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Of all the trees most lovely…the story behind “O Christmas Tree”

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Many songs we sing at Christmas time are so common to us that we likely have never paid attention to the lyrics or the meaning. I would never have listed O Christmas Tree as a Christmas carol, the lyrics do not actually refer to Christ, nor do they describe a decorated tree as we know it today. Instead, they refer to the fir’s evergreen quality as a symbol of trustworthiness and dependability.

Families around the world signal the beginning of the Christmas season by “putting up the tree”, while others would never have one in their home because they believe it a form of idol worship. To understand the thoughts of those for and against, let’s go back to the 700’s, to a time when a monk name Boniface wanted to put an end to the myth that oak trees were sacred or even magical. He was determined to help them understand that the CREATOR of trees was to be worshiped, not the actual tree itself.

Boniface’s frustration over their pagan rituals and worship of the oak tree caused him to chop a very large tree down one day and when it fell it destroyed and crushed everything around it….except for a little, tiny fir sapling. Convinced he had witnessed a miracle with the survival of the sapling, Boniface and many others planted fir saplings to celebrate Christmas year after year. 

The story goes that over time people started bringing beautiful greenery into their homes and would tie a small tree upside down, hanging from the rafters.

How did we go from a tiny, upside down fir sapling to a right side up, super-sized and fully loaded Christmas tree?

Enter Martin Luther. History tells us that Luther was out walking through the German forest one evening looking for a little sapling to bring home for Christmas. It was dark before he knew it and he began to pray for direction. Looking up, the stars seemed to shine brightly for him and helped to light his way home! 

Thankful to be safe, and grateful to God for the star that not only helped him find his way in the dark but also led the wise men to Bethlehem, he decided to decorate his tree with lights. His family gathered around to see his little tree was not hanging from the ceiling but was planted in a pot on the table with candles attached to the branches. How much truth there is to the story we do not know but here are two ancient examples of people determined that their tree pointed to the Creator. 

The composer of the German carol, O Tannenbaum (1550) is not known. The version we recognize was written by German organist and teacher Ernst Anschutz (1824) and translated into English soon after. 

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are your branches!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are your branches!
Not only green in summer’s heat,
But also winter’s snow and sleet.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are your branches!

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
Of all the trees most lovely;
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
Of all the trees most lovely.
Each year you bring to us delight
With brightly shining Christmas light!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
Of all the trees most lovely.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
We learn from all your beauty;
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
We learn from all your beauty.
Your bright green leaves with festive cheer,
Give hope and strength throughout the year.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
We learn from all your beauty.

Christmas tree or no Christmas tree, we can all agree on Who is worthy of our worship and praise! Because He came so long ago and gave Himself a ransom for our sin, we look to Jesus only as Worthy. We do not worship our Christmas trees; we worship the One who created the tree and the One who gave His life upon a tree that we might reign with Him forever. He promises to return, one day soon, for those that are looking for His appearing.

Silent Night and why we can sleep in heavenly peace

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Father Joseph Mohr, of Austrian German descent, wrote the lyrics to one of our more popular Christmas carols, Silent Night. Now over 200 years old, Silent Night was first sung on Christmas Eve, 1818, under the title, Stille Nacht Heilige Nacht. Franz Xavier Gruber is credited with writing the melody and sang with Mohr, who also played the guitar.

Silent Night became extremely popular and was translated into 300+ languages and was even bellowed on the battlefield during WW1! A most welcome but temporary truce came about on Christmas Eve and the soldiers sang Christmas carols from their home countries; Silent Night was proclaimed in German, English and French.

It was 1859 when the already popular tune was published in English by a priest in New York, John Freeman Young. In 1935, Bing Crosby recorded Silent Night and sold over 30 million copies.

Known around the world, Silent Night surely has some amazing stories that we haven’t even heard. While researching the song, I found that supposedly, in the Austrian alps, you are only allowed to sing or play the song on Christmas Eve. The creepy, and rather cruel, legend told to children is that someone will die if it is sung at any other time!

Even though this beloved song doesn’t necessarily have a dramatic back-story, it has brought joy, comfort, and peace to millions. For example, one of the coolest stories about this song comes from the country of Latvia, where The Sweetheart and I were blessed to be a part of a team sent to start churches in the capital city of Riga. When the beautiful Silent Night is sung or played, the Latvian people stand in reverence. When asked why, they respond, “Because we can.” 

Under Soviet rule for so many years, singing was taken away from them, including beloved Christmas carols such as Silent Night. Now free from occupation, they do not take it lightly to be able to sing in public and therefore, stand in honor and reverence, giving thanks to God for that Silent Night so many years ago when a Savior was born to redeem us all.

