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Long before Christianity, the pine tree was used to decorate houses for the mid-winter solstice festivities, and was a reminder to spring to come. Christianity had great difficulty in getting rid of traditional practices, and took the path of taking them over by incorporating them into Christian rituals. So they shifted Jesus' traditional birthday from 6 January back to 25 December to take over the Feast of the Saturnalia, and the winter solstice trees were also absorbed.

We adapt things to suit our beliefs and purposes. St Nicholas has become Santa Claus, but he used to be dressed in russet until Coca Cola put him into their red and white colours in the 1930s.

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8y ago

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