What does the Christmas tree symbolize? What do we eat at Christmas?

There are many folk traditions associated with Christmas, the historical event of the birth of Jesus. The Franciscan movement steered Christmas in an emotional direction by loosening the liturgical constraints, thus the holiday’s folk traditions were fulfilled with richness and colorful versions. In the preparations for Christmas the focus was on waiting for the Guest – the baby to be born into this world.

Nativity scene and Bethlehem Games since 1223

The first nativity scene was set up by St. Francis in Greccio, in the province of Umbria, Italy, where literally every day is Christmas. In 1223, St Francis asked one of his landowner friends to set up a cave in Greccio, make a manger, bring straw, a donkey, and an ox, notify the shepherds, and “occasional actors” revived the events of the holy night.

They settled human relationships 

In the past they used to prepare for the holiday, not only by tidying up the house and barn, but also considering human relationships. Christmas was considered the meeting point of old and new, beginning and end, they tried to settle problematic issues, pay back debts, fulfill forgotten promises.

Christmas fasting

According to ancient tradition, there was a strict fast until the midnight of 24th December, called the Christmas fast. In the past, however, the elders held this fasting day with great care and rigor: they lived on salt, bread, and water all day. Even in the evening, only plant-based food was served on the Christmas table, no fish was eaten. The festive Christmas menu was put on the elders table after the midnight mass, this is when fasting ended. Pork dinner (sausage, perhaps aspic) was a custom almost everywhere but broth, dumplings, stuffed cabbage were also a must. For example, Palóc families consumed garlic (a symbol of strength), apples (a symbol of togetherness) and nuts (a symbol of health) before the Christmas feast. A whole bread was placed on the Christmas table, which was sliced by the head of the family after the whole family sat down.

The festive table is a symbol of the altar

For those who believe, the festive table is always a symbol of the altar and this is especially true for the Christmas table, since God, with the birth of his only begotten Son, prepared a table for man.In the past, the table set up in the middle of the “clean room” was the ultimate symbol of family unity and togetherness.

The Christmas tree is a symbol of eternity

Christmas is unimaginable without a Christmas tree, which is a symbol of God’s gift-giving love with which he re-admits man back into His grace. "The Christmas tree is the tree of life, standing in the midst of Paradise next to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2: 9), and closed to man by the flaming sword and cherubim after the Fall (Gen. 3:24)." The evergreen of the pine reminds us of eternity, the triangular shape of the Holy Trinity and the branches of the cross.

Gift giving

Gift giving has a central place in Christmas customs. In the old days, a gift was a small thing of minimal material value, for example something from the treasures of nature, such as fruit or a handmade object. Everyone who knocked on your door during the holiday could expect a gift: nuts, apples, cookies. „With the gift, you received a piece of heaven, which was also the joy of the gift.”

2020-2021 Christmas tree trend

In 2020-2021, natural materials are also the main decorative elements of Christmas decorations. The natural state of the materials is emphasized by roughly carved, broken, woven solutions.  Touch plays an important role. In addition to rustic surfaces, the finely polished surfaces also emphasize the beauty of nature. Old crafts are revived. In the Christmas pine tree decoration e.g. the coarse, sandy-looking clay expresses mostly the naturalness of the pottery.