THE WORLD ASH TREE:

THE MYTHICAL ORIGINS OF THE

CHRISTMAS TREE

Robert N. St. Clair

University of Louisville

INTRODUCTION
The Nordic creation myths (Young, 1966) have been documented by Snorri Sturluson, an
Icelandic historian, poet, and politician who lived around 1179-1241 AD. He was the author of
the Younger Edda, which is comprised of a narrative of Norse Mythology (Gylfaginning), a
book of poetic language (Sk<ldskaparm<l), and a list of verb forms (H<ttal). He was also the
author of a history of early medieval Scandinavian history (Helmskringla). In these writings one
finds the creation myth of the World Ash Tree (Yggdrasil). The world tree is a visual metaphor
of the tallest tree known to the Nordic world (Fraxinus). Ash trees are among the largest trees in
the world. It is the Yew tree that stands high above others and shelters all of the other worlds.
The story of those worlds and how they relate to Nordic mythological figures is the story of the
Well of the Wyrd (Bates, 1988; Thorsson, 1988).

Old Norse Account of the Yggdrasil

Ask veit eg standa, An ash I know stands,
heitir Yggdrasill, Its name is Yggdrasil,
hár baðmur, ausinn An immense tree, covered over
hvíta auri; By the white sand.
þaðan koma döggvar Thence come the dew
þær er í dala falla, That falls in the valleys,
stendur æ yfir grænn It stands ever-green
Urðarbrunni. Above the well of Urdal.

THE NINE WORLDS

When the ice of the last ice age began to melt, it revealed a barren and rugged land with flowing
rivers, forests, and plains. New animal life, reindeer, aurochs, wolves, bears, and foxes,
migrated to the north. Those who hunted them on the tundra were able to retreat to their tribal
homes in the lush valleys below. However, they could not retreat from the Frost Giants, the
bitter storms that came down from the high mountains. Nor were they able to avoid the wild
beasts that lurked in the forests or the strange sea monsters that wrecked their ships. For help,
they turned to their own gods. They sought help from their All Father, Odin, the first of the
Aesir gods whose realm was made up of nine worlds. The Aesir gods and goddesses lived in a
realm known as Asgardr, the realm of the mind, of myne (memory) and hugh (intellect). This
home of the Nordic spirits contained many halls and houses and Valhalla was the main hall. It
was where Odin rules with his consort and equal, Freyja, the All Mother. Odin had a special
place (Hildskjalf) in this realm from which he could see all of the worlds (Idavollr) beneath him.
There were others gods or Aesir living in this realm. There were the spirits of the dead warriors
who resided in Valhall. There were twp temples, one for the gods (Gladshimr) and one for the
goddesses (Vingólf).
 The Realm of Asgardr
the realm of the mind with its memory (myne) and intellect (hugh)

Odin The All Father

Freyja The All Mother
Gladshimr The Temple of the Gods
Vingólf The Temple of the Goddesses
A special place where Odin could see the whole world
Hildskjalf
(Idavollr) beneath him
The mythical plain of Ida, the field of continuity, renewing,
Idavollr and rejuvenation. It is located in the middle of the Realm of
Asgardr.
The icy fiery rainbow bridge guarded by Heimdallr. It
Beifrost connects the world of humans (Midgard) to the world of the
gods (Asgardr)
This is the world of the light elves and it contains substrata
Lojossalheimr of halls of white light. This is where the brightness of the
human intellect (hugh) is derived.

In the center of the Ash tree, one finds the Midgardr or Midgard. It is where the humans live. It
is the center of the Quaternity with worlds to the north, south, east, and west.

