The Christmas Tree The tree to the left stands in the family room of a house in Greenwood, Indiana, USA. The two fine young gentlemen who decorated this tree so well believe that it is incomplete. They say it needs lots of parcels under it, presumably with their names on them. I certainly hope they have been good enough all year - ho ho ho ho! Last year’s effort was incomplete as well… until early Christmas morning, I believe. To see last year’s Christmas Tree post, click here.

Now the following is really sad!

Christmas tree banned from courthouse lobby

A Toronto judge has banished a Christmas tree from the lobby of a provincial courthouse, saying the “Christian symbol” might alienate people of other faiths. Judge Marion Cohen ordered that a small artificial tree on display in the Ontario Court of Justice at 311 Jarvis St. be placed in a back hallway, out of sight of the entrance. She wrote in a note to staff that she didn’t think it was appropriate that when people entered the courthouse, the “first thing they see is a Christian symbol.” The tree’s presence suggests to non-Christians that they are “not part of this institution,” she said, according to the Toronto Sun.

Pluralistic society
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty called it an “unfortunate” incident. “I think it reflects a mistaken understanding of what we’re trying to do here,” said McGuinty. He said the province is working hard to build a pluralistic multicultural society and that means celebrating all traditions, not asking some to abandon them. “It doesn’t offend anyone when we celebrate Diwali at Queen’s Park or celebrate Hanukkah at Queen’s Park,” he said. “It’s part of who we are.”

Cohen has refused to publicly speak on the matter.

A spokesman for the Ministry of the Attorney General stated that as the local administrative judge, Cohen has the right to rule on such issues in the courthouse.

Tree not a religious symbol
Meanwhile, Dr. Robert Buckman, president emeritus of the Humanist Association of Canada, argues that the Christmas tree is not even a religious symbol. “This is a simple, secular symbol of a festival period,” he said. “It’s like the pumpkin in Halloween. The pumpkin is actually reminiscent, apparently, of trying to scare ghosts and lighting jack-o’-lanterns and spirits coming into the house and all. “But no one says you can’t put a pumpkin on your porch unless you believe in goblins.”

Just as a matter of interest, when does something become a religious symbol?

St Boniface, a 7th century a monk from Crediton, Devonshire, went to Germany to teach the Word of God. Legend has it that he used the triangular shape of the Fir Tree to describe the Holy Trinity of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The converted people began to revere the Fir tree as God’s Tree. By the 12th century it was being hung upside-down from ceilings at Christmastime in Central Europe as a symbol of Christianity. I wonder if perhaps Judge Cohen will reconsider if it is mentioned to her that the tree in her courthouse has not been hung upside-down from the ceiling.

Did you know that in the USA there are 100,000 people employed in the Christmas tree industry, and that 98% of all Christmas trees are grown on farms? The University of Illinois has come up with a few facts about Christmas Trees for those of you who are interested. These facts pertain to Americans but might be interesting to others as well. Click here.

In New Zealand we have our own native Christmas Tree, the Pohutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa), known as such because every December this evergreen tree obligingly clothes itself with masses of bright red flowers. The green and red combination is, of course, the colours of Christmas.