O Christmas Tree originates from Germany as O Tannenbaum with German lyrics and has been handed down to us over the years to its present English form.  A quick search online does not yield an author’s name.  So I imagine that the song has been around for a long time.

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Oh Christmas Tree was also played as background music in Charlie Brown’s Christmas movie.  The song gave a strong sense of purpose in Charlie’s determination to make Christmas work without commercialism and using the one real tree he picked out.  The only real tree available in the tree market.  It was all but rejected by everybody but him.

Yes, Charlie Brown’s preference for a real tree over an artificial Christmas tree is ironic considering this site’s theme.  But hey, this is still a cool song and a cool Charlie Brown movie.  Plus, when money is tight, an artificial unlit Christmas tree that you can use and decorate for years and years is still the way to go.

Oh Christmas Tree Lyrics and Midi

Finally, the lyrics.  You can listen to the Oh Christmas Tree midi as well for sing-a-long:

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Thou tree most fair and lovely!
Oh Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Thou tree most fair and lovely!
The sight of thee at Christmastide
Spreads hope and gladness far and wide
Oh Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
Thou tree most fair and lovely!

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Thou hast a wondrous message:
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Thou hast a wondrous message:
Thou dost proclaim the Saviour’s birth
Good will to men and peace on earth
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Thou hast a wondrous message

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
You stand in verdant beauty
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
You stand in verdant beauty
Your boughs are green in summer’s glow
And do not fade in winter’s snow
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
You stand in verdant beauty

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
How laden are your branches
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Your presence here enhances
Your silver star does glisten bright
Reflecting all the candlelight
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
How laden are your branches

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
You fill all hearts with gaiety
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
You fill all hearts with gaiety
On Christmas Day you stand so tall
Affording joy to one and all
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
You fill all hearts with gaiety

From my previous post, Origin of the Christmas tree, we learned that St. Boniface is credited for the invention of the Christmas tree.  More importantly for this post, the first Christmas tree that he had invented (the word invent is used in broad terms) was a fir tree.

That fir tree had two key features that later symbolised the tradition of Chrismas trees that we know today.

From Athomeschool.com -

• The fir tree had a triangle shape. St. Boniface referred to the three points of the triangle as a sign of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).
• The fir tree had evergreen leaves.  St. Boniface defined the color and it’s evergreen characteristic (leaves stay green throughout different seasons) as a symbol for eternal life.

Not surprisingly, among the faux trees, one of the more popular type is the fir artificial Christmas tree.  From within the fir tree type, there are subselections as well, such as Douglas, Fraser, Noble, Carolina, Sierra, Camdon, Virginia, Everbrite, Carolina, Bavarian, Montana, Alaskan, Spruce, Niko, and Pine Cone.  These trees are so realistic that they’re visually tough to distinguish from real trees.

Are you ever curious on how we come to celebrate Christmas with a Christmas tree?  There seem to be plenty of references leading to Christmas and many aspects of its tradition such as gift giving, Santa Claus, and the wreaths as originating from pagan traditions preceding Christianity in the Old World.

I suppose that it makes sense that Christmas has roots from the beliefs of people that were previously non-Christian and after they’ve been converted, some of their practices and traditions were too strong to simply just let go.  Hence, these traditions have evolved as part of what we know as Christmas today.

Christmas Tree Invented by Saint Boniface

Within the tenets of Christianity, it seems that the Christmas tree originated from Saint Boniface, the patron saint of Germany.  The story goes that St. Bonaface felled the sacred Oak of Thor after which Thor was suppose to strike him down for his insolence.  He was not stricken down.  Instead, a young fir tree sprung from the fallen oak and St. Bonaface claimed it as the new holy tree for Christ.

From there, the Christmas tree became the symbol of Christ for the German tribes.  Over the years, it became a universal symbol for Christmas.  It is also the reason why fir Christmas trees remain the standard today.

