Your Christmas Tree

[James the Persian]

As a Lutheran, we never put the tree up until Christmas Eve afternoon (that's the tradition in Germany - don't know what American Lutherans do). Since I became Orthodox the only thing that's changed is that I never put it up until sunset on Christmas Eve. That's when the Nativity fast ends (it starts on 15th November) and it has always struck me as being rather inappropriate to decorate the house while you're fasting. I bet I'm the last person on this board to put their tree up! We also take it down again on 6th January, which is Theophany. We usually have a real tree of about 6 or 7 feet, but we also have been known to use a decent artificial one, mainly because good trees are often hard to find at the end of December.

James

 

[anders]

In Lutheran Sweden, it's nowadays not too uncommon to have a tree decorated by Dec. 13, the day of Sta. Lucia. A curious fact that an Italian saint has her day celebrated by all of Sweden. Often, that tree will be exchanged for a fresh one by Yuletide, decorating it late on Dec. 23, to have a really lovely tree at the gift distribution on 24/12. (That's 12/24 to the US, if I understand things right.) That latter tree will traditionally/in principle be thrown out on Jan. 13 after a Yule farewell party, but some people try to keep it until Easter.

 

[James the Persian]

In Lutheran Sweden, it's nowadays not too uncommon to have a tree decorated by Dec. 13, the day of Sta. Lucia. A curious fact that an Italian saint has her day celebrated by all of Sweden. Often, that tree will be exchanged for a fresh one by Yuletide, decorating it late on Dec. 23, to have a really lovely tree at the gift distribution on 24/12. (That's 12/24 to the US, if I understand things right.) That latter tree will traditionally/in principle be thrown out on Jan. 13 after a Yule farewell party, but some people try to keep it until Easter.

Well, I can see that Lutheran traditions in Sweden are very different from those in Germany. Of course, many Germans now have the endless lead up to Christmas that is common in the commercialised west, but that is not the original tradition - the tree was not meant to be set up until the end of advent. Do you celebrate St. Nicholas' day? That was always one of the best things about our German traditions (though it left me rather confused as to why English speakers thought Father Christmas and St. Nicholas were the same person). Interestingly, the very same tradition is found in the Romanian Orthodox church - St. Nicholas comes (although obviously it's really the parents) and leaves chocolates in the children's shoes on 6th December. Weinachtsmann/Mos Craciun (Father Christmas) is a completely different character.

James

 

[Green Gaia]

I put mine up last night. My mom always has us put up her tree the day after Thanksgiving, so we did that last week while there. Then she spents the next 2 weeks putting up all the other decorations all over and outside the house.

 

[Aqualung]

James The Persian - I was a Lutheran for childhood, the daughter of a life-long lutheran, so I guess what I do is typical of American Lutherans. We just put it up when we had the chance.

Also, since you brought up st. Nic. We always celebrated st. Nicolas day, as well as christmas. On st. nic's day, we put out our stockings, and got a small toy, candy, nuts, and an orange in them. On christmas, we has our tree and got presents under them.

 

[Todd]

When do you put yours up, if you have one? What does it look like?

We put ours up about three weeks before Christmas. After years of fighting it, I finally broke down and got an artificial one. It was the best thing we ever did. I got so sick and tired of having a dead tree on Christmas morning, and here in Utah (where it is so dry), it's almost impossible to keep a real tree looking alive and well for more than a week or ten days at the most. Ours is totally eclectic. The more the variety to the ornaments, the better.

We put our tree up three weeks ago. Yea, I know what your probably thinking. This guy must be crazy. Well typically we don't put it up until 3 weeks before Christmas, but this year we are celebrating Christmas at my house, and all our family and friends are coming over, so we wanted to get a jump on it this year.

The tree is about 8 to 9 feet tall, artifitial (I actually like live trees better because they smell so good, but artifitial isn't as messy). We have all white lights with 4 or 5 ribbons streamed down each side of the tree. And of course we have a wide assortment of ornaments. The base of the tree is kind of a velvet (red and green) footer (I don't know what it's called) with a train sewn into it. It looks nice.

 

[Solon]

When do you put yours up, if you have one? What does it look like?

We put ours up about three weeks before Christmas. After years of fighting it, I finally broke down and got an artificial one. It was the best thing we ever did. I got so sick and tired of having a dead tree on Christmas morning, and here in Utah (where it is so dry), it's almost impossible to keep a real tree looking alive and well for more than a week or ten days at the most. Ours is totally eclectic. The more the variety to the ornaments, the better.

I hate Christmas trees period. And the other rubbish people decorate their homes with. Some idiot down our road has just put what looks like a seven foot tall inflatable Santa, with what appears to be Homer Simpsons face in his front window, lol lol. And then there are those who put so many lights around their homes, along with Glowing Santa's, Reindeers, elves, that they put a strain on the national grid, laughable.

I will string some holly and ivy together, and use that in honour of the Solstice, and maybe some Mistletoe, in case any random women come by looking for a kiss or two.

S

 

[maggie2]

We'll put our tree up sometime in the next few days. We use an artificial one because our son is allergic to real ones. We used to always have a real tree and we love them but we love our son more so the real tree had to go.

 

[Solon]

Christmas trees suck....

 

[Pussyfoot Mouse]

We have an artificial tree that we are putting up this weekend coming. My daughter is expected for a visit and the boys and I decided to bake some cookies, so this looks like a good weekend to get in the festive mood.

 

[ChrisP]

We have an artificial tree that we are putting up this weekend coming. My daughter is expected for a visit and the boys and I decided to bake some cookies, so this looks like a good weekend to get in the festive mood.

mmmmnnnn Coooookies! The best part of Christmas, besides the chocolate.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

It wasn't looking like we would have a tree, but while I was stopping by the food pantry today, there was a flyer about some artificial trees being given away! If we get one, I love decorating it with representations of nature, like birds and animals. (I keep hoping to find a unicorn ornament, but haven't yet. )

 

[anders]

Do you celebrate St. Nicholas' day? ... St. Nicholas comes (although obviously it's really the parents) and leaves chocolates in the children's shoes on 6th December. Weinachtsmann/Mos Craciun (Father Christmas) is a completely different character.

I didn't know of gifts on other days than 24/12. Those gifts are supposed to be delivered by tomten, the farm gnome. When I was a kid, the way I imagined him was like here, but nowadays, you mostly see that fat USAmerican guy in red.