Asgard World of the Aesir

World of the Light Alfs. This is the home of intellect. It
Alfham
contains many abodes (halls) with various strata of light.
The Middle World, the World of the Humans.
Symbolically, it represents the ego, consciousness, and the
lower self. The Midgard provides stability between the
Midgard
Asgard and the Lojossalhimr. It is surrounded by
impassable waters. The M idle Earth is a fictitious land
created by J. R. R. Tolkien and is based on the Midgard.
Tthe World of the Giants. This is where one finds the
fiery sparks of life and all forms of positive energy. It is
Muspell
the balance between the heat of Muspell and the cold of
Niflheim that allows humans to live in the Midgard.
World of the Jutens. This is the realm of constant change
and evolution. The winds of the east bring with it
destruction and sudden that that may either result in good
Jutenheim or evil. There are two kinds of Giants: rocks and frost.
 They menace the humans in Midgard and the gods in
Asgard. The chief city in Jutenheim is Utgard. It is ruled
by King Thrym (Uproar).
The world of the Vanir. Here one finds the gods and
Vanaheim goddesses of fertility. Here reside the seasons, the
harvests, fruition, growth, and the cycles of life.
The World of Mist and Ice. It is the origin of all waters
Niflheimn
and is enveloped in ice. It is the land of Mists.
The world of the Dark Alfs. This is the world that
represents the formative aspects of being. Human beings
Svartheimr
take form and shape in this realm. Everything that is
formed in this realm is manifested in the Midgard.
The world of the Dead. This is the underworld. Souls
come here to undergo rebirth to another level of
reincarnation. The goddess Hel is the daughter of Loki.
Hel One cannot escape her powers without outside help and
this is why ancestral worship is so important. The
grandmothers and the grandfathers in one's lineage assist a
reborn soul in his or her escape from Hel.

These worlds are connected by rainbows of fire and ice. They are the ribbons of light that allow
the gods to visit their worlds.

THE WELL OF THE WYRD

One has to view the world tree as the Axis Mundi of the Nordic cosmology. The top of the tree
is where the gods and goddesses lived. When one looks up into the night sky, one sees the
North Star (Polaris). All of the other stars circle around it. It remains motionless within the
traveling stars and planets that make up the night sky. At the time when the Nordic myths were
created, Polaris was the Pole Star. Every 26,000 years, a new Pole Star appears. It was Thurban
around 50,000 BC and it will be Vega in 14,000 AD. Nevertheless, Polaris was the star that
comprises the Nordic myths. Symbolically, this is the star on the top of the Christmas tree. It is
the home of the gods. When one places an angel on top of a Christmas tree, one has captured
the significance of this real of the Aesir.
At the other end of the axis mundi is the bottom of the cosmic world tree. It consists of tree
huge roots that represent the past (Wyrd), the present (Verdandi) and the future (Skuld). They
are represented as three sisters who guard the wells. In the Zauberflote (the Magic Flute) by
Mozart, these are the dritte Dame die Nächte (the three ladies of the night). In Nordic literature,
they are called the Norns, the sisters of the Wyrd.

Wyrd That which has become

 Vernandi That which is being
Skuld That which will become.

What is important about the Well of Wyrd is that it figures prominently in the casting of the
Runes (Thorsson, 1988). The Well of the Wyrd represents the past. One lives by the past. The
present is determined by thoughts, beliefs, and actions done in the past. The future is planned in
accordance with one's record of accomplishments created in the past (Gundarson, 1993) .
Hence, these sisters are called the Sisters of the Wyrd, the sisters of the past. When one casts
the runes, they are cast into the Well of the Wyrd. For in the past one finds all of the cosmic
knowledge from the beginning of time. It is by delving into the past that these roots of the
Yggdrasil are able to keep the World Tree replenished.

The Well of the Wyrd is controlled by the world of the Vanir, the gods and goddesses of
fertility. The second of the three roots goes into the Well of Mimir in the land of the giants,
Jotunheimr or the Frost Giants. The third root goes into the Well of Helvegamar, the
underground spring of Nilfheim where the terrible serpent (Nidhoggr) is coiled around the state
of the treat constantly eating at the roots of the Yggdrasil. This is part of the Underworld
presided over by the goddess Hel. Loki was one of the three springs who resided over life and
death. Hel is her daughter and controls the Wellof Helvegamar. The roots of the Yggdrasil
produced a magic fluid (aurr), a kind of lunar blood that lies at the base of all elixir myths.
Hence, the Yggdrasil is seen as a universal mother, the source of unborn souls. The first man
(Askr) was born from the Ash tree (Asc) and the first woman (Embla) was created from the Elm
tree. It was Odin who game them both the breath of life.

