New Calender/Old Calender Christmas

[Nektarios]

I had a question for all the Old Calendarist here. Do you put up all the trees and lights and all that stuff :ohvey: ?

I hate all the trees and lights and all that. Ruins the real meaning. At least to me it does.

Nektarios

[尼古拉前执事]

Nectarios, I changed your post in to a poll. We do not, but I know that traditionally what people used to do if they did put up a tree and lights and such was to do it on Nativity and keep it up for the 12 days of 'Christmas', not to have it up during the Nativity Fast/Lent or 'Advent' which is a penitential season of anticipation. During the 12 days is when Carols would be sung as well.

[Liudmilla]

Yes, we do the whole thing....It can be a beautiful expression of Christmas and it is a way to bring a sort of family unity and closeness. I put my tree up usually somewhere between American Christmas and New Year's.....cause it's the only "free" time I have. I usually leave it up til after Epiphany and then take it down. The trappings of Christmas are not necessarily bad. If you don't have it in your heart.... the meaning of Christmas will never "be" for you. Besides you can do as others have done...put it up on Christmas eve.....

Milla

[George Australia]

We have always put up a Christmas Tree.
Recently I saw a documentary about the history of Christmas trees and was surprised that the first records of them were actually in the Church of Hagia Sophia where the "Jesse Tree" would be placed and the "ornaments" were actually Icons of the ancestors of Christ with the Icon of Christ placed in the centre.

[George Australia]

Here is a photograph of a sakkos preserved in Constantinople which has an Icon of the Jesse Tree:

[joasia]

I had a question for all the Old Calendarist here. Do you put up all the trees and lights and all that stuff ?

I hate all the trees and lights and all that. Ruins the real meaning. At least to me it does.

Geez, and I thought I was a fanatic. I personally don't have any room for a tree in my apartment. But, I have a little mini one.

The Jesse Tree sure looks like an evergreen tree. And I wouldn't be surprised that a tree has become part of the symbol of Christmas. In a way, it's a reminder of the fact that Christ died on a tree. And isn't Christ described as the Tree of Life? It all seems connected.

And I don't know about anybody else here, but when I see the tree full of decorations(in good taste of course), with little lights, and the livingroom light is closed, it gives a warm, comforting feeling. Something really beautiful to look at. It sets a mood. There's just something about the evergreen tree that is special.

As an old calendarist, I would say that the Christmas tree is not a big detrimental heresy of the Orthodox faith. But, the expectations of giving gifts is far out of hand. It defeats the whole purpose of the message of Christmas...Christ is born, allelujah!! In my utopian Christmas celebration..I would want to have a joyous meal and Christmas carols...and no pressure of buying gifts. If someone brings a bottle of wine or a cake, then it's part of the whole celebration.

[尼古拉前执事]

George is right and in fact there is a "Jesse Tree" in the icon of the Nativity of Our Lord below the depiction of the Theotokos. SO having a Jesse Tree which evolved into the "Christmas Tree" is a traditional thing to do for Nativity. The Star on top of the Tree is even traditional, only it had an icon of Christ blessing on it and the icon of Jesse was at the bottom of the tree with icons working their way up from Jesse to Christ.