What the Christmas tree means for Christians

Decorating the Christmas tree is one of the most popular and cherished Christmas customs. Each year, millions of trees are chopped and decorated. However, the question that should be asked is when and where did this custom begin? Isn’t it written in the Holy Scriptures that a human should cut a tree out of the forest, set it up in one’s home around Christmas day, deck it with trinkets and various decorations, and then place a star on its topmost part to show an association of the tree with the signs of the heavens? Millions of Christian believers worldwide do this very thing toward the end of the year preparing for the birth of Jesus. The question is; where did Christians get the idea of the Christmas tree? According to Pastor Keneddy L. Iradukunda of Kabeza Holy Gospel Church, the Christmas tree is a symbol of the paradise tree. “It reminds us of the tree in the Garden of Eden by which Adam and Eve were enticed and as a result thrust into sin. But more importantly, the tree reminds us of the tree by which our sin was overcome, namely the tree upon which Christ Jesus was crucified,” he said. Pastor Valerie Akayesu of Faith Centre Church at Kanombe is of the view that Jesus Christ redeemed his people and gave them the ultimate gift; the gift of salvation through His death on the cross, which is also repeatedly called a ‘tree’ in the Bible scriptures. “To Christians this is how the Christmas tree came about. Though the actual death of Jesus Christ on the cross was terrible, to Christians it means the end of sin and the creation of forgiveness,” she says. martin.bishop18@yahoo.com