Historical Spaghetti: You Can't Make This Stuff Up

The pre-Christmas season makes us think of nicely decorated homes, ginger bread houses, family gatherings, and Christmas trees. Many people, however, do not know any of the details of the pagan origins of today’s Christmas trees. The idea of bringing trees into the house has roots going back to the pagan past of European countries. Dorothea Forstner, choir woman of the Benedictines in St. Gabriel of Berholdstein, is quoted in Pagan Christmas explaining the pagan roots of the Christmas tree. Forstner explains that “[b]y bringing branches or trees into contact with human beings, the fresh and blossoming life of nature and its fertility was transferred into them, and evil influences were warded off.” According to Forstner, the time period between December 25th and January 6th was especially important for those rituals because evil spirits were feared the most during those days. During those days, “green branches were hung, candles lit – and all these things were used as a means of defens...