December has arrived, and with that, the holiday decorations are pouring in. the optimal time to decorate and get into the Christmas spirit varies depending on who you ask.
Image from History.com
Some say it is never too early and start whenever they please, some say you should not even think about it until after Halloween, others that you should not think about it until after Remembrance Day. Some people south of the border would argue that the perfect time to start is right after Thanksgiving, which for them is on November 26th, so it does not apply to any Canadians, who celebrate it on October 11th.
One set time that almost everyone agrees on though, unless you happen to be speaking to Ebenezer Scrooge, is that once December hits, everyone is free to go as crazy as they would like when it comes to decorating.
Image from NKyTribune
The tradition of decorating shows evidence to date as far back as the Egyptians when celebrating the Winter Solstice, but modern Christmas trees and decorations are a little more recent than that. They were actually brought to light by Germans in the 16th century. The evergreen trees were first used in church plays and later put into homes by Christians, which became a tradition over the years.
The tradition spread over Europe, and German immigrants coming to America and Canada brought the tradition with them. The decorations adapted over time and changed from candles, nuts, and some fruit to lead and glass, and then further to tinsel and what we have today.
So if you are ever wondering where traditional Christmas trees and decorations came from, it was the Germans in the 16th century. The tradition of course has disassociated itself from its religious origins in many parts of the world and is now celebrated by people of all sorts of beliefs and faiths.
So get decorating, and happy holidays.