Excitement is growing in our classrooms as the Holidays are approaching. This week, classes are inspired by Christmas Tree traditions. Plants and trees that remain green all year have a special meaning for people in the winter. Today many people like decorate their homes during the festive season with pine, spruce, and fir trees which is a tradition from over thousands of years ago when ancient peoples hung evergreen boughs over their doors and windows. It was believed that evergreens would keep away witches, ghosts, evil spirits and illness throughout the darker days of winter. In ancient Egypt, during Winter Solstice, on December 21 evergreen boughs served as a reminder that plants would grow again after the sun God Ra became well again. The fierce Vikings in Scandinavia thought that evergreens were the special plant of the sun god, Balder. Ancient Roman Pagan Festivals called Saturnalia, held in mid-December, honored the agricultural god Saturn brought the tradition of great feasts and celebrations.
It was from Germany, however bringing inside the whole tree originated. If wood was scarce people in Germany would build Christmas pyramids of wood and decorated them with evergreens and candles. In 1846, the very popular Queen Victoria and her German Prince, Albert put up a Tannenbaum or Christmas tree at Windsor Castle in 1848, and within just two years, the Christmas tree became a tradition throughout England, the United States, and Canada. The first decorations were made out of apples, gingerbread, paper roses, nuts and sweets.
Students in our classes shared stories of their holiday traditions including a Christmas Pickle, the story of the Christmas Spider whose webs turned silver which is legend of why tinsel is sometimes used to decorate the tree. We also had stories on St. Nicholas Day, where St. Nicholas left chocolates and other gifts inside our students boots on December 6.
Using watercolours, chalk pastels and acrylic paint, students could decorate their tree with whatever colours they liked and created beautiful pieces to share with family and friends over the holiday! Take a look at a few of our students work….
Each one turned out dazzling and unique. Students had a lot of fun creating these ornaments that held the image of the tree reflecting back out. A great job by everyone!