European Christians in the years around 1500 AD, developed plays to tell the bible stories to the illiterate population. Actors traveled across the different regions of Germany and France preforming the plays.
In regions of Europe where they commemorated Adam and Eve Day on December 24, the Paradise Play was preformed on the eve of Christmas to celebrated the creation of the world and recalled the fall of Adam and Eve.
The actors went and cut an evergreen tree–the only green trees in December. They tied apples ( one of the few ripe fruits in the area) on the limbs. This was the major prop for the show.
The evergreen represented the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life. The apple represented the fruit Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat. One last decoration was placed on the tree. Pieces of wafer, unblessed eucharist, were attached to the branches to show the coming promise of a savior to take away the sin of the world.
They preformed the play in a circle of candles. Adam and Eve, in defiance of God’s rules, toke a bite of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This act cause the couple to run and hide because they saw their sin. Their sin separated them from God. They were removed from Paradise, and humankind cursed to face hard lives and death. But God gave them a promise of one who would come to save mankind.
The tree remained up for December 25th as they celebrated the birth of that promised savior. And the tree became known as a Christmas tree and with it the Christmas colors of red, green and white which tell the Gospel Story.
Fourth Day Adventures 