"Who else has lighted tree but "christians" Christmas tree?" [View all]

[diabeticman]

I came across this DU thread http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027419686 and I was completely shocked by some of the responses.


There are Yuletide trees.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule


Saturnalia used festival of lights

In Roman mythology, Saturn was an agricultural deity who was said to have reigned over the world in the Golden Age, when humans enjoyed the spontaneous bounty of the earth without labor in a state of innocence. The revelries of Saturnalia were supposed to reflect the conditions of the lost mythical age, not all of them desirable. The Greek equivalent was the Kronia.[3]

Although probably the best-known Roman holiday, Saturnalia as a whole is not described from beginning to end in any single ancient source. Modern understanding of the festival is pieced together from several accounts dealing with various aspects.[4] The Saturnalia was the dramatic setting of the multivolume work of that name by Macrobius, a Latin writer from late antiquity who is the major source for information about the holiday. In one of the interpretations in Macrobius's work, Saturnalia is a festival of light leading to the winter solstice, with the abundant presence of candles symbolizing the quest for knowledge and truth.[5] The renewal of light and the coming of the new year was celebrated in the later Roman Empire at the Dies Natalis of Sol Invictus, the "Birthday of the Unconquerable Sun," on December 25.[6]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturnalia

Lights--In the past fires and candles and modern day of LEDs in trees and houses is basically an ongoing human hope and desire. In older times the hope that the "Gods" would bring back the sun and good growing seasons and would not let humans die.

Perhaps to some non-Christians/neo-pagans/wiccans/ atheists lights on a tree is hope and good feeling for humanity and hope for a better new year.

Just a thought.

My wife is Wiccan she has "Christmas trees" A theme tree in every room in her house. The Living room tree is a "Yule Tide tree" Has all white lights and hand written roll scrolls which at midnight are removed by guests and those scrolls contain the thoughts and good wishes of the hostess for her guests.

All the trees are fake because she believes live ones should stay in the world.