On these pyramids, some families would fasten and light candles, one for each family member. German settlers were the first to introduce the indoor evergreen to the new country, but it didn't go over smoothly, according to the History Channel.The newly-settled Puritans were big supporters of Christmas, and wildly oppose the pagan influence. Wanting to share this experience with his family, Martin Luther cut down a fir tree and took it home. On December 21 or December 22, the day is the shortest and the night the longest. This version claims the tree's fall as a pagan symbol turned it into a declaration of Christianity. Dating back centuries before Christ, cultures brought evergreen trees, plants, and leaves into their homes upon the arrival of the winter solstice, which occurs in the northern hemisphere between December 21st and 22nd. Similarly, in ancient Rome, the festival Saturnalia was celebrated from December 17 through December 23. In fact, many people of other faiths have adopted the Christmas tree (See Japan for instance).The Christmas tree has gone a long way from its humble, pagan origins, to the point that it’s become too popular for its own good. "We eat the fish and the prawns, et cetera, but I think we are relatively traditional.

For many, it’s unthinkable to celebrate Christmas without a beautiful evergreen fir in the living room decorated with sparkling ornaments and wrapped presents.

There are several theories and legends as to how the evergreen fir tree went on to become a symbol of Christianity.One is credited to the English Benedictine monk Boniface, famous for his missionary work in Germany during the eighth century. However, it was American civic leaders, artists, and authors who played on the image of a happy middle-class family exchanging gifts around a tree in an effort to replace Christmas customs that were seen as decadent, like It took a long time before the Christmas tree became an integral part of American life during this faithful night. Modern Christmas trees originated during the Renaissance in early modern Germany. Oliver Cromwell, the influential 17th-century British politician, preached against the “the heathen traditions” of Christmas carols, decorated trees, and any joyful expression that desecrated “that sacred event.”It wasn’t until the time of Queen Victoria that celebrating Christmas by bearing gifts around a fir tree became a worldwide custom. Legend has it, late one evening around Christmas time, Luther was walking home through the woods when he was struck by the innocent beauty of starlight shining through fir trees. "It's the 17th century that we really get the decorating happening, and we get a movement into the festivals and the big royal courts having these trees with the gold leaf on them, having paper decorations with candles," Dr Wilson said.

Origins of the Christmas Tree So the fir tree was first associated with pagan festivals… but when was it actually used in association with Christmas? The unexpected origins of popular Christmas traditions . "The fact that so many of us still do the turkey and the ham, placing the gifts under the tree — that's definitely something that links back to our European roots. "The idea of bringing the evergreen into the house represents fertility and new life in the darkness of winter, which was much more of the pagan themes," Dr Dominique Wilson from the University of Sydney said. They began to worship the evergreen tree as it was the one tree that remained green during the winter. Traditionally, this time of the year is seen as the return in strength of the sun god who had been weakened during winter — and the evergreen plants served as a reminder that the god would glow again and summer was to be expected.The solstice was celebrated by the Egyptians who filled their homes with green palm rushes in honor of the god Ra, who had the head of a hawk and wore the sun as a crown. Evergreen trees and plants have been used to celebrate winter festivals for thousands of years, long before the advent of Christianity.

© 2007-2019 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. In the U.S. alone, The Christmas holiday has evolved to include other religions and retail celebrations.Sign-up to our daily newsletter for more articles like this + access to 5 extra articlesSee why nearly a quarter of a million subscribers begin their day with the Starting 5.Are Christmas Trees Pagan? Christmas trees are widely associated with the Christian holiday, but their origins are far from the Christ-worshipping standards they represent today. Pagans in Europe used branches of evergreen fir trees to decorate their homes and brighten their spirits during the winter solstice.Early Romans used evergreens to decorate their temples at the festival of Saturnalia, while ancient Egyptians used green palm rushes as part of their worship of the god Ra. German settlers were the first to introduce the indoor evergreen to the new country, but it didn't go over smoothly, according to the History Channel.The newly-settled Puritans were big supporters of Christmas, and wildly oppose the pagan influence. He writes mainly about emerging tech, physics, climate, and space. "Then legend has it that a fir tree grew out of the fallen oak. Like most Christmas traditions,  including the celebration of Christmas itself, the origin of the Christmas tree can be traced to Long before Christianity appeared, people in the Northern Hemisphere used evergreen plants to decorate their homes, particularly the doors, to celebrate the Winter Solstice.

Caroling, gift exchanges, and even the much-maligned fruitcake all got their start in classical Pagan traditions. The ancient Romans marked the Winter Solstice with a feast called Saturnalia thrown in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture, and, like the Celts, decorated their homes and temples with evergreen boughs.It’s worth mentioning at this point that Saturnalia was the most important celebration in Roman life. It was the first widely circulated picture of a decorated evergreen Christmas tree in the US and soon the Christmas tree was in vogue.Today, Christmas trees come in all different shapes and sizes from traditional fir to artificial.

In 1659, the General Court of Massachusetts even made a law that celebrating Christmas was illegal.