Tonight, the Chrismon tree is the center of our festivities. Glittering with lights and white and gold ornaments, it's a part of the beauty and meaning of Christmas. The word Chrismon simply means "Christian Monograms". Each symbol represents something important about or Christian faith.
The first use of the Christmas tree was in German Paradise Plays. The plays were held outdoors and portrayed the creation of humankind.
The Tree of Life was a fir tree decorated with apples. Later, other ornaments were hung on the trees, such as paper flowers. From these beginnings, the use of a tree at Christmas was established. Martin Luther was perhaps the first to use a lighted tree.
The story is told one Christmas Eve night, Martin Luther wandered outdoors and became fascinated with the beauty of the stars in they sky. He thought about the glory of the first Christmas Eve as seen in the heavens above Bethlehem. Wanting to share with his wife and children the joy he had felt, he cut down an evergreen in the forest. It glistened with white snow on the branches. When he arrived at home, he put candles on the tree to represent the star lit heavens he had seen. The use of a candle-lighted tree spread to all Europe. Eventually America came to regard it as the central ornament of Christmas.
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