From my previous post, Origin of the Christmas tree, we learned that St. Boniface is credited for the invention of the Christmas tree.  More importantly for this post, the first Christmas tree that he had invented (the word invent is used in broad terms) was a fir tree.

That fir tree had two key features that later symbolised the tradition of Chrismas trees that we know today.

From Athomeschool.com -

• The fir tree had a triangle shape. St. Boniface referred to the three points of the triangle as a sign of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).
• The fir tree had evergreen leaves.  St. Boniface defined the color and it's evergreen characteristic (leaves stay green throughout different seasons) as a symbol for eternal life.

Not surprisingly, among the faux trees, one of the more popular type is the fir artificial Christmas tree.  From within the fir tree type, there are subselections as well, such as Douglas, Fraser, Noble, Carolina, Sierra, Camdon, Virginia, Everbrite, Carolina, Bavarian, Montana, Alaskan, Spruce, Niko, and Pine Cone.  These trees are so realistic that they're visually tough to distinguish from real trees.

Are you ever curious on how we come to celebrate Christmas with a Christmas tree?  There seem to be plenty of references leading to Christmas and many aspects of its tradition such as gift giving, Santa Claus, and the wreaths as originating from pagan traditions preceding Christianity in the Old World. 

I suppose that it makes sense that Christmas has roots from the beliefs of people that were previously non-Christian and after they've been converted, some of their practices and traditions were too strong to simply just let go.  Hence, these traditions have evolved as part of what we know as Christmas today. 

Christmas Tree Invented by Saint Boniface

Within the tenets of Christianity, it seems that the Christmas tree originated from Saint Boniface, the patron saint of Germany.  The story goes that St. Bonaface felled the sacred Oak of Thor after which Thor was suppose to strike him down for his insolence.  He was not stricken down.  Instead, a young fir tree sprung from the fallen oak and St. Bonaface claimed it as the new holy tree for Christ. 

From there, the Christmas tree became the symbol of Christ for the German tribes.  Over the years, it became a universal symbol for Christmas.  It is also the reason why fir Christmas trees remain the standard today.

A red artificial Christmas tree in your living room can bring glamour to your holiday celebration.  But do you ever wonder why the color red is associated with Christmas?

We know that it's Santa Claus's color.  Poinsettias are red and they're used widely as decoration during Christmas.

Known Uses of the Color Red

Red has always been billed as danger or cautionary (e.g. red stoplight).  We use it as a warning that something up ahead is bad for you.

Red is also used in fashion.  It tells the world that someone is daring or flirtatious.  Red tells us that she's anything but bland.

Use of the Color Red during Christmas

But why during a joyful spiritual celebration is the color red in ubiquity?  A quick search online points to a Christian origin.  In Christmas, red is used to remind us of Jesus Christ.  Red is the color of his wounds that he suffered for us to redeem us from our sins.

Although used mainly in combination with green, Christmas red stands out for many of us.  Of course, retailers use that to their benefit by displaying ample red signs on "special deals" and "sales".  It's no wonder that Christmas is one of the best decorated holidays.

Below is an article that I'd like to share with you.  It's about the fun of Christmas with family.

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Decorating for Christmas: Why You Should Make it a Family Event

Do you plan on decorating your home for Christmas this holiday season? If so, do you plan on doing it by yourself? While decorating for Christmas by yourself makes it easier to get the decorating done in an effective and timely matter, you may want to think about turning your Christmas decorating into a family event. You will find that there are, literally, an unlimited number of benefits to doing so.

Perhaps, the biggest benefit of turning your Christmas decorating into a family event is the time that you and your family will be able to spend together, whether you have children or not. Family bonding is even better with children, but you and your romantic partner could also benefit from the time that you spend together, when decorating your home for Christmas. In addition to getting your home decorated for Christmas, your relationship, whether it be with your children or your spouse, may greatly benefit from the experience.

As previously mentioned, if you are a parent, you and your children could benefit from decorating your home for Christmas together. What is nice about decorating your home with your children is that they will likely enjoy the experience, especially if they are younger. Younger children tend to be more proud of their work or their accomplishments; therefore, they will likely be proud of the fact that you asked them for assistance, as well as how their decorations turned out. If you are really looking to make Christmas decorating a family fun event, you and your family could also make some of your own Christmas decorations. Since most children love crafts, it may add extra excitement to the whole decorating experience.

While the majority of the benefits, to having your whole family help you decorate your home for Christmas is centered on family, there is another benefit that isn?t really. By having your whole family assist you with decorating your home for Christmas, you could save yourself a fairly large amount of time. The time saved will all depend on how much decorating you plan on doing. Having your family assist you means that Christmas decorating could take a lot less time. This is a great way to get your Christmas decorating done, especially if you find yourself pressed for time. The more people you have helping you decorate for Christmas, the shorter the whole process will take.

As previously mentioned, you can add extra excitement to this family fun event by having your children or other family members help you make homemade Christmas decorations. Even if you do not wish to make your own Christmas decorations, it may be a good idea to let the rest of your family help you pick out the Christmas decorations. This would really turn Christmas decorating into a family fun event. Even if you are low on cash, you could still allow your children to pick out a few low-cost Christmas decorations. You will find that many dollars stores carry a fairly large selection of Christmas decorations; decorations that many kids find attractive.

The above mentioned reasons and benefits, to why you should turn your Christmas decorating into a fun filled family event, are just a few of the many benefits that exist. Since Christmas is all about family, you should let your family help you prepare for and celebrate the upcoming holiday. -- John Ugoshowa. You are welcome to use this article on your website or in your ezines as long as you have a link back to http://www.quickregister.net/partners/ For more information on Christmas shopping see the Shopping section section of Quickregister.net Free Search Engine Submission Service at: http://www.quickregister.net/partners/ Source: http://www.articletrader.com