The appearance of Christmas trees in famous locations and personal homes excites those who celebrate the holiday each year. According to HISTORY, it is a tradition that dates back to even the years before the birth of Christianity, when people hung evergreen boughs above doors and windows to keep away evil spirits and illness. Perhaps it is the range of designs that these trees can fall under that makes the holiday so exciting.
Each year, the Rockefeller Christmas Tree astonishes both New Yorkers and visitors from around the world. As NBC New York reports that the trees are seventy five feet or higher in height and adorned with a star made of three million crystals, it’s no wonder that the tree commands the attention and wonder of all who pass by it. In all its grandeur, the Rockefeller Christmas Tree is selected in part because of its resemblance to the average household Christmas tree: in an interview with The Center Magazine, the selector of the tree, Erik Pauze, stated that he looks for “a tree you would want in your living room, but on a grander scale.”
When discussing famous Christmas trees, it would be impossible to not mention Rockefeller’s polar opposite: that of Charlie Brown. The beloved movie featuring it, A Charlie Brown Christmas, was first released in 1965. Although it was once available on CBS and ABC, viewers are now exclusively able to watch the film through Apple, according to an article by USA Today. Despite the wimpy nature of Charlie Brown’s stick-like tree adorned by few leaves and only a single ornament, some may be motivated to use it as decoration in their own homes. A Google search reveals that copies of the tree are sold via Amazon and Walmart among other vendors.
Those two extremes aren’t the only trees on the spectrum. Most commonly, disagreements on Christmas tree decorations come from the degree of personal connection to a tree. Some choose to color-coordinate store-bought ornaments whereas others prefer to use a mix of homemade and gifted ornaments. This latter viewpoint is one held by WMC sophomore Abigail Latona, who believes that “there’s something special about having meaningful decorations during the holiday season,” explaining that “it reminds us of family, friends, and happy memories.” Senior Allison Dilling has a similar opinion rooted in the decorating experience, explaining “I always look forward to decorating the tree every year and finding ornaments I’ve made in the past or that I just hold sentimental value with.”
There are certainly numerous ways to approach the Christmas tree, and that is just one of the many ways to decorate during the month of December! No matter how you decorate your tree or your home, The Paw hopes you enjoy the holiday season.
