The Christmas Tree History

In Europe, the earliest history of the Christmas tree was that it was traditional during the celebration of the Winter Solstice (December 21st) to bring an evergreen tree into the home and decorate it.

Since the evergreen was the only type of tree that lived through the entire winter, the families saw it as a symbol of continued life. Of surviving the bitter cold of winter in the hopes of the coming warm and sunny weather to come in the next months.

In the 1500s, the practice of decorating an evergreen tree at this time of year was still alive and well. This has been practiced in Northern Germany as well as many other parts of Europe. During this era, apples were hung as decorations (an early form of Christmas ornaments) and candles were used to light the tree. Aside from that, other decorations included nuts, pretzels, and paper flowers.

Traditionally, Christmas trees were brought into the home on December 8th which is the Immaculate Conception and decorated. They were removed from the home on January 6th or better known as Little Christmas. As it was regarded as bad luck to have a Christmas tree in the home after this date. Similarly, modern Christmas trees have kept many of these customs. However, instead of lighting trees with candles, electric lights are normally used because they last longer and are much safer.

Modern Christmas trees are decorated with ornaments, candy canes, garland, and tinsel. The top of the tree is usually adorned with a star, or an angel, both symbols associated with the Christian aspects of the holiday.

However, whereas people in older times decorated the tree on December 24th, in modern households, the tree decorating is usually done sometime earlier in December. Especially in homes which use artificial trees. For many families, the decorating process might even take place sometime shortly after Thanksgiving or even on Thanksgiving evening for American tradition. Irish tradition still

Christmas Tree: the Norway Spruce

The Norway Spruce has been a favorite as this is considered as a lovely soft tree. The tree has got very fine needles and it is described as it goes really, really bushy. Also, there are lots of branches so one can hang plenty of decorations on. This is to feel the festive mood that the holidays bring. It will absolutely be gorgeous, and the real highlight is that it has a wonderful scent. Adding to the more celebratory mood of the house.

The Norway spruce grows faster than the other trees. These trees are considered one of the most inexpensive trees in the market. However, the thing that people have found so much about it is that the needles do drop. Naturally, needles stay on the branch for two-three years. When the needles start falling off, these may be due to natural causes and something one must not be alarmed for.

Regardless of what variety of Christmas tree one has, it is the spirit and the joyful celebration of the season that will definitely bring light and togetherness in this wonderful holiday. As families gather together for some mulled wine and hot chocolate enjoying each other’s company.

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The Story of Christmas Tree

 

The Christmas tree is also a tree, but is a decorated one that is typically an evergreen conifer, like the spruce, fir or pine, or the artificial tree of the same appearance, related to the observance of Christmas, started from the Northern Europe. A tree was traditionally ornamented with "roses made from wafers, tinsel, sweetmeats, colored paper, and apples.

Progress of Christmas Trees

1510 – The first ever written record of the decorated Christmas Trees came from Riga, Latvia. The men from the native merchants’ guild ornamented the tree with the artificial roses, danced just about it in the marketplace, and set flames with it. This rose was utilized for many years and has been considered as the symbol for our Virgin Mary.

1530 – It had the record from France in Alsace that the trees advertised in the market and was taken home and then set up undecorated. The laws limited a size until “8 shoe lengths” (a bit more than 4 feet).

1600 – It was ordinary in Germany to ornament Christmas Trees with an apple. This custom was a holdover which was from 14th to 15th centuries when the evergreen boughs dangle with apples were its only prop being used during the “miracle plays” which were executed at churches on 24th of December. December 24 was called as Day of Adam & Eve during the calendar of early Christian, and those plays were utilized as the ways of instructing the Bible to the bigger illiterate population.

1700 – In some parts of Germany and Austria, evergreen tips had been brought into the houses and dangled top down from a ceiling. They were usually ornamented with red paper strips, apples, and gilded nuts. Edible decorations became so famous on Christmas Trees which they were usually named as “sugar trees.” The first ever accounts by utilizing lighted candles as ornaments on Christmas Trees came during the 18th century from France.

1851 – Christmas Tree starts to become sold commercially in United States. They had been taken by chance from the forest.

1853 – Franklin Pierce had been credited with taking in the first ever Christmas Tree into the White House.

1883 – Sears, Roebuck and Company started offering the first ever artificial Christmas tree.

1800s – The Christmas Trees was launched in United States by the German settlers. It quickly grew from the tabletop size going to the floor up-to-the-ceiling. The first ever glass decorations were introduced to the United States, and again from Germany. It first ones were usually balls, then, it became chains of balls, figures and toys became more common.

1900s – Because of overharvesting, the normal supply of evergreens started to become decimated. Conservationists were alarmed, and lots of magazines started to encourage the people to alternate an artificial “snow” roofed tree, consisting of the branches of a deciduous tree wrapped in yarn or cotton.

1901 – The original Christmas Tree farm had started in 1901 during the planting of W.V. McGalliard with 25,000 Norway spruce at his ranch in New Jersey. Theodore Roosevelt attempted to halt the practice of owning Christmas Trees since he was concerned about the forest destruction. His two sons did not agree and then enlisted the assistance of Gifford Pinchot, a conservationist to convince the president that, the practice wasn’t damaging to the forests because it is done properly.

1930 – Pres. Franklin Roosevelt began the Christmas Treefarm at his estate at Hyde Park, in New York.

1966 – The Association of National Christmas Tree started its time-honored customs of having a Grand Champion grower presented the Christmas Tree to a First Lady for exhibit in a Blue Room of a White House. During that year, Mr. Howard Pierce of the Black River Falls, from Wisconsin, presented the tree to Pres. Lyndon Johnson and their First Lady Bird Johnson.

Now – About 25-30 million Christmas Trees from real tress are being sold yearly in many places like Ireland. Almost all of those trees came from the Christmas Trees farms.