The village of Taxiarchis in Halkidiki launched the festive season by lighting on Thursday the first Christmas tree in Greece.
Locals and visitors from other towns gathered at the main square to marvel at the 13-meters high fir tree decorated with 20,000 lights.
The village in the Municipality of Polygyros, home to a few hundred people, is also called the fir village. At an altitude of 670 meters, on Mountain Holomontas it is surrounded by a fir forest. Most inhabitants make a living out of logging.
“Today’s celebration, which takes place every year, highlights the production of fir which is an important product of the region, said the the Mayor of Polygyros, Giorgos Emmanouil.
“We are determined to support the industry, with all our strength. I wish that the Taxiarchis Christmas tree will be the beacon that will light up everyone’s lives and fill our hearts with love and optimism,” he added.
Halkidiki, home of the Christmas tree in Greece
The Halkidiki Peninsula in northern Greece is not just about beautiful beaches. The central and northern parts of Halkidiki are dominated by the mountain range of Mountain Holomontas, an area of incredible beauty with breathtaking views in all directions.
The fascinating forests of Mount Holomontas are the perfect escape destination for adventure-loving travelers who want to explore nature. This is an area of great beauty, ideal for walks along woodland paths and lush green forests.
Imposing trees grow high up on its slopes, with oaks on the lower reaches, and chestnut, pine, fir and beech higher up. Every so often the trees make way for a clearing, blossoming later on with wildflowers.
Mushrooms are found here, growing alongside wild herbs, mountain tea and oregano. There are also many species of wild animals and birds.
Tradition of Christmas tree
A 1570 Bremen, Germany guild chronicle is the first time that the Christmas tree tradition has been attested to in print. The chronicle notes that a small tree decorated with “apples, nuts, dates, pretzels, and paper flowers” was erected in the Guild House to benefit the guild members’ children, who collected the delicacies on Christmas Day.
Although the tradition of decorating churches and homes with evergreens at Christmas was already long established, it was the German-born Queen Charlotte, the consort of King George III, who was the first to have a Christmas tree in England at a party she gave for children in 1800.
The custom did not at first spread much beyond the royal family, but Queen Victoria had a tree in her room every Christmas growing up, so she was happy to adopt her beloved husband’s custom wholeheartedly after their marriage.
An illustrated book, The Christmas Tree, describing their use and origins in detail, was published in December of 1844. A further boost to the trend was given in 1848 when The Illustrated London News in a report that was picked up by other papers described the trees in Windsor Castle in detail and showed the main tree, surrounded by the royal family, on its cover.
Their use in wealthier homes in Great Britain was widespread in fewer than ten years.
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