O Christmas Tree History

christmas tree

The Holiday Loved by Many Christmas is one holiday that is loved and celebrated by millions all over the world. Many people here the phrase “Christmas Time” and get overly giddy. Christmas not only means family, food, and gifts but it also holds great meaning, messages, and memories that we pass on to our children.  Christmas tree songs and carols are a great part of the holiday celebrated. We even teach our children the same folk songs we sang along to from preschool and still to date. We make it fun for them by turning oh christmas tree song into kid songs. It’s one of those things that the entire family can enjoy and participate in. Have you ever thought about where or how some of those same Christmas songs came about? Well lets talk about it for a second.

O Christmas Tree It’s always a good thing to know where something originated from whether it’s the food we eat or the songs we sing. What do we really know about the ever so traditional variations of Christmas songs, that even us as children sang along to? For one we know that they’re catchy and pretty easy to sing along to. There’s a specific song in mind I would like to share just a little history about today, and that song is “O Christmas Tree” also know as “O Tannenbaum” which is German for fir tree. The song was originated in Germany early 19th century and became more popularly known in the later 19th century with it’s traditions we’ve become accustomed to today. The song originally had nothing to do with Christmas at all, but was inspired by the symbolizing characteristics of the tree itself. Over the course of the 19th century leading into the 20th century the song had its fare adjustments to become the song we all know and sing to this day. Although the song originally had little of nothing to do with Christmas, we now know and sing along to it around that special time of year at family gatherings and Christmas parties alike. If you think about it, what better folk song would be to turn into a Christmas carol. The time of the year and the tree itself seems to fit perfect together. It just makes sense to see how over the years the song eventually blended so well with customs of the Christmas season.

What a Tree When something comes together with a great meaning there’s no doubting it. The song we sing with friends and family every year; The song we sang as children and now teach to our kids all had a significant meaning behind it most of us probably never thought twice about. History can do that many times over again. It just goes to show us that when great things come together it results in an even greater story to tell.