Jan’s Tree
The Christmas tree tradition as we know it started in Germany. Christians brought the decorated trees indoors in the 16th century. However, it all started with Scandinavian Vikings, who believed the evergreen trees that grew around them were special plants from the sun god.
Speaking of the Christmas tree’s German heritage, have you heard of the Christmas pickle? They were first imported from Germany to the US in the 1800s by Woolworth stores. Tradition says the pickle is hung on the tree last and the first child that finds it on Christmas morning gets an extra present. Others of German descent say the pickle is simply a good luck symbol.
There’s plenty of Christmas traditions, just like there’s a variety of unique Christmas trees that decorate the homes of Natchitoches residents. The NPJ found the following photos and short stories about these unique trees:
Charlene White: Charlene resurrected her mother’s old aluminum pom pom tree. Every year, Charlene decorates a sharing tree with ornaments she’s handmade, mostly wire and clay. Visitors are encouraged to pick out ornaments to keep for themselves or to share. She keeps this art tree, made by her metal-art friend Ken Patin from Breaux Bridge, up all year long.
Dr. Cheryl Stoker: Cheryl has a small egg Christmas tree featuring Joan Rivers eggs that she bought off of QVC years ago
Jan Harrington: Jan decorated her massive flocked tree with 3,000 lights, which took her over 4 hours. Then she added the ribbon and ornaments.
David Stamey: The Natchitoches Parish Clerk of Court went NSU purple for its tree this year. It’s a real tree from Saline Creek Christmas Tree Farm in Goldonna that they painted purple. Clerk of Court, David, said his office had purple pride this Christmas season!
Cathy Seymour: While Cathy and her husband Dan decorate their home with 30 trees, Dan’s Mardi Gras tree may be the most interesting. The ornaments are medallions from Mardi Gras beads they’ve caught over the years.
Corey Poole: I always thought of myself as a one tree kind of person. This year I added tree #2 to my collection. My aunt, who worked in a hospital nursery, gifted me with her collection of Snowbabies ornaments. I felt they needed their own display, hence the second tree in my house. It has however, made me consider getting a few more to separate my ornaments into individual collections.
