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Dec 29th, 2019
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Joined: Feb 2002
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I do it because number 1 I want to celebrate a scandianvian feast day ( having been a missionary in Iceland for a few years) and number 2 Im too busy on Christmas Eve  Stephanos I
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Im too busy on Christmas Eve I guess that comes with the job!   Regards, Alice
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Joined: Sep 2004
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This subject was actually the first disagreement my husband and I had when we married, because our families came from two traditions. I wanted the tree up sometime during the first week of December, but he didn't want it up until Christmas Eve.
The compromise we agreed to that first year, which became our tradition is to
- buy the tree as early in December as our lives permit.
- have it sit naked in the living room a few days.
- put on the lights and nothing else.
- a few days later, start putting on ornaments.
- add ornaments gradually each day.
- put the angel on top when we return from midnight liturgy, around 2:00 Christmas morning.
That became a lovely way to illustrate the growing sense of anticipation. Once the children were born, it also became a way for them to participate in the preparation, with the symbolism clear for all to see: The tree starts naked, in darkness, and it gradually becomes filled with light and beauty -- just as our lives do as we draw nearer to Christ our Lord.
The gradual decorating of the tree also made things easier for me in terms of time. It would take HOURS to decorate the tree from start to finish: We kids would be quite bored by the end, and my mom would be cranky. On the other hand, it's quite easy to take 5 or 10 minute a day to put ornaments on the tree, and my kids know they have to do their chores/homework and have good behavior before they're allowed to put the ornaments of the day.
Of course, I don't even THINK about taking the tree down before Theophany!
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What a beautiful tradition! Thanks for sharing it!
(Putting up some ornaments each day is not only symbolic and practical, but it is almost reminds me a little of the anticipation which advent calendars offer little ones..each day, a little Christmas treat)!
God bless you and your family this holiday season!
With love in Christ,
Alice
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Joined: Jul 2007
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In my humble opinion, the only thing that taking down the tree the day after Christmas does is REINFORCE the new secular and crypto neo-pagan shopping holiday of 'Christmas'... You know that the Christmas Tree started out as a Teutonic fertility symbol, don't you? So of course it's pagan.
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If you plan to keep the poor tree in the living room for many days, with or without decorations, please give the tree a good supply of fresh water (there are stands for this purpose) and put it as far as possible from any radiator that may be in the same room.
If you have any decorative candles, keep them far, far away from the tree. If you must use them do so only once, the very first day that you bring in the tree, and have a fire extinguisher within easy reach. Yes, real burning candles are beautiful and romantic - and yes, they are both dangerous and illegal.
For that matter, if you use electric Christmas tree lights, please check them with the greatest of care - they also can be dangerous - and don't use any that you aren't quite sure of.
Sorry to be the Grinch that stole Xmas, but an Xmas fire is no fun at all for the involuntary participants.
Fr. Serge
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Father,
That is why I have always had a good looking, real looking-- artificial tree!!!
It doesn't smell as nice, but real trees are not worth the annual expense, the worry and the fuss--especially if you are putting it up sometime soon after Thanksgiving and leaving it to the Theophany!
When the children were little, I would have a second tree in the playroom for them. At the time, my mother lived in the country, and my husband and the kids would go cut a little Charlie Brownesque tree from the woods, which we would decorate with little toy ornaments, and decorations which they made in school, but no lights.
In Christ,
Alice
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Forum Keilbasa Sleuth Member
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Could you see me on a ladder with the use of one arm?
Last edited by Orthodox Pyrohy.; 11/24/07 07:32 PM.
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Joined: Apr 2007
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In my humble opinion, the only thing that taking down the tree the day after Christmas does is REINFORCE the new secular and crypto neo-pagan shopping holiday of 'Christmas'... You know that the Christmas Tree started out as a Teutonic fertility symbol, don't you? So of course it's pagan. It seems to have been reappropriated rather throroughly... I have known some true pagans in my day. I have yet to find any who cut down a pine tree and bring it indoors when trying to make babies. Then again, in matters of baby-making or the use of baby-making equipment, trends, styles, tastes and applications vary widely... There could be renewed interest in this somewhere someday!
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