Do you put up a Christmas tree? If so, you can thank the Germans. Back in the Middle Ages, Germans would put evergreens in their home on the Winter Solstice, December 21st. These were used a symbol of hope for the coming spring. When the Christmas holiday became official, the Germans adapted their evergreen tradition into a new way to decorate for the holidays. The first Christmas trees in America were put up by Hessian troops during the Revolutionary War. Although the Puritans tried to ban Christmas, folks would have none of that. By the mid-1800s, Christmas trees were popping up in the home all around the country. It’s now a firmly entrenched tradition with many variations on the decorating theme. Believe it or not, your Christmas tree says a lot about your personality. Consider it a mirror into your soul (and you thought it just made the room look nice).
Real Or Faux?
As we are all fond of putting people into “two types,” let’s add “people who buy real Christmas trees” and “people who buy fake Christmas trees.” The “realies” typically enjoy all things outdoorsy. What better way than to bring a living tree into your living room? “Realies” also embraces tradition. It takes a lot of effort to go tree shopping, but this is usually done at the same time each year. For those folks who go into the forest to CTO (cut their own) they are really going full throttle Christmas.
On the other hand, the “fakies” appreciate a good value. They know their artificial tree will be around for years to come, which means one less thing to buy during the holidays. For the fakies who have a pre-lighted tree, they appreciate precision and order. This means they are more practical in their everyday living.
Multi-Colored Or White Lights?
The person who picks white lights for their Christmas tree likes to keep things simple. They are striving to bring a little serenity into their lives as white lights represent “peace.” Those who opt for multi-colored lights tend to be one the “party on, Wayne” side of things (look it up, kids!). They even kick it up a notch if those lights are set on twinkle. That tells everyone that you think Christmas is a rocking good time that should be enjoyed to the max.
Hodge Podge or Matching Ornaments?
Those folks who have a hodge-podge collection of ornaments really like their family history. That’s because each ornament has an origin story that is invoked with the ceremonial hanging. This is the kind of tree that takes a village to decorate or at least the whole family. Everybody has their favorite ornament, and more are added each year.
The matching ornament decorator is usually someone who is flying solo with his or her tree. They know exactly how they want that evergreen to look. Conversely, this person likes to have things in their proper place. These are consistent and dependable. All of this discussion begs the question, what is your Christmas tree saying about you?
