Advent Calendar Day 9: Ornaments

December 9, 2011

Symbol of Christmas:

Ornaments

Short story- I was thinking I would try and get a head start on this post last night.  It was around 9:30 PM and I had some time to myself so I figured I could write something real quick.  However, in an attempt to research the history of ornaments and find a good picture, I got majorly distracted.  I stumbled upon Martha Stewart's craft site and spent the next hour and a half looking at all the Christmas crafts on there.  WOW.  I now have a few more things to add to my "I-want-to-make-that" list.  Looks like another trip to Jo-Ann is in the near future.  So much for getting a head start.  I decided to go to bed, seeing as how it was after 11:00 PM.  This is a good segue into my topic for today though, because one of my favorite things to do at Christmas time is make Christmas ornaments!

I think the most common ornament is the glass bulb.  Those were always my favorite to put up.  But why do we decorate with ornaments and where did this tradition come from?  I found a pretty good explanation from this site:

Although Christmas trees first appeared in America in the 1700s, the emergence of the modern Christmas tree actually dates back to 15th and 16th century Germany.  Evergreens were used first in church plays at Christmas and were hung with apples to symbolize a Paradise tree. Paradise trees later found their way into homes, where they were adorned with small white wafers, and later, small pastries cut into stars, angels, hearts and flowers.

I have to insert a little blurb here about the Paradise Tree because I didn't know what it was at first.  I found a good explanation from this site:

The Paradise tree apparently appeared in the Middle Ages. It was associated with the Paradise Plays which were performed in English and Spanish churches and Medieval villages during Advent. The plays told the story of humankind from the creation of Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden up to the birth of Messiah in Bethlehem. During the play, a large tree, its branches laden with red apples was brought onto the stage. In addition to the apples, small white discs, representing communion wafers also hung from the branches. The apples and representative communion wafers were a forceful reminder of the existence of good vs. evil.  As time passed, candles representing Jesus as the Light of the World, were added to the tree.  

Now that we know more about the Paradise Tree, I want to continue with the first article:

During the next 200 years, this custom slowly spread throughout Germany and Europe. Decorated trees were brought to America by Hessians – German mercenaries – fighting in the Revolutionary War.

Christmas wasn't widely celebrated in the United States until the 1800s, however, because of the Puritans' influence. As a result, decorated trees did not become widely popular until people saw the ornaments brought to America by families emigrating from Germany and England in the 1840s.

 I really like that the Paradise Tree is meant to symbolize the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  I find it interesting that one of the most common ornaments nowadays are the bulbs.  They are round like fruit and very beautiful.  To me, they symbolize the fruit of the tree of knowledge.  This is a reminder that Heavenly Father has a plan for us.  The fall of Adam was a key part in that plan.  The fall of Adam made it possible for us to come to this earth, to learn and to have families and to have joy (2 Nephi 2:25).  God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth to be our Savior, so that we can have the opportunity to repent and be forgiven when we make mistakes.  I am grateful for the sacrifice He made for us.  When we look at the tree with all the beautiful ornaments, we can remember that sacrifice, that God has a plan for us, and that we can return to live with Him again and have eternal life.