Christmas time Wreaths - Religious and Secular Origins

By Tony Ferraro


Like most symbols utilised during Christmas, the Christmas wreath has various meanings inside the religious and secular worlds. In order to explore the Christmas wreath, the origin of the wreath must be surveyed. There is some debate regarding the origins of the wreath. It could be agreed upon that each the Greek and Roman cultures had been important towards the wreath's progression in history. A lot of of the ancient societies had dual roles for the use of the wreath. The wreath has endured numerous evolutions all through history.

The Greeks introduced the first wreath into culture. This wreath would go on to evolve into the modern day day Christmas wreath. The laurel wreath was a fixture in Greek mythology and society. It was worn by politicians. Graduates wore a crown of laurel on their heads to signify this accomplishment. In Greek mythology, the laurel leaves are said to come from the goddess Daphne. She was becoming pursued by Apollo and cried out to her father Peneus for help. Peneus turned her into a laurel tree. Apollo declared that the laurel tree would constantly have green leaves and that he would constantly wear a laurel wreath around his head. The laurel wreath because that time has become a symbol of victory in Greek culture and went on to be used in the Greek games.

This symbolism passed on to Roman culture in politics, mythology, and society. In Rome, the Emperors image was stamped on coins showing them wearing laurel wreaths. The majority of the Roman statues depicting the leaders presented them wearing a laurel wreath. The leaders had been crowned having a laurel wreath upon victory. The laurel wreath was synonymous with victory for them. It was also a symbol of government and education in Roman society.

The laurel wreath was shown as a horseshoe and at times as circular. As the Romans began to conquer much more civilizations, the wreath became a portion of those conquered cultures. Throughout the winter festivals, early Christians in Rome decorated their houses using the holly along with the laurel wreaths to stay away from persecution. Pagans were forced into baptism under the Roman Church. Their use of the wreath was assimilated into the Christian church. Hence, the Advent wreath was actually utilized in a pagan holiday, but adopted by Christians. From the meshing of the cultures, the Christmas wreath was born.

In secular culture, the Christmas wreath is actually a well-known Christmas decoration. It signifies the beginning of the holiday season. The which means is much more about spreading great cheer, peace, and great will toward humanity. For Christians, the Christmas wreath has numerous meanings. The wreath symbolizes the unending circle of life where there's no beginning and no finish. If holly is used inside the Christmas wreath, the berries represented the blood of Christ along with the leaves represented the crown of thorns. Evergreen utilised in the wreath represented everlasting life. It?s a living component of history that adjustments to suit the wants of the culture making use of it in the time. The Christmas wreath has come a long way from being a headdress to a major holiday symbol.




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