Nagtaka na din ba kayo na tulad ko minsan at nagtanong: “Bakit may puno dito sa loob ng bahay? At sinasabitan pa ito ng kung anu-anong mga Christmas light, kolorete at palamuti? Wala naman akong nakitang Christmas tree sa kwento ng kapanganakan ni Hesus sa Bibliya?" Sa pag aaral natin ngayon, titingnan natin ang maaring magandang role ng punong ito sa atin at magbibigay din tayo ng mga katuwiran defending yung mga kapatiran na ayaw maglagay ng Christmas tree. We will also dispel the notion that a Christmas tree will draw bad spirits.
Maaari nating isipin na ang Christmas tree ay isa sa mga enduring symbols ng modern Christmas celebration that survived since the Spanish era. Pero ang katotohanan nagsimula lang siya sa atin nung sakupin tayo ng mga Amerikano. At ang Christmas tree naman sa America ay nagsimula lang nung mid 19th century na kanila namang namana sa influence ng Ingglatera. So approximately, wala pa siyang 200 years compared sa Belen, Simbang Gabi at parol na ginagawa natin panahon pa ng mga Kastila.
Is It Pagan in Origin?
There have been many objections against its use saying that it is pagan in origin. And this is the reason why I will talk about this topic today kasi marami ring mga information na kailangang matalakay para tayo ay makapagbigay ng informed na decision. Pinapahalagahan natin ang mga convictions ng mga tao.
So totoo ba na pagan ang origin ng Christmas? Pero base po sa pagsasaliksik ko,
The modern custom of a Christmas tree does not come from any form of paganism. There is no evidence of any pagan religion decorating a special holiday tree for their mid-winter festivals, although the Romans celebrated the winter solstice with a festival called Saturnalia in honor of Saturnus, the god of agriculture. They decorated their houses with greens and lights and exchanged gifts. Late in the Middle Ages, Germans and Scandinavians placed evergreen trees inside their homes or just outside their doors to show their hope in the forthcoming spring. The first Christmas tree was decorated by Protestant Christians in 16th-century Germany.*Although the Christmas tree is believed to be from the 16th century, the practice of decorating tree goes way back sa mga Germans din at iba pang mga European cultures. Sabi ng History.com
Long before the advent of Christianity, plants and trees that remained green all year had a special meaning for people in the winter. Just as people today decorate their homes during the festive season with pine, spruce, and fir trees, ancient peoples hung evergreen boughs over their doors and windows.†Does it Invite Bad Spirits?
Dagdagan ko lang ng isa pang narinig kong worry concerning the Christmas tree at yan yung nag iinvite daw siya ng bad spirits.
There is no spiritual significance to having or not having a Christmas tree. Whatever choice we make, the motive behind a believer’s decision about this, as in all matters of conscience, must be to please the Lord. Romans 14:5-6a sets out the principle in a passage about liberty: “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord.” The Lord is grieved when Christians look down upon one another for either celebrating or not celebrating Christmas in a particular way. This is spiritual pride. When we feel that somehow we have achieved a higher plain of spirituality by doing or not doing something about which the Bible is silent, we misuse our freedom in Christ, create divisions within His body, and thereby dishonor the Lord. “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).‡Pwede ba mag Christmas Tree ang mga Believers?
So can Christians put up a Christmas tree sa bahay nila? What about sa church? Again babalikan ko po dito yung admonition sa atin ng GotQuestions.org na napakaganda na ang paglalagay ng Christmas tree, --
As with celebrating any holiday, the decision should be between the individual and God. Some people feel very strongly that observing any secular holiday is wrong, while others see it as harmless. The important thing to remember is that celebrating or not celebrating holidays should not be a cause for pride or division among Christians.§Again, iisa lang naman talaga sa tingin ko na dominant na argument against its use and that is it is pagan in origin.
There is nothing in the Bible that either commands or prohibits Christmas trees. It has been falsely claimed by some that Jeremiah 10:1-16 prohibits the cutting down and decorating of trees in the same manner as we do at Christmas. However, even a cursory reading of the text makes it clear that the passage is one in which Jeremiah sets forth the prohibition against idols made of wood, plated with silver and gold, and worshipped. A similar idea appears in Isaiah 44, where Isaiah speaks of the silliness of the idol-worshippers who cut down a tree, burn part of it in the fire to warm themselves, and use the other part to fashion an idol, which they then bow down to. So unless we bow down before our Christmas tree, carve it into an idol, and pray to it, these passages cannot be applied to Christmas trees.║In fact sa totoo lang, of all the Christmas symbols that we have in the Philippines, mukhang ang Christmas tree pa ang may affinity sa mga born-again believers dahil kay Martin Luther na nung panahon ng December solstice, napadaan sa isang area kung saan people decorate trees sa pamamagitan ng pagtitirik ng kandila sa mga dahon. Alam niyo po kasi nga taglamig ang panahon na ito kaya matibay ang mga dahon. So ang ginawa niya, pumutol daw siya ng isang puno, dinala sa kanilang bahay at tinirikan din ng kandila ang mga dahon at sanga.
