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We’ve always called it “topping out”. Back east, even in the middle of Manhattan, when a new skyscraper gets its roof, the crew hoists a whole little pine tree to the top and celebrates. The tree is supposed to bring good luck or good fortune to the building’s inhabitants, I think.
What I really need to know is the origin of this tradition. Is it German? Maybe Scandinavian? We’ll be topping out our house (at last!) probably tomorrow and no one out here has ever heard of the pine tree thing. I’d like to explain (and properly celebrate!) Wasn’t it originally accompanied by some sort of blessing (like the blessing of the fleet at the start of offshore fishing seasons?)
Anyone out there got any info?
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Tina I was doing a little research and in a book about the Celts was the story of Attys who bled to death under a pine tree and came back to life. The story had a familiar ring to it.All this was BC. but I could imagine a bunch of hovels with bine boughs above. Kinda a like churchs on a smaller scale. Also drus is greek for oak. Just a few tidbits of trivial knowledge.