Posted: 11/28/2007 7:21:32 AM EDT
| I understand to be politically correct as I deal with the public in my business. But, when did they start calling a Christmas tree a "Holiday Tree" Am I the only one with an issue. Please voice your opinions. I would like to see how many people are offended with it being called a Christmas tree? |
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It is and always will be a Christmas tree. But if someone wants to call it a holiday tree I really couldn't care less. eta Do we call it a holiday menorah? How about a holiday kinara? (Yeah, I had to look up the Kwanzaa candle holder things name). It's a Christmas tree. |
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I don't think it really matters at all. As Silence pointed out, the tradition of using a coniferous TREE as part of the Christmas celebration seems to be a northern European thing (pagan in origin) that was adopted/co-opted by Christians long after the birth of Christ. I wonder if pagans at the time were pissed that Christians "stole" their tradition, and started "incorrectly" calling it a Christmas tree.  In fact, in Scandinavian countries, while Christmas celebrates the birth of Christ, is it still called "Jul" - after the pre-Christian pagan winter celebration. So in Denmark, the Christmas tree is called a Juletree. Ultimately, what is important is that Christians who are celebrating the birth of Christ (which may or may not have actually been on December 24/25th anyway  ) enjoy their tree, regardless of what it may be called. |
| Fox 8 News in Ohio gave a figure that 86% of US citizens call it a Christmas tree. To me it stands as a symbol of tradition and family values. It's a time to give a gift to someone close and true to your heart. If you are like me, I always get myself a little something from the family pet, and put it under the tree for me to open last. |
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It irritates me when people have modern electric lights instead of the traditionally correct candles. If you're going to have a Christmas tree, it should be done right. I also hate fake trees  . I want the smell of spruce (or pine or whatever you prefer) needles in the house.I'm not picking on anyone in particular - and I'm not jsut talking about Christmas, but more generally - but it rubs me the wrong way when tradition gets watered down in the name of convenience or ease. |
So a real tree with candles on it? Isn't that umm..........not very safe? And if that was said in sarcasm.......I am a tool. |
No, it wasn't sarcastic at all. When i was a kid growing up in Denmark, I never saw a tree with electric lights. All of our trees had real candles, as did the trees of all my friends. I suppose it could be somewhat dangerous, but so is driving a car, and any number of other things that people do every day without getting hurt. As long as you do it carefully, it's pretty safe. We always had a bucket of water or a fire extinguisher close by, but we never had a tree catch fire, and neither did anyone I know. Although when I was in the army, a tree in the sergeant's mess DID catch fire, but it was because a drunken staff sergeant stumbled into it when it was lit and knocked it over. A fire extinguisher quickly fixed that, and there was no damage to the building (other than a little paint for the celing). |
Please don't use candles on your tree. The US has the worlds WORST fire safety record already. |
The US also has a huge number of traffic fatalities every year. Should I stop driving? I don't mean to sound like an ass, but I am very careful about my Christmas tree (including never leaving it unattended when it is lit, obviously, and having fire extinguishers handy), so I think I'll keep celebrating Christmas the way I have since I was a child.  But, I will agree with you that it probably isn't for everyone. And I'm not encouraging people to start doing it if it's an unfamiliar thing to them. ETA: I just found it an interesting observation that some people who believe strongly in the Christmas "tradition" may be cutting corners with stuff like electric lights and artificial trees. |
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1Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel 2Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 3For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. 5They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good. jeremiah 10:1,5 |