
In this turbulent and fast-moving world, where we often think the spirit and meaning behind our festivities are lost through commercialism and social media, it's wonderful to take a moment to realise that the traditions which we will embrace over the next couple of weeks are often centuries old with fascinating origins.
Today let's look at some stories behind the Christmas tree, mistletoe and poinsettias. In the 8th century, St Boniface, a Benedictine monk, was travelling through Germany converting people to Christianity. He noticed people who he considered to be pagans paying homage to an old oak tree. Taking an axe he cut the tree down and instantly in its place a conifer is said to have grown. Much as St Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to tell the story of the Holy Trinity, St Boniface used the triangular form of the conifer to share the same message and so it became associated with Christmas.
この記事は Manchester Evening News の December 19, 2024 版に掲載されています。
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この記事は Manchester Evening News の December 19, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
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