Christmas tree at the top of a mast

[LuzSD]

There are two boats and a crane in our marina that hoisted large, normal sized Christmas trees to the top of their mast (and in the case of the crane, all the way up to the top) and there they sit. We can not figure out why anyone would do that, and it seems like it probably was rather difficult at least on the masts. I get that it is funny in a weird sort of way, but since this is not just ONE tree but 3, is this some sort of tradition that everyone understand except us? They were stilll sittin' up there after New Years, we will see tomorrow if they are still there.

 

[Larry Wilson]

Sounds like some sort of conspiracy to me........

 

[kczach]

A star of David would be a whole lot easier.

 

[RichBone]

Maybe it was aliens signaling their mothership.

Rich

 

[RichH]

Its called out the 'topping out' or 'topping off', a signal or ceremony that the main structure of beaming of a building or 'masting' of a ship has been completed .... to appease and honor the forest spirits that grew the trees.
The practice was/is of German/Dutch/British/Baltic origin and signified that the last beams were set on a building or that the mast was 'set' on a ship or that the main towers of a bridge were completed. Its still a common ceremonial practice on buildings/bridges/ships built in the eastern cities of the US and is still a ceremony at the shipyards in Norfolk, Va.

The "deitscher" farmers where I now live (Penna.) 'top out' their barns and houses when the framing/beaming is completed. The attached pic below shows a topping-out of a steel frame building; the white painted beam was the last installed and has the signatures of all the workers who participated in the construction - common to most 'high steel' buildings. My father was deeply involved in one of the major Philadelphia shipyards (Phila. then was 'the' principal US shipbuilding center) and I can still remember as a very small boy watching a 'topping out' ceremony for a USN cruiser and a sub. It was a big deal ... then.

I guess since probably the vast majority of folk no longer do productive work, such past practices and traditions are forgotten nowadays.

 

[LuzSD]

well Thanks Rich, that is excellent! I love the way this tree looks in your picture, it is not quite so great looking on the boats across from us, they just sort of hang there high in the air! I will take a picture if they are still up there!

Thanks for solving our mystery! What a great site this is: ask and you shall receive.

 

[RAD]

When you have a crane at your disposal and a few Christmas trees why not......I have a bucket truck but it doesn't go higher than 35 feet if it went to 55 feet I'd have a tree up there all lit up.....I wonder whats holding them up

ix:

 

[gettinthere]

"We can not figure out why anyone would do that"

Could be said about almost anything done in modern society today.

High heels?
Expensive jewelry?
SUV's?
Sailboats?

 

[rgranger]

RichH

I loved the history lesson. Would you (by chance) know how long you are supposed to leave the tree up (to appease and honor the forest spirits). I wouldn't want to do it wrong and make things worse

 

[RichH]

I dont have direct communication with the 'berggeist' or 'waldgeist' that is responsible for this ... but most topping-out trees are removed when the tree gets in the way of the 'finish-details' of the structure. Or perhaps like at my neighbors barn raising the conversation (sprache) would go like this: "ven the food vas et once by all, and dat damn tree isht in der vay of dem shingle t'ings" - obviously not a direct translation of the Plattdeutsch, but you should get the idea.

 

[LuzSD]

I don't know about other cases but this weekend all 3 Christmas Trees were gone, so for these 3, it was about a month long adventure. Two of the 3 were on mast of boats that go nowhere as far as have seen, So, I would say the Crane tree falls into the ... ven dat damn tree isht in der vay of dem vorkin.. catagory!

 

[rgranger]

good one....