Tree of Life

From TOI: 25 Dec 2006


The modern custom of decorating the Christmas tree has been traced back to a more recent tradition in 1570 where a small fir was decorated with apples, nuts, dates, pretzels and paper flowers, by a German guild of craftsmen. Their children collected the dainties on Christmas day.

It is believed that the tradition of the Christmas tree has its origins in an ancient pagan ritual celebrating renewal of life. The Christmas tree is usually an evergreen coniferous tree, a variety of fir or pine that retains its leaves all year round. Some species such as the ‘Glastonbury thorn’ flowered for a second time during Christmas and this flowering was considered ‘miraculous’, according to some mediaeval legends.
In modern celebrations, the Christmas tree has become more of an object than a symbol of life. Nowadays, trees are seen in shops as early as October. Some trees are sold live with roots, so that they may be planted later and enjoyed for years. However, the process of digging up a tree with its roots is complex and the survival of these trees is low. Most people, therefore, use a cut tree which comes from a Christmas tree farm. It takes about 10 years for a tree to grow to a size where it can be used for Christmas. In 2002, in America alone, there were about 22,000 Christmas tree farms and nearly 4,50,000 acres of land was used to grow these trees.

Natural trees, however, come with a host of problems such as the potential for catching fire and causing allergies, besides being fairly expensive. Predictably, plastic has taken over, and artificial trees made out of PVC are now becoming increasingly popular. Artificial trees come in a variety of colours and species and even pre-decorated with lights. After Christmas they can be neatly packed away for use again the following year.

In this voyage from a real unsheared tree, originally harvested from the wild, the Christmas tree has come a long way to now being grown like a crop, being pruned to have a perfect conical shape and finally being replaced by a completely unnatural substitute. Environmentalists are still debating whether the move to plastic is better or worse for the environment. Although artificial trees can be reused for many years, they are non-biodegradable and eventually end up in landfills. Natural trees, on the other hand, can only be used for a short period but can be recycled into mulch or used as erosion control.

What is also losing value gradually is the deeper symbolism of the tree. While there are several layers of spiritual meaning attached to it, the act of inviting a tree into one’s life could also be seen simply as a reconnection to nature. Although a man-made substitute may be practical and durable, what it can never be is alive. The tradition began at a time when nature was abundant and humans lived with a strong awareness of their dependence on nature. In the present time, as urbanisation takes us further and further away from our natural roots, the custom of the Christmas tree could become a reminder that we are indeed still very much a part of the natural universe.

The Christmas tree could represent all trees and symbolise the very important role that trees play in the survival of life. In each country, a species of tree that is indigenous to that context and which plays an important role as a provider of food and livelihood could be taken to be the Christmas tree. Already, in India, where coniferous trees are limited to higher altitudes, the banana or the mango tree play that role. In Goa, the trunks of palms are decorated with chains of light for Christmas and for New Year.

Rather than cultivating Christmas trees, which increases monoculture and necessitates the use of pesticides, naturally growing ‘wild’ trees should be honoured during Christmas. The ‘gifts’ that are associated with the Christmas tree, could then be seen as gifts that all trees offer so unconditionally.

The Christmas tree, a symbol of renewal of life, may finally come back to where it began, and help humanity reconnect with the source of all that is living, namely Nature.