Why did people put ornaments on their trees?
In Medieval Europe it was traditional to perform plays depicting Bible stories. Most people could not read or the printed Bible was too expensive. they learned about the bible stories by watching the plays. Dec. 24th was the day that the play about Adam and Eve was performed. There weren't fruit trees available in the winter months so instead they used the fir trees and hung apples on the branches to represent the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evil in the play. The audience loved it so much they began calling it the "Paradise Tree". They decided to decorate their fir tree with more than just lights. They also hung up nuts dipped in sugar, little gingerbread cookies, and other sweet treats for the children to find. Also hidden in the branches were small round wafers of bread representing the body of Jesus, sacrificed so that we could live with God again. " The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him."
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