Category: Culture

Is the Christmas tree a leftover of some pagan practice? Does the tree have a connection to the Roman festival of Saturnalia? Or is it from the Norse Yule festival?

These are often said in casual conversation, but the evidence points to a much more recent origin. (if you think of the 1500’s as recent, that is)

We can never know for 100% certain what the origin of the Christmas tree is. There might even be a few traditions that came together and created what we now know. But there are some things it wasn’t, that might surprise you.

The earliest record of a Christmas tree comes in 1419, when a guild of bakers reported seeing a tree “decorated with apples, wafers, gingerbread, and tinsel in the local Hospital of the Holy Spirit” in Freiburg Germany.

The actual origin of the Christmas tree appears to have come from the Upper Rhine Valley in Germany. The earliest indications come from forestry laws in the 14th century limiting the number of trees or wood that peasants could collect or cut down on Christmas eve or the sounding days.

Now it is likely that the trees were either being burned, or used for some other type of decoration, not specifically for a tree to decorate in your home. But this practice seems to have evolved in the 15th century, perhaps blending with the tradition of the Maypole.

Many of the ideas we have about the origin of the Christmas tree was unfounded claims from Johannes Marbach, a German socialist writer form the 1850’s, who wanted to make a connection from modern Germany all the way back to their ancient ancestors.

ReligionForBreakfast is a channel dedicated to exploring the worlds different religions and practices. He takes a deep dive into history to find answers about the Christmas tree.

If you want to learn the fascinating details, watch the video, you will not be disappointed.

A Cheyenne Man— Known as Uncle Gypsy to some or just Gypsy to most, has been constructing his own tiny home south of Cheyenne for the past few years. His goal is to pass this on to his 21-year-old granddaughter, Kianna when the time comes.

In contrast to the average cost of $52,000 for a professionally built tiny home, Gypsy has invested only $5,000, primarily using salvaged materials from old RVs. He shouldered much of the construction himself, with a friend assisting in moving a 100-gallon water tank into place.

Living off the grid, Gypsy relies on a combination of ingenuity and community support. His tiny home features upcycled items, a 400-watt inverter, and a commitment to renewable energy once his solar panels and wind turbine are installed.

Gypsy’s journey doesn’t end there; he plans to take his tiny home on the road, settling on a friend’s property west of Cheyenne to oversee and exchange electrical work. Here’s some pictures of his tiny home if you would like to see them.

The 1984 Wham! hit, “Last Christmas,” is a holiday staple, but a rising trend has people lowering the volume on this classic in the viral game known as “Whamageddon.”

How this works 😁

The challenge runs from Dec. 1 to Christmas Eve. The goal is to avoid hearing the song before Christmas Eve, and participants are out as soon as they hear and recognize the song.

But only the original version applies, which means covers like Emilia Clarke’s rendition in the Wham!-inspired film, Last Christmas, and off-key a cappella singing with friends are not approved.

DJ Matty at Northampton Town Football Club apologized for unintentionally ending the “Whamageddon” streak for over 7,000 fans by playing Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’ to a stadium full of people. The unintended musical misstep sadly cut short the participants’ quest to avoid the holiday classic for as long as possible.

Originating among friends in Denmark nearly two decades ago, the game has gained immense popularity on social media, with the hashtag #Whamageddon amassing over 11 million posts.