A red artificial Christmas tree in your living room can bring glamour to your holiday celebration. But do you ever wonder why the color red is associated with Christmas?

We know that it’s Santa Claus‘s color. Poinsettias are red and they’re used widely as decoration during Christmas.

Known Uses of the Color Red

Red has always been billed as danger or cautionary (e.g. red stoplight). We use it as a warning that something up ahead is bad for you.

Red is also used in fashion. It tells the world that someone is daring or flirtatious. Red tells us that she’s anything but bland.

Use of the Color Red during Christmas

But why during a joyful spiritual celebration is the color red in ubiquity? A quick search online points to a Christian origin. In Christmas, red is used to remind us of Jesus Christ. Red is the color of his wounds that he suffered for us to redeem us from our sins.

Although used mainly in combination with green, Christmas red stands out for many of us.  Of course, retailers use that to their benefit by displaying ample red signs on “special deals” and “sales”.  It’s no wonder that Christmas is one of the best decorated holidays.

Below is an article that I’d like to share with you. It’s about the fun of Christmas with family.
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Decorating for Christmas: Why You Should Make it a Family Event

Do you plan on decorating your home for Christmas this holiday season? If so, do you plan on doing it by yourself? While decorating for Christmas by yourself makes it easier to get the decorating done in an effective and timely matter, you may want to think about turning your Christmas decorating into a family event. You will find that there are, literally, an unlimited number of benefits to doing so.

Perhaps, the biggest benefit of turning your Christmas decorating into a family event is the time that you and your family will be able to spend together, whether you have children or not. Family bonding is even better with children, but you and your romantic partner could also benefit from the time that you spend together, when decorating your home for Christmas. In addition to getting your home decorated for Christmas, your relationship, whether it be with your children or your spouse, may greatly benefit from the experience.

As previously mentioned, if you are a parent, you and your children could benefit from decorating your home for Christmas together. What is nice about decorating your home with your children is that they will likely enjoy the experience, especially if they are younger. Younger children tend to be more proud of their work or their accomplishments; therefore, they will likely be proud of the fact that you asked them for assistance, as well as how their decorations turned out. If you are really looking to make Christmas decorating a family fun event, you and your family could also make some of your own Christmas decorations. Since most children love crafts, it may add extra excitement to the whole decorating experience.

While the majority of the benefits, to having your whole family help you decorate your home for Christmas is centered on family, there is another benefit that isn?t really. By having your whole family assist you with decorating your home for Christmas, you could save yourself a fairly large amount of time. The time saved will all depend on how much decorating you plan on doing. Having your family assist you means that Christmas decorating could take a lot less time. This is a great way to get your Christmas decorating done, especially if you find yourself pressed for time. The more people you have helping you decorate for Christmas, the shorter the whole process will take.

As previously mentioned, you can add extra excitement to this family fun event by having your children or other family members help you make homemade Christmas decorations. Even if you do not wish to make your own Christmas decorations, it may be a good idea to let the rest of your family help you pick out the Christmas decorations. This would really turn Christmas decorating into a family fun event. Even if you are low on cash, you could still allow your children to pick out a few low-cost Christmas decorations. You will find that many dollars stores carry a fairly large selection of Christmas decorations; decorations that many kids find attractive.

The above mentioned reasons and benefits, to why you should turn your Christmas decorating into a fun filled family event, are just a few of the many benefits that exist. Since Christmas is all about family, you should let your family help you prepare for and celebrate the upcoming holiday.

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John Ugoshowa. You are welcome to use this article on your website or in your ezines as long as you have a link back to http://www.quickregister.net/partners/

For more information on Christmas shopping see the Shopping section section of Quickregister.net Free Search Engine Submission Service at: http://www.quickregister.net/partners/

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

Do you celebrate Christmas with a Christmas tree? We do.  And always have.  It is part of what we are as a family.

When we first came here from the Philippines, we had little money so my parents bought an artificial Christmas tree that lasted several years.  When times are tough, every little bit helps out.

