During the Yuletide season, many people adorn their trees with various decorations, from traditional ornaments to unique and personal pieces. While some may simply view these ornaments as festive decorations, they often hold deeper meanings and symbolism, especially for those with pagan beliefs. One common adornment found on Yuletide trees is the pentagram, a five-pointed star symbolizing the five elements of earth, air, fire, water, and spirit. For pagans, this symbol represents balance and harmony in nature and serves as a reminder of their connection to the natural world. Another pagan symbol commonly found on Yuletide trees is the crescent moon. This shape symbolizes the goddess and the cycles of the moon, representing feminine energy and the power of creation and transformation.
Christmas trees now come in all different shapes and sizes and are widely accepted around the world. ( 702 ABC Sydney: John Donegan )
It s the 17th century that we really get the decorating happening, and we get a movement into the festivals and the big royal courts having these trees with the gold leaf on them, having paper decorations with candles, Dr Wilson said. Just as people today decorate their homes during the festive season with pine, spruce, and fir trees, ancient peoples hung evergreen boughs over their doors and windows.
This shape symbolizes the goddess and the cycles of the moon, representing feminine energy and the power of creation and transformation. Many pagans also include herb bundles or sachets on their Yuletide trees, incorporating botanical elements into their decorations. These herbs, such as rosemary or sage, carry their own magical properties and are believed to bring protection, purification, and positive energy to the space.
What the Christmas Tree Symbolizes
The Christmas tree is the iconic symbol of Christmas. From the enormous glittering tree in Rockefeller Center, to Charlie Brown’s humble bending branch, you can’t separate the Christmas tree from the holiday. Decorations of trees vary from culture to culture—glittering ornaments and lights to popcorn and cranberry garlands to cobwebs (in the Ukraine) and elaborate little sculptures made from radishes (in Mexico). But where did the tradition of the Christmas tree originate, what does it symbolize and how did it become the central symbol of Christmas? The Christmas tree has a long, rich history rooted, some think, as far back in ancient Egyptian and Roman culture. An evergreen branch over the door was used to ward off evil spirits and to symbolize life and growth during a dormant season. The Celts decorated their temples with green pine branches which symbolized everlasting life. In the 16th century, devout Christians brought evergreen trees into their homes in Germany. It is thought that on a wintery walk through the woods, Martin Luther saw twinkling lights through the trees and recreated the look with his own family in his home for Christmas. He is even credited as the first person who decorated a tree with lights. Most likely they were candles, and thankfully they were extinguished before not only burning the tree, but the whole house down.
In the early 19th century, the Christmas tree wasn’t popular in America, and many Christians saw this as a pagan symbol of Christmas, but German immigrants decorated their homes with them, and they began to rise in popularity. Queen Victoria catapulted the popularity of the Christmas tree when a detailed sketch of she and her German husband, Prince Albert, and their children around their own decorated Christmas tree, was printed in the Illustrated London News. They were very popular royals, so the Christmas tree was firmly established as popular and fashionable not only in Britain, but also on the east coast in America. By 1890, Christmas ornaments were being imported from Germany into the U.S. And, though smaller, four-foot trees were popular in Europe, the American “go big or go home” attitude influenced even Christmas tree selection, and many Americans liked oversized, floor-to-ceiling trees. With the electric light, trees could shine every hour of the day, and soon Christmas trees were a common sight in city centers, churches, and towns across the U.S.
The symbol of the Christmas tree was adopted from the pagan tradition and adopted into the Christian tradition. Because Christmas is the holiday that celebrates the birth of Christ, as a light in the dark world, the lit tree was a reminder of that light. The Christmas tree also represents the Tree of Life, commonly recognized as the most important tree in the garden of Eden. Some people decorate with apples or apple ornaments, or a single apple ornament, which symbolized knowledge and reminded the devout Christian of original sin, and the lights symbolized Christ’s dealing with sin and turning darkness into light. Whether Christmas is a holiday to express religious belief or a time to celebrate with family and friends with good food, laughter and gifts or both, the Christmas tree is central to many family’s celebrations. At Old World Christmas, we love it when our ornaments create personal symbols and meaning for your Christmas tree and for the tree’s of the people you love the most.
Share Share Link Close share Copy link Written byAdditionally, pagan ornaments may feature animals that hold significant symbolism, such as the owl or the stag. The owl represents wisdom and intuition, while the stag represents strength and connection to the earth. These symbols remind pagans of the power and energy that nature provides. Overall, Yuletide tree adornments with pagan symbolism serve as reminders of the pagan beliefs and spirituality associated with the holiday season. These decorations not only add beauty and personalization to the tree but also deepen the significance of the Yuletide celebration for those who follow ancient pagan traditions..
Reviews for "The Allure of Pagan Symbols: Enhancing Yuletide Tree Decorations"
1. John - 2 stars
I was really disappointed with these Yuletide tree adornments with pagan symbolism. I thought they would be unique and interesting, but they just looked cheap and tacky. The quality was really poor, and the symbols themselves were not aesthetically pleasing. I ended up taking them off my tree and replacing them with traditional ornaments. Definitely not worth the money.
2. Sarah - 1 star
I found the Yuletide tree adornments with pagan symbolism to be offensive and inappropriate. I didn't realize they would include symbols that go against my religious beliefs. It would have been nice to have a warning or a clearer description before purchasing. I was not happy with the product and ended up throwing them away.
3. Mark - 2.5 stars
While I appreciate the effort to bring something unique and different to the Yuletide decorations, I found the pagan symbolism on these tree adornments to be too outlandish and strange. It clashed with the overall traditional look and feel of my Christmas tree, and I personally did not find them visually appealing. I ended up taking them down and replacing them with more classic ornaments. They might appeal to some, but they just didn't work for me.