Upside Down Christmas Tree Tradition
Legend has it that boniface a benedictine monk used the triangular shape of a fir tree to explain the holy trinity to pagans in germany.
Upside down christmas tree tradition. In some eastern european. The tradition dates back to a 7th or 8th century legend about saint boniface. In their inverted position they were once considered a symbol of christianity and decorated with fruit nuts and sweets wrapped in paper. The tradition of hanging a christmas tree upside down from the ceiling is an old one in central and eastern europe.
Proponents counter that it s an ancient practice. Upon seeing a group of pagans worshiping a large oak he took an ax to the tree. The history of the upside down christmas tree has its roots in the 7th century. Critics argue that the upside down tree is a corruption of the traditional time honored method of tree display that is trunk toward the ground.
He engaged himself in religious as well as social work and spent a lot of his time in thuringia a town located in germany itself which is the birthplace of the industry dealing with christmas. The history and meaning of upside down christmas trees. Christmas is associated with a lot of traditions of which the christmas tree is an inherent part. The first records of a tree being decorated date to the 1500s at riga latvia.
Historians would be first to point out that the upside down tree dates back to the 1500s in eastern europe. Upside down christmas tree history. Inverted christmas tree origins the symbol of the upside down tree may have begun in 7th century. Although the trend has gained steam over the past few years as your insta feed will confirm the upside down christmas tree has been around for centuries.
The first to do this according to many sources was saint boniface a benedictine monk who used the inverted trees as a theological teaching tools for pagan germans. According to the legend. It was subsequently hung end over end in celebration of christianity. Displaying a christmas tree upside down may date back to the 7th century.
Jackie schweitzer of the milwaukee public museum said the tree s tradition dates back to the 7th century first as a religious symbol representing the holy trinity. Hanging fir trees upside down dates back to the middle ages when europeans did it to represent the trinity. Inverted christmas tree origins the symbol of the upside down tree may have begun in 7th century. The early trees were a symbol of the paradise tree in the garden of eden and were decorated with food and flowers to denote abundance.
It is during this period that st bonafice journeyed from devonshire england to germany to preach the message of god.