Is anyone here planning on blessing their Christmas tree? Here is a Traditional blessing for Christmas Eve that I find rather beautiful and meaningful:
Ingredients: tree, family, Holy Water, Christmas music
The Father of the Family: "The Christmas tree represents the Tree of Life in the Garden of Paradise. But that tree was but a figure of the true Tree of Life which it foreshadowed--the Tree of the Cross upon which Our Lord Jesus Christ Redeemed us by His Death, and obtained for us the life of supernatural grace. Thus, our Christmas tree is also a symbol of Christ Himself, Who hung upon the Cross for love of us. The ornaments and decorations which we place upon the tree represent our acts of love, prayer, and sacrifice, by which our souls are adorned with the beauties of Divine Grace, merited for us by Our Divine Lord upon the Cross. The bright lights shining upon the tree represent Christ as the Light and Life of the whole world. Finally, the gleaming star on top of the tree is a reminder of the Star of Bethlehem, guiding the Three Holy Kings to the stable cave. This radiant star is also a symbol of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who as the Mother given to us from the Cross--the Tree of Life--by our Savior Himself, guides weary mankind to the foot of the manger, wherein lies her Divine Son, the Light of the World, and the Lord and Savior of all mankind."
The undecorated tree is placed upon a stand, and sprinkled with Holy Water. While the tree is being decorated, Christmas carols are sung or played. After the Christmas Tree has been decorated, the following prayers are said.
Father: Our help is in the Name of the Lord.
All: Who hath made Heaven and Earth.
All: Then shall all the trees of the woods rejoice before the Face of the Lord, because He cometh: because He cometh to judge the earth.
Psalm 95
V. Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle: sing to the Lord, all the earth.
R. Sing ye to the Lord and bless His Name; show forth His salvation from day to day.
V. Declare His glory among the Gentiles: His wonders among all people.
R. For the Lord is great, and exceedingly to be praised: He is to be feared above all gods.
V. For all the gods of the Gentiles are devils; but the Lord made the heavens.
R. Praise and beauty are before Him: holiness and majesty in His sanctuary.
V. Bring ye to the Lord, O ye kindred of the Gentiles, bring ye to the Lord glory and honor: bring to the Lord glory unto His Name.
R. Bring up sacrifices, and come into His courts: adore ye the Lord in His holy court.
V. Let all the earth be moved at His Presence. Say ye among the Gentiles, the Lord hath reigned.
R. For He hath corrected the world, which shall not be moved: He will judge the people with justice.
V. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad, let the sea be moved, and the fullness thereof: the fields and all things that are in them shall be joyful.
R. Then shall all the trees of the woods rejoice before the Face of the Lord, because He cometh: because He cometh to judge the earth.
V. He shall judge the world with justice, and the people with His truth.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, forever, unto ages of ages. Amen.
All: Then shall all the trees of the woods rejoice before the Face of the Lord, because He cometh: because He cometh to judge the earth.
Lesson: Ezechiel 17:22-24. Thus saith the Lord God: I Myself will take of the marrow of the high cedar and will set it: I will crop off a tender limb from the top of the branches thereof, and I will plant it on a mountain high and eminent. On the high mountains of Israel will I plant it, and it shall shoot forth into branches and bear fruit, and it shall become a great cedar: and all birds shall dwell under it, and every fowl shall make its nest under the shadow of the branches thereof. And all the trees of the country shall know that I, the Lord, have brought down the high tree, and exalted the low tree: and have dried up the green tree, and have caused the dry tree to flourish. I the Lord have spoken and have done it.
R. Deo Gratias.
Let us Pray
Holy Lord, Father Almighty Eternal God, Who hast caused Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to be planted like a Tree of Life in Thy Church by being born of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, bless, we beseech Thee, this tree, that all who see it may be filled with a holy desire to be engrafted as living branches into the same our Lord Jesus Christ, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the Unity of the Holy Ghost, One God, forever, unto ages of ages. Amen.
As the Father sprinkles the decorated tree with holy water, he says:
Almighty God, we beseech Thee to bless this Tree, which we have adorned with lights to honor the Birth of Thy only-begotten Son, Christ, the Light of the World.
All: O beautiful and radiant tree, adorned with the Purple of the King, and chosen as the worthy trunk that was to touch limbs so holy. O blessed Tree, upon whose outstretched arms hung the Ransom of the world; it was made the support of the Sacred Body of Our Divine Lord, and thereby snatched away the expected prey of Hell.
V. Christ is the Tree of Eternal Life,
R. In the midst of the Garden of Paradise.
V. He is the Tree,
R. As we are the branches.
V. In Him is Life;
R. And the Life is the Light of men.
V. The Lord be with us.
R. Now and forever. Amen.
Let us Pray
Bless, we beseech Thee, O holy God, Father Almighty, this noble Tree, which we have adorned in honor of the new Birth of Thine only-begotten Son, and do Thou so adorn our souls with the manifold beauties of Thy grace, that being spiritually enlightened by the splendor radiating from this Tree, we may, like the Three Holy Kings, come to adore Him Who is Eternal Light and Beauty, the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the Unity of the Holy Ghost, One God, forever, unto ages of ages. Amen.
This is from
http://www.salvemariaregina.info/Prayers/Advent.html#Blessing%20of%20the%20Christmas%20Tree