Save Time and Money with Realistic-looking Artificial Christmas Trees

Is saving money important to you? The good thing about today’s artificial Christmas trees is that they’re so realistic that people will have to ask you if it’s real or fake.  It works well if you’re video camming online and whoever is watching will see a nice, decked out Christmas tree in the background.  Tell them it’s real!  Who cares.  As long as you are saving hundreds of dollars EACH YEAR on a Christmas tree, it’s better for your pocket.

If you’re a single mom, along with saving money, a faux tree is the best way to keep your family celebrating with no hassle to you.

Bring Snow Indoors Safely with Flocked Christmas Tree

Actually, while you’re at it, consider an artificial flocked Christmas tree.  What is a flocked Christmas tree?  It’s a Christmas tree with artificial snow built-in.  We all know that spraying artificial snow on trees will need a lot of cleanup afterwards.  And according to various experts, the spray can pose some environmental problems.

An artificially flocked Christmas tree is already designed with snow, so it won’t come of.  No need for clean up.  No harm to the environment.

And of course, it is for the kids.  Kids love snow during Christmas, even if they’re here in Southern California where snow is so rare that some children grow up without seeing real snow.

Decorate Your Christmas Tree Right Away

Just think.  After Thanksgiving, instead of worrying about how to bring a Christmas tree home from a tree lot, the only thing you have to do is pull out your artificial tree from storage, assemble it, and plug it in.  You can immediately start decorating.

Now that I’m grown-up, I don’t understand why people speak negatively about artificial Christmas trees.  We had it when we were kids.  I had it when I lived in an apartment.  And I have it now.  It is  working out well enough every year.  And saves me some money.

Here’s how to get started!

Last Christmas, I attended a tree lighting ceremony at city hall here in El Monte.  Every year, the tree lighting ceremony is attended by many of the locals.  There’s always a full regalia of celebration, usually with high school bands, city officials, elected officers, local businesess, and kids.  Lots of kids with their family members.

Because of the time being what it is now, I started asking myself questions.  Whoa, that’s a tall tree.  Is it real?  Can the city afford buying a real Christmas tree that big every year?

Cities and Businesses can still celebrate and cut expenses with artificial commercial Christmas trees

Many financial experts on the news point to the economy as going to be rough for the next few years.  So, hopefully, they’re not justifying a $30,000 per year for a Christmas tree.  That can be someone’s salary.  Perhaps an artificial commercial Christmas tree should be considered for at least the next few years till the economy gets much better.

In the meantime, you can have your own outdoors Christmas decoration from the article below.

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Outdoor Lighted Christmas Decorations: Celebrate the Season!

When you think about Christmas, chances are that outdoor lighted Christmas decorations are one of the things that come to mind. However, in order for you to set up your own outdoor lighted Christmas decorations, you need to know what options are available.

Outdoor Lighted Christmas Decorations: It is All About the Presentation

The most popular form of outdoor lighted Christmas decorations is in the form of stringed lights. Indeed, although strings of Christmas lights are sometimes now replaced by animated outdoor Christmas decorations, they still have a special something about them.

If you intend to use strings of Christmas lights as your chosen method of outdoor lighted Christmas decorations, then you need to first choose the length that you want. Of course, the length has to do with what you want to string the lights across.

For example, if you want to frame your home with strings of light as your outdoor lighted Christmas decorations, then you will need at least a couple of strings of lights that are 50 feet long. Each string of light should be able to be connected to each other in much the way of how an extension cord works.

Another thing you will need to think about is the size of the lights that you want. If you would like to recapture the nostalgia of classic Christmases, then the larger lights, which are sometimes are large as smaller-sized light bulbs, are a good choice.

If you would like a daintier look to your Christmas decorations, and to make the lights appear as if they are floating, then the smaller strings of Christmas lights are a good choice. Keep in mind that they larger the Christmas lights, then the more expensive they might be.

