A Look at the Rich History Behind the Holiday Wreath
Opinion Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the author/producer’s interpretation of facts and data.
By Bill Primavera
As Christmas draws near, it will soon be time to start thinking about our front door wreath.
For some years, we never had to worry about sourcing our wreaths because our grandson Richie, as a dutiful Boy Scout, was our source of supply, with his selling wreaths to benefit his troop. But after he progressed to Eagle Scout, then went on to college, leaving behind those lofty goals for fundraising, we’ve had to find our own wreaths.
Before the wreath became associated with Christmas, it was a prominent emblem of victory and power in ancient Greece and Rome.
The custom of bringing evergreens home during the winter began in the 16th century among northern and eastern Europeans, with Germans commonly credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition. During this period, pruning the tree was a part of the preparation process. Limbs were often cut off in an attempt to make the tree more uniform in shape or to fit into a room. Instead of throwing the pieces of greenery away, the Europeans wove the excess into wreaths.
These people were living in a time when everything in their lives was used until it was gone.
Besides the aesthetic and practical reasons for shaping the tree, there was also a spiritual significance to practice for Christians. It was important to trim the trees into the shape of a triangle, to represent the Trinity. Catholic legend says that Saint Boniface, a monk from England, used the three points of an evergreen tree to explain the concept of God, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost in the seventh century.
Before the wreath became associated with Christmas, it was a prominent emblem of victory and power in ancient Greece and Rome. Athletes who were victorious at the Panhellenic games were crowned with wreaths of olives, laurel, wild celery and pine. Outside of competitions, a crown of leaves or flowers also represented honor and joy. The wreath was described as “the ornament of the priest in the performance of sacrifice, of the hero on his return from victory, of the bride at her nuptials, and of the guests at a feast.”
But Christmas wreaths brought a new layer of meaning to the old idea. Such wreaths originally served as Christmas tree ornaments, and not as the standalone de corations we’re familiar with today. They were formed into a wheel-like shape partially for convenience’s sake – it was simple to hang a circle onto the branches of a tree – but the shape was also significant as a representation of divine perfection.
It symbolized eternity, as the shape has no end. Together, the circular shape and the evergreen material make the wreath a representation of eternal life. It is also a representation of faith, as Christians in Europe often placed a candle on the wreath during Advent to symbolize the light that Jesus brought into the world. A German Lutheran pastor named Johann Hinrich Wichern is often given credit for turning the wreath into a symbol of the Advent, and lighting candles of various sizes and colors in a circle as Christmas approached.
The tradition of the Advent wreath, along with many other Christmas traditions from northern and eastern Europe, was adopted by the masses beginning in the 19th century. The marriage of Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom, to Prince Albert from Germany opened the door for Christmas traditions of other regions in Europe to become popular in England. In turn, British culture influenced American culture.
Despite its widespread popularity today, the wreath started with humble beginnings. While we live in a throwaway culture today, the wreath was born of a time for not throwing things away.
Equally important was the material forming the wreaths – the evergreen tree. Evergreen trees were a species looked upon with awe and admiration, since they, unlike most living things, survived the harshness of winter. The trees appeared in abundance in northern and eastern Europe, and people brought them into their homes. That was a symbol to them of power, of resilience, and in a way, of hope.
My wife Margaret, a Christmas enthusiast, has saved decorations from various wreaths we’ve enjoyed through the years, and today we enjoy the memories of where those accessories for our wreaths came from.
Bill Primavera is a realtor associated with William Raveis Real Estate and founder of Primavera Public Relations, Inc., the longest-running public relations agency in Westchester (www.PrimaveraPR.com). To engage the services of The Home Guru and his team to market your home for sale, call 914-522-2076.
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