THE ORIGIN OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1095, 24 February 1893, Page 16

THE ORIGIN OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE.

In the ninth month of the Jewish year, corresponding nearly to our December, and on the twenty-fifth day, the Jews celebrated thoir Feast of Dedication of their Temple. It had been deßeeratod on that day by Antiochus; it was re-dedioated by Judas Maccabseus, and, then, according to Jewish legend, sufficient oil was found in the Temple to last for the seven-branched candlestick for seven days to prepare new oil. Accordingly the Jews were wont on the 25th day of Kislen in every house to light a candle, and on tho next two, and so on, till on the seventh and last day of the feast seven candles twinkled in every house. It is not easy to fix the exact date of tho Nativity, but it fell, most probably, on tho last day of Kielen, when every Jewish house in Bethlehem and Jerusalem was twinkling with lights. It is worthy of notice that the German name for Christmas is Weinacht, the Night of Dedication, as though it were associated with this feast. The Greeks also call Christmas the Feast of Lights, and, indeed, this was also a name given to the Dedication Festival, Chanuka, by the Jews. In every house the seven nozzled lamp, or seven branched candlostick, symbolised the seven-branched candle stick in the Temple. This latter was, more • over, made like a tree, and each lamp was like a flower on the tree. Hence the origin of our Christmas tree.