Christmas Trees From Around The
World
What's really interesting at the end is the real meaning of the 12 days of
Christmas.
" :
Christmas Trees From Around The World - Make sure you go all the way to the
bottom of the e-mail, the picture and information about Arlington Cemetery in the winter, before Christmas
is beautiful!
Christmas Trees 'Round the
World
The Capitol Christmas tree in Washington
, D.C. , is decorated with 3,000
ornaments that are the handiwork of U.S.
schoolchildren. Encircling
evergreens in the 'Pathway of Peace'
represent the 50 U.S. states.
The world's largest Christmas tree
display rises up the slopes
of Monte Ingino outside of Gubbio, in
Italy 's Umbria region.
Composed of about 500 lights connected
by 40,000 feet of wire,
the 'tree' is a modern marvel for an
ancient city
A
Christmas tree befitting Tokyo 's nighttime neon display is
projected onto the exterior of the Grand
Prince Hotel Akasaka.
Illuminating the Gothic facades of
Prague 's Old Town Square ,
and casting its glow over the manger
display of the famous
Christmas market, is a grand tree cut in
the Sumava mountains
in the southern Czech Republic
.
Venice 's Murano Island renowned
throughout the world
for its quality glasswork is home to the
tallest glass tree
in the world. Sculpted by master glass
blower Simone
Cenedese, the artistic Christmas tree is
a modern
reflection of the holiday
season.
Moscow celebrates Christmas according to
the Russian Orthodox
calendar on Jan. 7. For weeks
beforehand, the city is alive
with
festivities in anticipation of Father
Frost's arrival on his magical
troika with the Snow Maiden.
He and his helper deliver gifts
under
the New Year tree, or yolka, which is
traditionally a fir.
The largest Christmas tree in Europe
(more than 230 feet tall)
can be found in the Praça do Comércio in
Lisbon , Portugal .
Thousands of lights adorn the tree,
adding to the special
enchantment of the city during the
holiday season.
'Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree':
Even in its humblest attire,
aglow beside a tiny chapel in Germany 's
Karwendel mountains,
a
Christmas tree is a wondrous sight.
Ooh la la Galeries Lafayette! In Paris ,
even the Christmas trees are
chic.
With its monumental, baroque dome, plus
10 stories of lights and
high fashion, it's no surprise this
show-stopping department store draws
more visitors than the Louvre and the
Eiffel Tower
In addition to the Vatican 's heavenly
evergreen, St. Peter's Square
in Rome hosts a larger-than-life
nativity scene in front of the
obelisk.
The Christmas tree that greets revelers
at the Puerta del Sol
is dressed for a party. Madrid 's
two-week celebration makes
millionaires along with merrymakers. On
Dec. 22, a lucky citizen
will win El Gordo (the fat one), the
world's biggest lottery.
A
token of gratitude for Britain 's aid during World War II,
the Christmas tree in London 's
Trafalgar Square has been
the annual gift of the people of Norway
since 1947.
Drink a glass of gluhwein from the
holiday market at the Romer
Frankfurt's city hall since 1405 and
enjoy a taste of Christmas
past.
Against a backdrop of tall, shadowy
firs, a rainbow trio of
Christmas trees lights up the night
(location unknown).
There is one Christmas Carol that has
always baffled me.
What in the world do leaping lords, French
hens,
swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won't
come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?
From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in
England were
not
permitted to practice their faith openly.
Someone
during that era wrote this carol as a
catechism song for young Catholics.
It
has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning
plus a hidden meaning known only to
members of their church. Each
element in the carol has a code word for a
religious reality
which the children could remember.
-The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
-Two turtle doves were the Old and New
Testaments.
-Three French hens stood for faith, hope
and love.
-The four calling birds were the four
gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
-The five golden rings recalled the Torah
or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
-The six geese a-laying stood for the six
days of creation.
-Seven swans a-swimming represented the
sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and
Mercy.
-The eight maids a-milking were the eight
beatitudes.
-Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits
of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
-The ten lords a-leaping were the ten
commandments.
-The eleven pipers piping stood for the
eleven faithful disciples.
-The twelve drummers drumming symbolized
the twelve points of belief in the Apostles'
Creed.
So
there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found
it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a
Christmas Carol...so pass it on if you
wish.'
Merry (Twelve Days of) Christmas Everyone
- and, remember, the Twelve Days of Christmas are the 12 days following December
25th. The Christmas Season runs until Epiphany, January 6.
CHRISTMAS AT ARLINGTON
CEMETERY
Arlington National
Cemetery
Rest easy, sleep well my
brothers.
Know the line has held, your job is
done.
Others have taken up where you fell, the
line has held.
Peace, peace, and
farewell...
Readers may be interested to know that
these wreaths -- some 5,000 -- are donated by the Worcester Wreath Co. of
Harrington, Maine . The owner, Merrill Worcester, not only provides the wreaths,
but covers the trucking expense as well. He's done this since 1992. A wonderful
guy. Also, most years, groups of Maine school kids combine an educational trip
to DC with this event to help out. Making this even more remarkable is the fact
that Harrington is in one the poorest parts of the
state.
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