Page 29 - Oundle Life December 2022

EVERGREEN
CHRISTMAS
Traditional festive garlands
Think of Christmas and I guarantee your thoughts will quickly flit to an evergreen plant. Twinkling Christmas Trees decorated in our homes, carols and songs about the holly and the ivy, or wreaths hung on front doors.
Many of the traditions we associate with Christmas today have roots reaching far back into history. Midwinter celebrations were held around the winter solstice, marking the longest night of the year, and welcoming the slow return of more sunlight. The tough green leaves of evergreen plants along with their colourful fruit and berries gave hope that winter would indeed end. Spring and growth would again return.
Bringing cut fir trees indoors to decorate at Christmastime was made fashionable by Queen
Victoria’s husband Prince Albert, who brought this German tradition to our shores. Today of course, the Christmas Tree is the focal point
of celebrations in our homes. Some say their conical shape points upward to heaven. The choice of trees today is endless from both real and faux, but I personally love the smell of a real Christmas Tree.
Before the Christmas Tree became ‘de rigour’ in Victorian times, the Georgians decorated
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