With the length of the light strings and the size of the lights chosen, the next step is choosing the colors. It used to be that multicolored lights were the only option, but now specific colors are readily available. For a more Victorian look, white lights are preferable. For a classic look, multicolored lights are still the main choice.

However, you can get more creative by mixing and matching different colors. For example, if you have a lamp post, you can first wrap a string of green Christmas lights around it, and then a string of red Christmas lights in the opposite direction.

Keep in mind that you do not necessarily have to use strings of lights. You can also use nets of lights, which work well as bush decorations. With the proper planning, you will certainly have a festive-looking yard! — Roland Jefferson III is an online writer and researcher out of Manhattan Beach Village, California.

For free resources covering Outdoor Lighted Christmas Decorations, please visit our Outdoor Lighted Christmas Decorations Resource.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

I don’t know when Christmas trees of different colors began springing up. Maybe I just started noticing them in the past 10 years or so. I don’t remember Christmas trees with non-traditional colors too much while growing up in the 80′s.  But I think they are a great idea if you have a young daughter or niece who’s expressing her creative side.

Encourage creativity with Pink Christmas Trees

There are little 3 foot pink artificial christmas trees that you can put in her room and she can decorate. Get her creative juice flowing and let her know that she can surprise you and the family on Christmas day. These trees are are small enough that when Christmas comes around you can easily bring it out to impress everyone. So it’ll be a secret until then. She’ll love that.

Encourage creativity with small Red or White artficial Christmas trees

Another type you could use is a red Christmas tree and also white. But a white artificial Christmas tree seems to be common enough that I remember them growing up.

Let’s say you’re a Christmas tree expert.  Who will be the perfect customer for a pre-lit artificial Christmas tree?  Below is a full article on the benefits of using such a tree so I don’t need to discuss them.  But we know that pre-lit artificial Christmas trees are the least maintenance of all Xmas trees.  The only thing that maybe of less trouble is a PICTURE of a Christmas tree.

You know what.  My answer to the question is a bunch of single men living in a bachelor’s pad.  Not single women rooming together.  Not mix gender sharing an apartment.  Not gay men.  Not yuppy couples.  Not even a single guy living alone (he just won’t use a Christmas tree). 

The answer is single guys living together in a bachelor’s pad. Why?  Simple. They will most likely have guests during the holidays. But, if anyone of them decorates a Christmas tree, the other roommates will either hassle him or wantonly mess-up his decor.  So why bother decorating.  Just get a pre-lit artificial Xmas tree and never worry about decorations.
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Pre-lit Artificial Christmas Trees – Making Christmas Easy

Let’s face it. Christmas is a big enough hassle without the difficulty of dealing with real Christmas Trees. Artificial Christmas Trees make life easier.

A pre-lit fake Christmas Tree will make putting up your tree a breeze this season. The trees assemble very quickly meaning that you should be able to go from an empty floor to a lit tree in about ten minutes.

This is how it works. Out of the box most trees have the branches color-coded. Start with the base a little further from the wall than it’s final placement. Put the branches on in order. As you go up the tree. Each set of branches will have a plug. Plug them together as you work your way up the tree.

After the Pre-lit Artificial Christmas tree is assembled move it to the position you want it in. Carefully shape any branches that are to close to a wall or table. Pick up the few “needles” that may have fallen. Put the tree skirt on, plug it in and you are ready to go. A foot operated light switch will make your life easier as well.

Taking it down is just as easy. Remove the decorations. Unplug the tree. You start at the top. Unplug the lights from the next row. Put each row into your tree box or bag in order so it is ready for next year. Put the base in last.

The convenience of these trees is awesome. They come with stard light bulbs so it’s easy to find replacements for. Set up and take down are simple and cleanup is minimal. The best part is how little time and effort these take.
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Find Artificial Christmas Trees Here

Source: http://www.articletrader.com