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p  The Serbian Orthodox bishop is shown here with his followers, who have gathered to watch the burning of the traditional Yule log of dried oak tree branches on Orthodox Christmas Eve, which is January 6.

forest to burn on their hearths. They called them “Yule logs.” If the log burned for 12 days, it was thought to bring good luck. These tribes generally held trees to be sacred, symbolic of life itself, and inhabited by spirits. For the Scandinavians, any tree that stayed green, that is “evergreen,” during their long and bitter winters must have magical properties. Mistletoe, which stays green throughout the year, was another plant the Celts considered sacred. The Celtic influence can be seen in the custom of hanging mistletoe, as well as in the evergreen and holly decorations often used at Christmas. The people of ancient Rome also used holly in many of their celebrations. They even gave each other gifts of holly wreaths. Today holly has become a symbol of Christmas, and so has its colors: red and green.

Origins of Christmas n

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