her first child and for every month in the year. The tradition spreaders fast.
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1831
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Johann Simon Lindner shows fruits & nuts made of lead mirrored glasss -the ancestors of our christmas balls- in his "Spielwaren-Musterkarte".
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1848
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August Imgard, the emigrant from Wetzlar, decorates the first American Christmas tree with mouth-blown balls.
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1860
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The first advent wreath is hangend up in an Hamburgian poor house.
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1866
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The first tree stand made of castiron becomes patented.
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1870
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Christmas decorations are produced industrially. There are first attempts to produce artificial trees by use of wire and feathers. Emperor Wilhelm I. celebrates christmas in chateau Versailles.
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1882
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The first christmas tree lighted by electric lights in the USA makes a big impression worlwide.
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1891
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The first light tree is built up next to the White House.
The christmas tree turns into a national German symbol.
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Since 1900
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The christmas tree's global victory march began. In many houses, but also in public buildings, the christmas tree meets with general approval. After long resistance and refusal as being a pagan symboly even churches build up trees and cribs.
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2000
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About 23 mio. christmas trees are sold in Germany. The christmas tree's decoration's colours and shapes are uncountable. Besides spruces and blue spruces, new fir sorts, like the Nordmann fir or the Noble fir have been established. Needle proofness, resistant branches and a fine smell nowadways are guarantees for a nice festive decorated christmas trees.
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