PHOTOS: A Closer Look At The Trees At Christmas Around The World
CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light return to the Museum of Science and Industry for another holiday season.
Ride the escalator up to the main floor and immerse yourself in Christmas Around the World, which allows guests to “travel” to different countries and become cultured in different holiday celebrations without ever leaving Chicago. Corridors of the museum are lined with trees, each one specially decorated with ornaments representative of the country it is displaying.
Holiday traditions from around the world are filled with fascinating folklore and culturally rich celebrations. From a Santa Claus-like witch that delivers presents while flying on a broom to a tree decorated with spiders, a visit to the Christmas Around the World display at the Museum of Science and Industry provides the facts that details the stories behind the décor of some of the trees and displays featured. For a full list of tree and display descriptions, visit msichicago.org/holiday.
Assyria - "Eedokun breekha"
Assyrians come from modern-day Iraq, Iran, Syria and Lebanon. Despite displacement, there is a thriving culture in which traditions and language have been passed down over thousands of years. This tree features themes of brotherhood, with photos of children from ANCI (in Skokie) that represent khigga, a folk dance in which people form a line by holding hands. The person in front of each line dance is holding a yalikhta, a piece of cloth decorated with coins for good luck. The tree also features lamassu or winged bulls that used to guard the gates of ancient Assyria, the national flag, the Mesopotamian flower, and the Assyrian (or neo-Aramaic) alphabet.
China -"Seng Dan Fai Lok"
This tree’s paper origami ornaments and lanterns were made by a local Girl Scout troop. These adornments showcase the special art of paper folding, which is a tradition during the holiday season. This art has been passed on for centuries and provides unity among the young and old as a way to decorate for special holidays. The lanterns represent light, leading the way to brighter horizons. Lanterns are historically created for China’s Lantern Festival and follows the holiday season, typically in February or March.
England - "Happy Christmas"
In the past, the English tree has paid homage to the country’s cultural icons and has included nods to the Queen and her beloved royal family, as well as a reflection on posh English style including traditional fascinators and hats. In England, families decorate their homes with holly, ivy and mistletoe. At night, carolers go from house to house, ringing handbells and singing Christmas songs. People give the carolers treats in return for spreading Christmas cheer.
Hungary - "Boldog Karácsonyt"
In Hungary, painted heart-shaped cookies are a traditional Christmas tree staple, along with colored glass ornaments, Hungarian candy, apples and pears. You can see these represented on this tree in addition to handmade felt ornaments in Hungary’s national colors of red, white and green. Popular Hungarian sweets and chocolates (szaloncukor) are also used as decoration, and underneath the tree you’ll see Hungarian dolls. The tree is decorated on the evening of December 24, and kids are not allowed in the room where the tree stands until they have heard a ringing bell. Presents are opened on Christmas Eve.
Iceland - "Gleðilig Jól"
A church and a farmhouse is displayed on the tree’s base to represent replicas of traditional churches and farmhouses from Þingvellir, Iceland, a site of historical, cultural, and geological significance. These items were the original tree decorations created by a volunteer with the Icelandic Association of Chicago. The hand-knitted spherical ornaments feature a traditional wool sweater pattern (lopapeysa) and represent the country’s popular weaving customs. In Iceland, legend has it that 13 days before Christmas, 13 elfish pranksters known as Yulemen (each with a different personality and prank) descend upon Icelandic towns. Historically, these mischief-makers would steal and cause trouble, but today they leave small gifts in the shoes of deserving children.
Ireland - "Nollaig Shona Duit"
To celebrate the 75th anniversary of Christmas Around the World, the Irish tree features ornaments created over the last 30 years to commemorate the various themes at MSI: the Cinnamon Bear "Paddy O'Cinnamon" (Teddy Bears in 2002), lace snowflakes (Dashing Through the Snow... in 2006), Maps of Ireland (Maps, Tools for Adventure in 2007), and James Hoban from Co. Kildare, Ireland, architect of the White House (2009). Other ornaments include mistletoe, thatched cottages, Celtic crosses, angels, Claddagh rings, Irish flags, shamrocks representing the Trinity, teacups and harps. No Christmas dinner in Ireland would be complete without crackers, brightly colored foil tubes filled with silly hats and toys that are popped open just before dinner. Families wear the hats throughout dinner.
Netherlands - "Vrolijk Kerstmis"
On the evening of December 5, Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas) sets sail from Spain. Dutch children set out wooden shoes, a symbol of the Netherlands, filled with sugar, carrots and hay for Sinterklaas’ horse. If they are good, they receive shoes full of sweets. The oldest wooden shoes worn by the Dutch date back to 1280 and are made of alder wood. Representations of these shoes hang on the tree, along with hand-painted tiles and round ornaments—rendered in traditional Delft Blue pottery, a custom dating back to the 16th century—depicting typical Dutch landscapes. The windmills and tulips symbolize the rich landscape of the Netherlands.
Slovenia - "Vesel Božić"
On St. Nicholas Day, the saint visits children with mischievous elves, parklji, who scare children who misbehaved during the year. Slovenian families create small pine-and-ribbon Advent wreaths. Each week leading up to Christmas, one blue or white candle is lit. They also bake potica, a traditional raisin nut bread enjoyed especially during the holidays. The ornaments on this tree are handmade, featuring traditional Slovenian motifs like silver and gold pine cones; clusters of walnuts; wooden heart-snapped ornaments painted with popular Slovenian landmarks, poets and writers; glass red apples; corn husk dolls; and cotton pieces strategically placed to represent snow.
United States of America - "Merry Christmas"
Most of the ornaments on the tree have been handmade by members of the Friends of the USA Tree, who reside in Illinois, Michigan, Texas and New Hampshire. The eagle tree-topper was made to look as though it is landing on the tree, and it was constructed from 125 pieces of wood from four different types of trees. The large stockings are hand-quilted. All the star boxes are decorated with scenes depicting Christmas memories and some honor the United States military. You’ll also see assorted wood, fabric and lace ornaments, round ornaments with sequins and beads, clay ornaments made to look like cookies, and crocheted roses and snowflakes. The snowflakes are all different sizes, and no two patterns are alike.
