History of the Christmas Wreath

It is possible that the Christmas Wreath has it origins not in a religious festival but a sporting one. A wreath was initially used to represent a person’s status or occupation in Greek and Roman times. But under the Greeks the laurel wreath became the crown of victors at the Pythian games approximately 582BC. The Romans carried on the tradition and used the wreath as a sign within Roman society for the arts, government, education and literature. Julius Caesar even claimed it to be ‘a symbol of the supreme ruler’. This symbol of greatness and rule would later be replaced by kings with jewels and gold to be come crowns. Some scholars believe that the wreath may not descend from the Greeks, but the Persians. Royalty in that ancient culture would wear a fabric headband or diadem which would have been covered in gems. … Continue readingHistory of the Christmas Wreath

History of the Christmas Tree

Pre-Christianity, many civilizations used evergreen decorations. The Egyptians used green date palm leaves during the winter solstice. The Romans during Saturnalia decorated their homes with greenery. They are also believed to have attached candles to trees for the sun god, Sol and in addition they placed replicas of Bacchus, the fertility god on the trees. … Continue readingHistory of the Christmas Tree