Since antiquity evergreen plants have been associated with vitality and eternal life. Humans adorned themselves and their houses with these plants in the hope that some of their power and positive energy would be transferred to themselves. The tradition of the Christmas tree, too, probably originated in such a custom. Once the fir is cut it quickly loses its moisture and its strength, it sheds its needles within days, and shortly afterwards it begins to look like a sorry skeleton. It seems however as though there’s no one to poke, that the eternal life of the Christmas fir is so short – which only goes to illustrate the fact that ideas weigh far more than facts, even if they are on shaky ground.
First Publication: 6-4-2014
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