There are three kinds of Christmas Trees.

The first and most commonly known today is the tree that Christians put up in their homes and decorate during the end of December. This kind of tree – not only because of the fire danger – is mostly an artificial tree, decorated with the most outlandish tinsels, glittering with lights and ornaments. Often plastic angels top the tip of the tree. Its main use today is for presents laying down under this tree. The good part is, it can be recycled, it does not burn, and one live tree saved.

The second kind of Christmas Tree is the real wonderful natural tree growing somewhere on a faraway mountain, surrounded by snow on the ground and happy people. Today the Christmas Tree is a center of our activities and gives meaning to the Christmas Season. When I lived in Alberta in the mountains, my tree was always outside and alive.

The third type of ‘Christmas Tree’ (when I was a very young child), were the warning lights of Allied bomber planes during the heavy bombings of Germany, including my hometown 1940 to 1945. [We called them Christmas trees, Weihnachtsbäume.] Lights illuminating the entire sky just before the bomb loads were dropped during night bombing raids by Lancaster and Halifax bomber airplanes. A warning for us children to hide somewhere.


 

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