Roots of the
Sources Home or Destination
Yggdrasil
Well of Wyrd
Wyrd River of Past
Vanaheim
Well of Mimir
Vernandi River of Present
Jutenheim
Well of Helvelgamar
Skuld River of Future
Niflheim

CASTING THE RUNES

The Runes are alphabetic symbols that are that were used by Nordic and Germanic tribes in
Northern Europe around the 3 BCE. These pictographs were used to represent the forces and
objects of nature (Thorsson, 1989). It is sometimes called the FUTHARK after the first 6 letters
of the alphabet . What is important about these Runes is that they were used to symbolize the
cosmology of the World Tree. Each of the symbols in this alphabet had a special meaning.
These will be discussed within the context of the Ash World Tree.

Rune Symbol Place in Cosmic Tree Nordic Meaning Comments

The Iwaz rune is a complex symbol representing the World Tree. Iwaz (Yew Tree)

A representation of Heaven, Hell and Earth with the Quaternity surrounding Earth The vertical
axis represents the axis mundi. At the top is the world of the spirits, Aesir. At the bottom is Hel.
In the center is the Midgard.

Place in Nordic
Rune Symbol Comments
Cosmic Tree Meaning
 The vertical axis
Iwaz (Yew Tree) represents the axis
The Iwaz rune is a A representation of mundi. At the top is
complex symbol Heaven, Hell and the world of the
representing the Earth with the spirits, Aesir. At the
World Tree. Quaternity bottom is Hel. In
surrounding Earth the center is the
Midgard.

This is a balance
Gebo, G amidst the
Midgard, Earth Gebo stands for Quaternity of Fire,
gift. Ice, Growth, and
Evolution.

Ansuz, A The home of Odin

The Realm of Ansuz is associated and Freyja. The
Asgardr. with the Aesir, Hall of the Dead,
Odin, and the wind Valhalla.
 This is the home of
the White Alfs.
Wunjo, W
The Ream of the Here is where there
Wunjo is the rune of
Ljossalheim joy and peace.
are strata of light
representing
Intellect (Hugh).

Kenaz, K
The Realm of the This is the home of
Kenaz represents
Svartalheim the Dark Alfs.
the torch.

Hagalaz, H
This is the home of
The Realm of Hel This rune stands for
the Dead, Hel.
hail.

The Quaternity surrounding the Midgard

Thurisaz, TH
The Realm of the
The third rune is The world of giants
Jotunheim
associated with giants and Etins.
EAST
(thurs).
 Fehu, F
The Realm of the
The rune of Freya and
Vanaheim The world of the Vanir
her brother Frey. It
WEST
stands for fee and gold.

Uruz, U
This rune stands for
The Realm of Niflheim strength and health. It is The world of ice and
NORTH associated with a mist
horned animal called
the auroch

The Realm of Raido, R

The home of the sun.
Muspellheim This is the rune of
Where the sun rides.
SOUTH jouneying, or rides.

Other Runes of Interest

Berkano, B
Nauthiz, N
Berkano stands
Nauthiz
for the birch
stands for the
goddess and is
strength of
used for fertility
need
and birthing
 Isa, I
Isa is the Dagaz, D
rune Dagaz means
associated day.
with ice.

Jera, Y. The Othila, O

rune jera Othila is the
stands for rune associated
year. with inheritance

Eihwaz, EI Ingwaz, NG
This rune is Ingwaz is the
associated rune of the god
with the yew Ing

Perth, P
Perth means
Laguz, L
fruit to some,
Laguz is the
but scholars
rune associated
feel its
with water.
meaning is
unclear.
 Algiz, Z
Algiz is a Mannaz, M
rune of Mannaz stands
protection or for man
defense

Sowilo, S
Sowilo is the Ehwaz, E
rune This rune means
associated horse.
with the sun

Tiwaz, T
Tiwaz stands
for the war
god Tyr. This
rune was
carved on
weapons to
bring victory.
Tuesday is
names after
this God,
Tiwes daeg.

