Well?

B

Because you slavishly follow convention ?

they get cold outside.

Because trees are always outside, gotta mix it up a bit!

pagan tradition for yule-tide mixed up in christian celbrations

apartenly because the royal family did in victorian times, everyone copied.

Aye – imported from Germania and the likes.

Because your presents would get wet outside numbnuts!

'Cos otherwise some pikey would nick all your presents, the lights, and the fairy off the top.

Cos you don't feel like your getting your money's worth if you cant see it?

Guys, some sh1te answers there, I guess you dont know the reason either?

No.

some sh1te answers there

Well you have had basically the correct answers ie, it's a combination of Pagan traditions (like the 'Yule log') and the German custom of decorating trees (brought over here by our German Royal Prince Albert) so if you think the reasons are 'sh1te', then I suggest that you don't bother getting one 💡

If I had my way there wouldn't a tree in the house but after doing the tree thing today with the family the question was raised why it was dragged indoors.

Well you have had basically the correct answers ie, it's a combination of Pagan traditions (like the 'Yule log') and the German custom of decorating trees (brought over here by our German Royal Prince Albert) so if you think the reasons are 'sh1te', then I suggest that you don't bother getting one

Yes but why? what is the logic behind chopping a tree down and taking indoors.

it smells nice?

what is the logic behind chopping a tree down and taking indoors.

People used to in winter because it was cold and burning a log kept them warm. In the Pagan days it got intertwined with the festival of the Winter Solstice and became a symbolic ritual. As did decorating houses with holly and ivy. And I dare say there is a connection with 'the green man' and worshipping trees.

Its so you can put the lights on it and Santa will know where you live

it smells nice?

they do smell nice

Anyway, who sez there has to be any logic behind it? Lots of traditions have no real logic behind them, but people still carry on regardless. Chocolate Easter eggs anyone?

And I dare say there is a connection with 'the green man' and worshipping trees.

What on earth has he got to do with it?

"Take it from the Green Cross Man"? Up the flue like?

The logic behind Easter eggs is again tied up with Pagan festivals. Eggs were seen to symbolise the 'new birth/life' associated with their Spring festivals. Which conveniently worked with the Christian belief in the resurrection and 'new life' associated with Easter. The Easter Bunny came about because the Pagans recognised that rabbits are exceptionally fertile animals, and their Spring festivals were also very much about fertility.

I was thinking more along the lines of this 'green man' 😀

the Easter Bunny is actually a bastardization of the Pagan hare, which is emblematic of the whole moon/goddess/fertility thing

The word 'Easter' comes from the pre-Christian Anglo-Saxon Goddess of the Spring/fertility Eostre. Appropriated by the early church as it is often easier to bring people into line this way.

The Christmas Tree is from a similar root, a Germanic pagan tradition that died out in England until ressurrected by the fashion to follow whatever the young and dashing Prince Albert did!
We still had echoes of the old traditions with the Yule log and the bringing into the house of winter evergreens as a symbol that the warmth and life of Spring would return.

Anyway, it's nowt to do with a 2000yr old Jewish zombie!

Now, i'm not sure on this, but i am sure that somewhere in the Bible, it says something about 'thee shalt not chop down a tree and bring it into thou house' or some such rubbish.

searching for it now…

(it's something along the lines of a commandment: "don't be like the godless northeners who decorate trees in winter")

Edit: Jeremiah 10:

"Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, for 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. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers, that it move not."

They use to bring big logs into the house around years ago, hence the yule log, as they celebrated Christmas for 12 days back then, they also decorated their houses with other evergreens and holly etc, I expect the tradition could of originated from that.

I think this is a silly question… because they're nice and make us feel christmassy!

I vote this as the most pointless stw thread this year!

there is a statue of Albert here on the market square. i can take a picture of him if you want.

sod, it. it's cold outside and you can hardly see hi because of the christmas market stalls. there is a glühwein stand around him at the momnet.

click here to see the description

So WTF would you like to put in your house instead of a tree?