A Holiday Treat for Stella

[desertslave]

I saw this on Facebook and just had to share, knowing Stella's fondness for tentacled goodness.

http://i815.photobucket.com/albums/zz80/desertslave/CthulhuTree_zps6aca24d0.jpg

 

[Stella_Omega]

Aww. so cute! I love the Cthulu topper!

 

[Stella_Omega]

Let's make this a thread for themed trees. This one is just photoshop, but..

http://31.media.tumblr.com/2b34ab12d79c09a63d38fa4ead456219/tumblr_mx9jubV4GI1suwbg9o1_1280.jpg

 

[Aphro]

LEGO...cool!

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iRI2v5UAGMI/Ts_OVkMX7KI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/-0_vFaOKyNE/s1600/lego-christmas-tree-st-pancras-1.jpg

 

[seela]

Slightly OT, prompted by Stag's pic:

In Poland the old tradition was to hang just a branch of pine from the ceiling and decorate it, but as time went by, the German tradition of having a tree started to gain popularity. The branches people hung from their ceilings started to get bigger and bigger and at some point they were hanging actual trees up-side-down and decorating them. It was just a transition phase and the old tradition of hanging things from the ceiling was soon replaced by having a Christmas tree like we now know.

 

[Stella_Omega]

What did they decorate them with? not blown glass-- not yet.

 

[LadyVer]

Nice pics.

 

[desertslave]

My personal passion, I LOVE the Lego tree!!!!!

 

[seela]

What did they decorate them with? not blown glass-- not yet.

Chains made of paper links, all kinds of other paper pretties and some made of straw too, cookies, apples etc.

 

[seela]

I thought mistletoe came from that same tradition, or is that something else entirely.

I'm not sure, really.

I know the kissing under a mistletoe wasn't a Polish tradition at all, but it was widespread in Europe. I think I've heard it being an Old Norse thing, but I don't know any more about it. Poles and probably Slavs in general had a tradition of collecting jemioła, which is apparently a type of mistletoe, on winter solstice. It was believed to have extra special healing powers when collected that night. No hanging it and kissing under it was involved.

The tradition of podłaźniczka, the branch-cum-tree hoisted on the ceiling was a part of the cult of an evergreen tree and eternal life. It was hoisted on the ceiling on winter solstice, so the day's common with collecting the jemioła. But then again most of the mythical winter things happened on the winter solstice, so it's hardly surprising. No kissing happened under the podłaźniczka either.

But of course this alone doesn't mean that mistletoe and podłaźniczka can't be connected and simply different representations of the same ancient tradition. The podłaźniczka tradition was still observed in the Polish countryside in the first decades of the 20th century. Long after the tradition of collecting jemioła had died.

Now, if only I could get rid off all this useless knowledge of Polish pagan traditions and fill my brain with other stuff...

 

[IrisAlthea]

I always thought that kissing under the misteltoe was english/keltish?

The old norse connection is that Baldur was killed by an arrow made of misteltoe. All other plants and animals had been made to promise not to hurt him, but the misteltoe was forgotten.

 

[Saucyminx]

Here is some of the lore behind the kissing under the mistletoe tradition. I posted the link below if anyone would like to read more.

Kissing under the mistletoe is first found associated with the Greek festival of Saturnalia and later with primitive marriage rites. They probably originated from two beliefs. One belief was that it has power to bestow fertility. It was also believed that the dung from which the mistletoe would also possess "life-giving" power. In Scandinavia, mistletoe was considered a plant of peace, under which enemies could declare a truce or warring spouses kiss and make-up. Later, the eighteenth-century English credited with a certain magical appeal called a kissing ball. At Christmas time a young lady standing under a ball of mistletoe, brightly trimmed with evergreens, ribbons, and ornaments, cannot refuse to be kissed. Such a kiss could mean deep romance or lasting friendship and goodwill. If the girl remained unkissed, she cannot expect not to marry the following year.

http://www.theholidayspot.com/christmas/history/mistletoe.htm

This tree is made from Chocolate.
http://is200.imagesocket.com/images/2013/12/10/2662454-lef7.jpg

 

[FurryFury]

I'm enjoying this thread. Thank you one and all.

 

[Loverskitten]

Now I want chocolate

 

[midwestyankee]

Loverskitten's remark about wanting chocolate reminded me of the great tree that's erected in the center hall at Marshall Field's Department Store (now, sadly, a Macy's). As you can see, it's possible to have lunch under the tree.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g68/mwy_photos/fields-great-tree_zps2eb43591.jpg