Christmas tree origins?

The Christmas tree was originally called the Yule Log, and the holiday was called "Yule."

History

The Yule log first emerged as part of Christmas celebrations in Germany late in the 12th century, about 400 years before Christmas trees and Santa Claus, making it one of the most ancient Christmas traditions. Traditionally, the Yule log is burned in the fireplace on Christmas Eve. By the early 1600s, burning the Yule log was an important part of holiday celebrations in England.

Features

Though any wood can be used as a Yule log, the classic trees chopped for Yuletide burning are oak and ash. The log was originally a very large one --- designed to keep burning through the entire 12 days of Christmas --- but grew smaller over time. A piece of the Yule log was always saved to light the next year's Yule log.

Significance

The Yule log marked the holiday season. During the time it burned, no unnecessary work was supposed to be done, and families were supposed to celebrate and make merry.

In many illustrations, Santa Claus is shown carrying a Yule log as one of the symbols of Christmas. Origins

In pagan times, the Yule log was burned at the winter Solstice to symbolize warmth and light even in the dark of winter. Christians adopted the ritual and made it a part of their Christmas celebration.

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Yule was the celebration of a good harvest, and thus plenty of food for the cold winter. In some traditions, a long log was dragged into the main house, and set to flame, then the party would begin. As the log burned, the people would continue celebrating until the log was consumed. They would eat, and drink Mead, a liquor made from honey.

When I was a boy in Northern Indiana, things were different. Santa would come to a small house in the center of town, and the stores would have the latest toys on display in the windows for all the children to see. Mom and Grandma would back and make candy for days, I would be charged with cracking nuts and peeling apples for pies. And churning milk for cheese. Grandpa would bring home a giant smoked Virginia ham, and the egg nog would be served to anyone who stopped by, even the mailman got a cup, and a shot from Grandpa's bottle of Old Grandad. On Christmas morning, us kids would come down the stairs, out feet cold from the wood floors, and there would be the gifts under the tree, waiting to be ripped open.

Christmas has lost all of it's fun anymore, now it is all about which store can outsell the others, and families don't get together like they used to.