The words we sing today to Silent Night are vastly different than what Mohr had written over 200 years ago. Here are the original verses translated from German.

Silent night! Holy night!
All are sleeping, alone and awake
Only the intimate holy pair,
Lovely boy with curly hair,
Sleep in heavenly peace!
Sleep in heavenly peace!

Silent night! Holy night!
Son of God, O how he laughs
Love from your divine mouth,
Then it hits us – the hour of salvation.
Jesus at your birth!
Jesus at your birth!

Silent night! Holy night!
Which brought salvation to the world,
From Heaven’s golden heights,
Mercy’s abundance was made visible to us:
Jesus in human form,
Jesus in human form.

Silent night! Holy night!
Where on this day all power
of fatherly love poured forth
And like a brother lovingly embraced
Jesus the peoples of the world,
Jesus the peoples of the world.

Silent night! Holy night!
Already long ago planned for us,
When the Lord frees from wrath
Since the beginning of ancient times
A salvation promised for the whole world.
A salvation promised for the whole world.

Silent night! Holy night!
To shepherds it was first made known
By the angel, Alleluia;
Sounding forth loudly far and near:
Jesus the Saviour is here!
Jesus the Saviour is here!

Remember as you sing this song this Christmas season, and you surely will, that because of Jesus, because He lives, because He overcame, we can too! We have hope of eternal life . No matter what is collapsing around us we can literally sleep in heavenly peace. Because of Jesus.

So, where were you when…?

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I remember very well July 20, 1969. It was my eighth birthday and with my siblings, parents and grandparents, we ate cake and I opened presents. But before I could even take a look at the new Barbie I had just received, Mom was clearing things away so that we could rush into the living room and watch the first man walk on the moon. 

So, where were you when…?

We all have memories such as that when our lives are forever changed. 

Every time that date comes around, or is mentioned, we are immediately transported, Star Trek style, back to the place and moment where we were…

  • When John F. Kennedy was assassinated
  • When Elvis died
  • When the Challenger exploded . 
  • And 9/11/2001

So, where were you when…?

Our family had just moved to a new city just about three weeks before 9/11/01. The Sweetheart was still working, as an air traffic controller supervisor, three hours away. I had taken two of My Three Sons to school and the oldest was still at home preparing to leave for work. I always had the radio on in the mornings and we both heard it come over the airwaves that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. 

Yes, we had cell phones way back then and I immediately called my husband to see if he was still at the control center or had he already left. He was working the third shift at that time and was already on the highway heading out of town.

I was trying not to panic but when the next plane hit and then the Pentagon and finally Flight 93, no one knew what was coming next. But it seems we all realized our lives were never to be the same.

And that has proven true. We have been changed and we remember that day and all of those who perished. We have heard story after story of people who “should have been there” but circumstances delayed them or they called in sick or something kept them from being in the towers that day. 

We have also witnessed the first responders who literally gave their lives to help another live. They very likely knew when they started up those stairs they were never coming back down.

Today, life is perplexing. It is stressful and even depressing at times if we dwell on all that is happening around us. So many uncertainties and unknowns, who do you believe? Who can you trust? Who is spinning lies and does anyone report the truth any longer? 

It is very easy to become disheartened and to constantly dwell on the negative; there is plenty of it! The enemy would like nothing better than for us to be distracted here in what is surely The Last Days that the Bible refers to. If we are squabbling over every little thing then we aren’t focused on the task that was given to us when we became a Christian:

Go and Tell.

There are millions of people in this world who do not know Jesus! They may be afraid, they may wonder if there is any hope left and they likely sit across from you at school or share a corner in an office or ride the bus every single day; your bus.

What if we were focused on The Message that Jesus saves instead of whether the person beside us was wearing a mask? We would be better off if we were spreading hope to the hopeless and healing to the broken. Being the hands and feet of Jesus would keep us so busy we wouldn’t have time to argue on social media.

There is hope, there is healing for the mind, body and spirit; His name is Jesus. He still speaks and uses people like you and me to accomplish His will; it IS His will that all would be saved! We don’t have to wonder if He wants us to reach out to that neighbor or co-worker or desperate family member. 

  • He does. 
  • You can. 

Someday soon I picture us around the throne, worshipping the One who saved us with the millions and millions of others who crossed over Jordan into Canaan. We will be marvelling at the beauty surrounding us, the new body we have (Hallelujah!) and the unbelievable thought that this paradise is FOREVER. 

And I see us standing there in awe as we turn to the one beside us and say, “So, where were you when the Lord came?”

May we never forget those that paid the ultimate sacrifice twenty years ago on September 11, 2001. Honor them today with a moment of silence and a prayer for the families they left behind.

Join the conversation and share where you were on that fateful day.