TKe CKristmas Tree 



i 



MOST Canadians have experienced 

 the youthful pleasure of tramp- 

 ing out to find the Christmas 

 tree. Through the snow and even the 

 storm we have trudged to find a suit- 

 able tree in which Santa Claus could 

 hang the gifts. Full of anticipation, 

 this has been one of the most pleasant 

 incidents of the Christmas season. 



In those youthful days a small ever- 

 green, Uke the walnuts and hickory 

 nuts of the locality, seemed common 

 property. To-day in older Ontario the 

 ideal tree is almost extinct, and the 

 small boy of the rural district has a 

 great problem to find the, Christmas 

 tree of his dreams. The city children 

 miss the pleasure of helping to cut and 

 bring home the tree, but wake on Christ- 

 mas morning to find one which has 

 been delivered with the groceries the 

 night before. 



The Christmas tree seems to have 

 been of German origin, and there to- 

 dav it has a more prominent place in 

 the season's festivities than in any 

 other country. Here in America many 

 families use the gaily decorated tree in 

 the distribution of gifts. Other de- 

 vices have been introduced, as Santa 

 Claus coming in with a loaded pack 

 upon his shoulders, or a mysterious pie 

 is^opened and the gifts taken from it. 

 In Germany, every family, however 

 poor, must have a tree. These are not 

 always large, and they vary in decora- 

 tions according to the taste or financial 

 condition of the home in which they 

 are found. No presents are placed on 

 the tree, for they destroy the beauty 

 and grace of its appearance. These are 

 placed on a table near at hand. There 

 are always candles which, on Christ- 

 mas eve, are lighted as the family 

 gathers around. The trees are usually 

 kept through Christmas week, and if 

 they are small may be seen placed ofi 

 a table near the window of the home. 



The Christmas tree idea has been 

 enlarged in Canada so that, in many 

 churches, the Sunday school depart- 

 ment holds an entertainment, the chief 

 feature of which is the distribution of 

 gifts from a very large Christmas tree. 

 The tree in this case is a very large 

 Norway or native spruce. 



While the Christmas tree exists in 

 England, the holly, ivy, laurel and 

 mistletoe are favorite decorations for 

 the Christmas season. This custom of 

 decking the houses and churches with 

 evergreens is derived from ancient 

 Druid practices. It was thought that 

 the sylvan spirits would flock to the 

 evergreens till the cold season had 

 passed. 



By the middle of December, in Can- 

 ada, the city dealers begin to display 



E. J. Zavitz, O.A.C., Guelph 



their slock of Christmas evergreens. 

 These consist of white cedar, juniper, 

 spruce, balsam and hemlock. These 

 trees are sold in sizes ranging from five 

 feet to even 20 feet in height. Along 

 with the trees or a little later comes 

 other decorative material as club moss, 

 ferns, holly and mistletoe. Of our 

 native evergreens, the spruce and bal- 

 sam make the best Christmas trees, 

 as their branches are regular and formal. 

 The cedar, juniper and hemlock are 

 better for pulling apart to make wreaths 

 and other hanging decorations. 



owners in the vicinity of large towns 

 and cities. Nurserymen in the United 

 States are growing evergreens for Christ- 

 mas purposes at a nice profit. Why 

 not plant some of the waste portions 

 of the land with evergreens as an in- 

 vestment ? Marketable trees can be 

 grown in from 6 to 10 years. The prices 

 are going to advance, especially for 

 well formed, symmetrical trees. 



Some sentimentalists have condemned 

 the cutting of Christmas trees as wan- 

 ton destruction of forest growth. This 

 is a mistaken attitude. Let every 



The Wonderful Doings of Santa Claus 



The demand for Christmas trees and 

 decorative material has developed a 

 business which has assumed an im- 

 portant character. Long before Christ- 

 mas, trainloads of evergreeps are being 

 shipped into the larger centres. To- 

 day the well-shaped tree of 6 or 10 feet 

 in size is becoming scarce. Complaints 

 are heard that the material is too ex- 

 pensive to be used as in days gone by. 

 The trees of best quality, which grew 

 near shipping points, are exhausted, 

 and dealers have to bear the cost of 

 longer hauls. 



Here is an opf)ortunity for land- 



297 



home have a Christmas tree. No bet- 

 ter use of a tree can be found than in 

 giving the child a heritage which meant 

 so much to us. It is part of the birth- 

 right of childhood, and should be de- 

 nied to none. Blessed is the man who 

 still holds the memories of Santa Claus 

 and of Christmas customs as worth while! 



Sprays of the common barberry may 

 be used for Christmas decorations. The 

 drooping clusters of scarlet berries are 

 effective in any scheme of ornamentation 

 that may be proposed for -the home, the 

 church or the hall. 



