Christmas tree!
Christmas tree is also known as New Year Tree, Yule tree, holiday tree.
New Year Tree is one of the most popular symbols of Christmas and New Year. There are a lot of countries that have the tradition to decorate their houses with New Year Tree for Christmas holidays.
And the process of decorating the New Year Tree is one of the most interesting and helps to feel the spirit of Christmas. And when you enter the house and see the New Year Tree your mood gets better and you understand that Christmas is soon.
Christmas tree is also a religious symbol, because as a rule an Angel or a Star is put at the top of the tree as a symbol of either an angel who came to tell people about the birth of Jesus Christ or a Star of Bethlehem.
So what are the usual decorations of Christmas tree? Usually people of the majority of countries decorate it with Christmas lights, garlands, candles, ribbons, candies, etc.
Christmas tree is very important, because Santa Claus puts his presents under the Christmas tree in many traditions of different nations.
As a rule a Christmas tree is set up in the main square of many cities. And the most beautiful are put in capitals of many countries. And sometimes cities even compete which tree is the best. And people who live in such cities come to Christmas trees and spend time there. Sometimes Christmas tree is put in the middle of skating rinks and parents come with their children to skate and to admire the tree.
The dates of setting up and taking down of holiday trees are different and depend on the country and on people. Traditionally, they are put and decorated on Christmas Eve – 24th of December and are taken down in twelve days – 6th of January. But in Orthodoxy tradition it is put before New Year, usually a week before and is removed after the 14th of January. But every family decides when to put it and when to remove it.
Some people don't support the tradition of decorating houses with trees because a great number of trees are damaged on Christmas Eve and most of them are not soled. But the way out was found. Nowadays there are a lot of artificial trees that help to keep nature and trees. But one of the greatest advantages of natural trees is their special smell that fills the house. But of course natural trees need more care because they shed their needles. Artificial trees are very popular nowadays and there are a lot of artificial trees already decorated with Christmas lights, so you don't have to do anything but to put it in the room.
The most popular species of natural trees in Europe are Silver Fir, Norman Fir, Noble Fir, Norway spruce, Serbian Spruce, Scots Pine, Stone Pine, Swiss Pine. So, usually firs are used.
Christmas tree is one of the necessary elements and it helps to feel the Christmas spirit and almost all offices, stores, shops are decorated with it. And when you see a Christmas tree, you always have a good mood.