The Celts also had a system of Runes (Murray, 1988) in which the FUTHARKS are highly
symbolic of the various kinds of trees in the forest. They also had a system of divination with
the runes, but their value structures differed significantly. Could the runes have been borrowed
from the Celts? It appears that the opposite is true. The Celts once dominated the whole of
Europe. They were called the Galatians in the Near East and the Gaul in France. If this were a
part of their tradition, it would not be limited to the Northwestern areas of Europe, the home of
the Vikings.
 THE NORDIC QUATERNITY
Within the Nordic Quaternity, the Midgard formed the very center of the four cardinal directions
which are located horizontally from earth (Midgard). There are nine levels or nights that
separate the real of the Aesir (the home of the spirits) from Niflheim, the realm which is just
above the Underworld, the land of the dead. A soul must travel through these nine levels in
order to attain immortality in Valhalla. On the horizontal level of the Quaternity, however, one
finds a balance among the four directions.

Kingdom of the North (Helheimr - home of ice and mist)

Kindom of the South (Muspellheimr - home of the fire giants).
Kingdom of the West (Vanaheimr - fertility)
Kingdom of the East (Jotunheimr - land of change and evolution)

The Middle Earth is so named because it is in the middle of opposite qualities. It also happens
to be in the middle of the Yggdrazil, but that is not the whole rationale for its existence. It is in
the Midgard that one finds a balance between fire and ice and it is in the Midgard that one finds
a balance between growth and change.

THE ANIMALS OF THE YGGDRASIL

Four deer run across the branches of the world tree and eat its buds. They represent the four
winds. At the very top of the tree one finds a hawk (Veldroinir) perched on the head of a wise
eagle. It is the Eagle that flaps its wings and causes the winds to blow. At the root of the tree is
a serpent (Nidhoggr) that gnaws at its roots. Ratatosk, a squirrel, runs up and down the tree and
exchanges insults between the wise eagle and the serpent. The eagle and serpent motif is very
common in creation myths. Their significance as opposites needs to be further explicated.
Finally, there are four stags (Dain, Dvalin, Duneyr, and Durathror) that are constantly eating the
leaves of the ash tree. These are the symbolic animals that constitute the cosmology of the
Yggdrasil.

TANNENBAUM
The Christmas tree comes right out of the Nordic tradition. It was borrowed from Nordic
mythology as were other aspects of European culture. For example, the days of the week show
both Roman and Nordic pagan roots.

English Old English Germanic Latin

Sunday sunnandaeg Sonntag Dies Solis
Monday monandaeg Montag Dies Lunae
Tiwesdaeg (Day
Tuesday Dienstag Dies Martis
of Tiwes)
Wodnesdaeg (Day
Wednesday Mittwoch Dies Mercurii
of Odin)
Thunresdaeg
 Thunresdaeg
Thursday Donnerstag Dies Joves
(Day of Thor)
Frigedaeg (Day
Friday Freitag Dies Veneris
of Freyja)
Saeternesdaeg
Saturday Samstag Dies Saturni
(Day of Saturn)

There are several interesting things to note about this nomenclature. Many of the days fo the
week reflect the Nordic cosmology of the Ash Tree.

Tuesday (Tiwes day) Nordic Goddess Tiwes

Wednesday (from Wotans Day, Germanic for Odin)
Thursday (Thor's day from Nordic god Thor)
Friday (German Freitag from Nordic goddess Freyja)
Saturday (day of Saturn, the original sun)
Sunday (Sun day, the modern sun after 9,500 BC)

