I like Christmas songs. I enjoy the ones promoting the reason for the season (the birth of Jesus) as well as the more traditional ones that are more for fun. But a few of the “fun” holiday songs make me wonder. For example, why do we sing a song to a Christmas tree? I’m referring to “O Tannenbaum”, or “O Christmas Tree”.
I don’t know what the official lyrics are to the song, because apparently there are many versions, with many verses. Some of them have overt Christian meanings, while some are kinda weird taken by themselves. Let’s look at a few of the latter variety.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
How faithful are thy branches!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Green not alone in summertime,
But in the winter’s frost and rime;
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
How faithful are thy branches.Oh Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Thou tree most fair and lovely!
The sight of thee at Christmastide
Spreads hope and gladness far and wide
Oh Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
Thou tree most fair and lovely!O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
You stand in verdant beauty
Your boughs are green in summer’s glow
And do not fade in winter’s snow
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
You stand in verdant beautyO Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
How laden are your branches
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Your presence here enhances
Your silver star does glisten bright
Reflecting all the candlelight
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
How laden are your branchesO Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
You fill all hearts with gaiety
On Christmas Day you stand so tall
Affording joy to one and all
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
You fill all hearts with gaiety
Based on those lyrics, I have to wonder why a song was written to a Christmas tree… I realize there are a lot of silly songs that have been written, but this song has been popular for hundreds of years…
Buffet o' Blog 
Fab
It may siphon as a Christmas song, but no Christmas song siphons as bad as that stupid Little Drummer Boy. I hate that song, a rum bum bum bum. Why don’t they throw in some Mmmmm Bop while they’re at it? 🙂
Fab
There’s just something about singing onomatopoetic songs that sucks for some reason. 🙂
Thomas Wayne
What happened Fab? You were talking about singing, then you wrote some typo-riddled phrase that sounds like “oh no my potatoes!”, and then you said “that sucks” for some reason. Did your taters burn? Did some food-preparation disaster prevent you from finishing whatever you were saying about singing?
Fab
No typos. Just a frontal lobe overload that had to come out somehow. Have you ever just felt so energized with smarts that you had to use a big word? Happens to me from time to time, especially when writing on such an intellectual blog in the company of so many important people and geniuses. 🙂
Fab
Regarding potatoes, I would be singing the blues if I burned my taters precious. Not some nonsensical junk.
Thomas Wayne
Yeah, Fab, sometimes I feel that logorrhea, too. Part of it is being so “energized with smarts” (as you say — I might call it erudition), and partly from being around all these highly intelligent people here at Buffet o’ Blog.
Thomas Wayne
Fab, I thought you liked the Mmm-Bop song… 🙂 I’ve heard you singing some version of it (though I’m not sure if it’s a parody of not, because the original lyrics were impossible to decipher).
Fab
I think I sang part of it imitating the sound of one of your faithful reader’s bodily function. I’m speaking of A.G.O.C., of course.
Beppo
I read that during the Third Reich the song “O Tannenbaum” was promoted by the Nazis as part of their program to remove the more Christian parts of Christmas. I haven’t seen that song used for such purposes here in America, but I have seen some “special interest” groups trying to remove the Christian parts of Christmas, including even banning the word “Christmas”.
Think about it when you’re at a store — some places ban their employees from saying “Merry Christmas”. So say “Merry Christmas” to them and see if they are allowed to say it back. If not, maybe they shouldn’t get our business while shopping for Christmas presents.
Buffet o' Blog Administrator
Has anyone noticed the special guest in the Christmas tree photo? It’s TreeBear (or TreedBear, as some say). He shows up in a lot of unexpected places. If you only knew…