By Jacqueline Kelly –
Trees have been revered throughout the ages. The roots of modern Christmas tree tradition is traced back to pagan times in Northern Europe. The Spruce tree is harvested as Christmas trees. They have short needles as leaves attached to cones and light soft wood. The spruce is an evergreen with short blue-green, waxy leaves called needles. Several species are cultivated as ornamentals and some are grown as Christmas trees. Spruces are evergreen coniferous trees that belong to the Pinaceae family.
The Blue Spruce is said to have “the perfect Christmas tree shape”. It is the state tree of Colorado. There are 35 different species of coniferous evergreen trees in the Pinaceae [pine] family. The pine tree is a native to Israel. The Black Spruce is one of the eight species of coniferous or evergreen trees that are native to Manitoba, Canada.
The Spruce is a symbol of good luck to the Salish tribes. The Northern tribes believe that Spruce trees are associated with peace and protection. The Christmas tree is considered to be a symbol of hope for the Christmas season.
There is a mention of Spruce trees in the Bible. Some of the Biblical verses are:
Isaiah 41:19
“I will make cedars grow in the desert, and acacias and myrtles and olive trees. Forests will grow in barren land, forests of pine and juniper and cypress.”
Isaiah 60:13
“The wood of the pine, the juniper and the cypress,
The finest wood from the forests of Lebanon,
Will be brought to rebuild you, Jerusalem,
To make my Temple beautiful,
To make my city glorious”.
The season of Christmas brings with it a feeling of joy, love, peace and generosity. With the outbreak of the new variant Omicron, fear has creeped in. Covid has been floating around menacingly, touching every aspect of our life and spreading like wild fire, without discrimination. Even so, it does not mean that we cannot celebrate Christmas in a different way. We live in an age far removed from the days gone by, the traditions, the Christmas customs and the relaxed atmosphere.
All of us long to be happy. True happiness doesn’t come from being selfish and looking for happiness for oneself, but in letting go of one’s ego and helping others find happiness. The very act of doing good is reward enough. Do good without expecting something in return and you will reap the benefit in some way or other.
As mentioned in [Luke18: 11-19] One day, Jesus Christ cured ten lepers of their disease. But, do you know how many of them stayed on to express their gratitude or even say a word of thanks to Jesus? Just one! Jesus turned and enquired of His disciples, “Where are the other nine”? The disciples answered, “Master, their selfish interest is fulfilled and therefore, they have now gone from here”. Jesus smiled and proceeded to help other persons, telling His disciples, “Do good unto others.” Help for the inner joy of helping.
Loneliness is a real issue in today’s world. Who among us has not suffered from the pangs of loneliness?
Once upon a time at Christmas, a Spruce tree grew in New York City. This tree had the power of turning strangers into friends. The man behind this power was an electrician who wanted to honour the memory of an older brother who originated the Friendship Tree idea. So, he arranged with a few friends to decorate a tree and donate gifts. Each gift bore the donor’s name and telephone number and a message, encouraging people to get acquainted. A sign urged passers-by to take a gift and replace it with one of their own. This was a way for strangers to communicate where no other means of communication existed. Gradually, this symbol of goodwill became a tradition, as beneath its boughs blossomed many friendships.
Loneliness is a curable disease and “We” are the cure.
The greatest gift that mankind received on that first Christmas day was Christ’s gift of Himself to us. No gift would ever be able to surpass this priceless possession. Man had sinned and Christ chose to be born as a mortal being to redeem fallen man. He showed us how to live. He preached by example and shed His Blood on the Cross so that we might be saved.
Christmas is a community festival. Thank God, family and friends for all the blessings you enjoy. The best strategy for happiness is surely making others happy. If we claim to be followers of Christ, the best gift we can give this Christmas, is the gift of ourselves in the service of God and of our fellow beings.
Christ is born for us; let us rejoice in the day of our salvation!
A Holy and Joyous Christmas to each one of you!
Stay Safe.