The Christmas tree is a Nordic visual metaphor of their creation myth. It represents their
cosmology. Many have assumed it to be of Western Germanic origin, the Rhineland (Hertha,
1944; Foley, 1960). Needless to say, the British have a different account of this. They argue that
Saint Boniface, a monk from Crediton, Devonshire, England not only established the Christian
churches in France and Germany, but in the 7th century came across a group of pagans who
were about to sacrifice a child to the god Thor. To stop the sacrifice and to save the child's life,
he felled the tree with one might blow of his fist. In its place grew a tiny fir, a Tree of Life.
This, according to medieval legend was the story of the first Christmas tree. The Germans
admitted the feats of St. Boniface, but claimed that it was Martin Luther (1483-1546) who
decorated the first Christmas tree. Followers of the Druids claim that they were the first to
decorate the oak trees with golden apples for their winter solstice festivities. Regardless of
which group claims credit for this visual metaphor, it appears that only the Vikings embedded
themselves in a creation myth that closely resembles that of the Christmas tree. However, they
called their tree, the Ash World Tree.
The star on the top of the Christmas tree represents the world of Asgardr where the gods and
goddesses lived. It is at the top of the axis mundi of the world. When one is in the northern
hemisphere and looks straight upward, one sees the North Pole star. The star that was there at
the time of this creation myth was Polaris. Every 26,000 years a new Pole Star appears. Hence,
Polaris is no longer the Pole Star. However, its symbol still lives as the Christmas star.

At the bottom of the Christmas three are the three roots that feed it with nourishment and water.
These roots symbolically delve into the Well of the Wyrd, the Well of Mimir, and the Well of
Helvelgamar. In modern times, the Christmas tree stand represents these roots.

On the Christmas tree one finds Christmas bulbs which represent the nine worlds of the World
Ash Tree. These bulbs are placed vertically with the ones on top representing the Realm of the
Gods and the one at the bottom symbolizing the Realm of Hell. In the center is the Midgard,
Earth. It is surrounded by worlds in four directions, the Nordic Quaternity.

The ribbons that surround the Christmas tree symbolize the rainbow roads of fire and ice that
connect these nine worlds. The icicles that are placed on a tree also symbolize the fact that earth
is located between fire and ice, resulting in icicles.

These traditions of the World tree differed from the Tree of Life that one finds in Jewish and
Hebraic traditions. They posit a different story, the involution and the evolution of the soul
through the 33 levels of ascension and descension. They do not have the 9 levels of
reincarnation associated with the World Tree. They do not have a balanced Midgard surrounded
by a Quaternity. They do not have their roots delving into the earth in the metaphorical tradition
of the Nordic cosmology. What they do have is the arrival of the soul, its passage through life,
and its return to the spirit world. What they have is a different kind of visual metaphor, The
Tree of Life.

CONCLUDING REMARKS
Visual metaphors are far more common than one realizes. The metaphor of the Ash World Tree
was selected as a visual metaphor because it comes from a strong Nordic tradition that still
lingers in modern times. The Christmas tree is a relic of that tradition. It is a visual metaphor
that has been borrowed by Christianity and remodeled into a new symbol of eternal renewal.
This is what happens when one borrows cultural symbols. However, it is wrong to claim that it
was a visual metaphor invented by Saint Boniface during 7th century. It was a visual metaphor
that already existed among the countries of the north. It could be found in the writings of the
runes that go back several millennia. Its origins speak of a different time and place.
Anyone who works with visual metaphors must become deeply involved in social and cultural
history. One cannot explain such visual symbols without such traditions because the symbols
emerged from those traditions. They constitute the heritage of those symbols. The study of
mythology reminds one that modern scholars are still engaged in revealing the profundity of
these traditions.

REFERENCES
Bates, Brian. The Way of Wyrd: Tales of an Anglo-Saxon Sorcer. NY: Berkeley Books. 1988.
Foley, Daniel J. The Christmas Tree. Philadelphia. Chilton Company. 1960.
Gundarson, Keldulf. Teutonic Religion, Fold Belief and Practices of the Northern Tradition. St.
Paul, MN: Llewelyn Publications. 1993.
Hertha, Pauli. The Story of the Christmas Tree. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 1944.
Murray, Liz and Colin. The Celtic Tree Oracle: A System of Divination. New York: St. Martin's
Press. 1988.
Thorsson, Edred. At the Well of Wyrd: A Handbook of Runic Divination. York Beach, Maine:
Samuel Weiser, Inc. 1988.
Thorsson, Edred. A Book of Troth. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications. 1989.
Young, Jean I. The Prose Edda of Snorri Sturloson Tales from Norse Mythology. Berkeley:
University of California Press. 1966.
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