Naging common na gawain daw ito kaya naman sa Strassbourg, Germany, nung 1546
two men were fined 3 shillings because they “cut trees for Christmas.” The account book for 1549-1565 contains a ruling of the Town’s Council created on Wednesday Dec. 17, 1555: “Nobody is allowed to have a Xmas tree except with punishment.” And in January 1557, the forester of Kinsheim received “2 shillings to guard, and 2 shillings to cut Christmas trees.”¶I am not at all surprised about this habit kasi nga prevalent na rin naman nung panahon ni Martin Luther na kapag winter solstice, ayon sa aking pagsasaliksik, naging pagan na rin na practice ng mga Germans ang mamalagi sa bahay to give honor sa pagan god na si Oden. Alam nyo naman ito si Martin Luther mahilig mag recuperate at agawin ang mga practices at gawin itong Christian tulad nung ginawa niya sa kantang A Mighty Fortress Is Our God whose tune was actually a drinking song.
We tell that story with a bit of skepticism kasi it was not to the Germans we owe our Christmas tree tradition but to England and America. One day yung Royal Family sa England posed for a family portrtait na may background na Christmas tree. This caught the attention ng mga Amerikano, who by the way walang Christmas celebration until it was popularized by an American writer nung mid 19th century. When the English settlers came to America, bawal ang Christmas. Total shut down ng Christmas festivities kasi naging pulos inuman at kabastusan. Nung medyo humina na ang religious fervor nung mid-19th century sa America, nagka-interes ang mga tao to restore this solstice festivity. At yan na nga po ang nangyari when the Americans liberated us from Spain, na dala dala nila yung practice ng Christmas tree.
Imbes na palitan ng mga Pinoy ang Belen, dinagdagan lang nila ng Christmas tree. Ang practice na mag palamuti ng belen or figurines of the Holy Family in the manger, galing yan sa Spain. Ang Christmas tree naman ay may Germanic-American source. So kung may Christmas tree kayo sa bahay at sa ilalim ay may Belen, apat na colonial culture na yan - US, Spain, Germany at England.
Where's the Baby?
But where's the baby in all of this? Again, ang Christmas holiday is a festivity - meaning may pinagdidiwang. Bilang mga Christians ang centerpiece ng ating celebration ay si Kristo. The Christmas tree may symbolize for us life and joy. Life for since saa Europe this is a symbolism of the start of spring, tapos na ang winter; at sa mga Germans na tulad ni Martin Luther, a time of joy and appreciation. We too can celebrate the life-giving powr of Christ in these moments and continue to be joyfully grateful and appreciate everything that God has done for us.
It would be meaningful siguro if we really have a family tradition of a Christmas tree na may star of Bethlehem at may Belen sa ilalim. This becomes wonderful conversation pieces (with appropriate biblical references) for every symbol beginning from the magi, to the star hanggang sa Belen and then centering on the incarnation of Christ.
Sa ganitong paraan, na-recuperate mo ang mga symbols back to the Baby.
(C) Photo Credit
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* Bible.org Staff, “Should We Have a Christmas Tree?” Bible.org (website); accessed at https://www.gotquestions.org/Christmas-tree.html
† History.com Staff, "History of Christmas Trees," History.com (website); accessed at http://www.history.com/topics/christmas/history-of-christmas-trees
‡ Bible.org Staff, “Should We Have a Christmas Tree?” Bible.org (website); accessed at https://www.gotquestions.org/Christmas-tree.html
§ Bible.org Staff, "What is the origin of Valentine’s Day, and should Christians celebrate it?" Bible.org (website); accessed at https://www.gotquestions.org/Valentines-Day.html
║Bible.org Staff, “Should We Have a Christmas Tree?” Bible.org (website); accessed at https://www.gotquestions.org/Christmas-tree.html
¶ Genoveva von Lubeck, "Did the Christian Tree Originate in Renaissance Germany?" German Renaissance of Genoveva (website); accessed at http://germanrenaissance.net/did-the-christmas-tree-originate-in-renaissance-germany/
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