We associate
Christmas tree with Christmas, and with Christmas tree, we associate
its ornaments, the
Christmas ornaments, for the Christmas tree.
Christmas ornaments for adorning the Christmas tree began way
back in 1500 AD, somewhere in Germany.
Initially, the Germans had a wooden pyramid instead of a tree
that they decorated with edibles like cookies, pop corns, raisins,
nuts and pretzels. The top of the pyramid were usually adorned
with stars, flags, or angels. By the end of 17th century, however,
the tree had replaced the pyramid (they used to call the pyramid
a paradise then), and the decorations had substituted bells, garlands,
paper chains for edibles. The decorations had begun to assume
the shape of
Christmas ornaments, as we know them now.
The German natives in northern Bohemia, learnt glass blowing skills
from Venetian traders, and they used the skill to make glass
Christmas
ornaments for the Fir tree, celebrating winter solstice. Early
Christians adopted this practice to adorn Christmas trees on the
birth of Jesus Christ, and that is how we have glass ornaments
hanging to Christmas trees even today. What begun as a cottage
industry in East Germany, soon spread through most of the German
countryside. In the United States, German settlers in Pennsylvania
decorated trees as early as 1800. By the end of mid 18th Century,
the custom of trimming trees spread rapidly throughout the world.
The glass pickle ornament, introduced by the Germans, carries
a special meaning and attraction today. It is dome as the last
of decoration, and is hidden in the tree. Whichever kid first
finds the pickle, knows that a special Christmas present awaits
him/her, and can start unwrapping the Christmas presents.
Many people are known to collect and preserve
Christmas ornaments,
as they gather emotional attachment with them, and carry special
memories.
Other than the pickle, the popular ornaments are fruits and vegetables,
reflectors, stars, fish and birds. Fruits and vegetables signify
harvest, star and fish– the Christ, birds – messengers of good
luck and good fortune, and reflectors – signifying sunshine, and
removal of darkness.
We find the reflectors in almost all the ornaments, and it is
due to nullify the dullness of winters. Thus when you gift/buy
an ornament for Christmas, you are actually gifting sunshine and
warmth, killing the harshness of dull winters
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Personalized Reindeer Family Ornament |
