History of the Christmas Tree

A Brief History of the Christmas Tree

The tradition of having a decorated tree for Christmas is said to have began in Germany almost 1,000 years ago. St. Boniface, who converted the German people to Christianity, came across a group of pagans worshipping an oak tree and cut down their tree in anger. When a fir tree sprang up in its place, he determined that to be a sign of the Christian faith. However, it was not until the 16th century that the trees were moved indoors to be decorated at Christmas time.

As you might expect, the first Christmas trees were very plainly decorated. Apples were the most commonly used ornament in the history of the Christmas tree, a tradition linked to the days when the fruit was used to teach the story of Adam and Eve to a largely illiterate population. Paper roses, nuts, and candies were sometimes used as decorations as well.

In the 1800s, German settlers introduced the concept of the Christmas tree to people in the United States. While German trees were often rather small, the Christmas trees in the U.S. quickly evolved into the floor-to-ceiling decorations we are accustomed to seeing today. The ornaments on the Christmas trees in the United States were generally homemade, often created by children in anticipation of the Christmas holiday.

If you enjoy taking your family to a Christmas tree farm to select your holiday décor, you may be surprised to learn that this custom has roots in the Great Depression. Since it was difficult to sell trees for landscaping, nursery owners cut their trees for Christmas decorations. The cultivated trees quickly grew in popularity due to their symmetrical shape and uniform appearance. Although artificial trees become more common each year, there are still more than 77 million Christmas trees planted annually to meet the demand for traditional holiday décor. The best selling varieties over the history of the Christmas tree are Scotch Pine, Douglas Fir, Fraser Fir, Balsam Fir, and White Pine. California, Oregon, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Washington, and Wisconsin are the top tree producing states.

In 1931, construction workers placed the first Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, west of Fifth Avenue from 47th through 51st Streets in New York City. Having a decorated tree at this location quickly became an important holiday tradition. Today, the tree at Rockefeller Center is typically 75-to-100 feet tall and contains more than 25,000 Christmas lights. It is unveiled during a special ceremony held during the third week of November.

By 1966, Christmas trees were such an important part of the holiday festivities in the United States that the National Christmas Tree Association began presenting a tree to the First Lady for display in the Blue Room of the White House.

Trees Around the World

Today, the tradition of using a decorated tree to celebrate the Christmas holiday is practiced around the world. For example:

• Since Christmas falls during the summer months in Brazil, pine trees are decorated with cotton to represent falling snow.
• In China, most people do not celebrate Christmas. However, those who do erect "trees of light" that are decorated with paper chains, flowers, and lanterns.
• The Japanese consider Christmas a secular holiday for parents who wish to express love for their children. Trees are decorated with dolls and other small toys. Wind chimes, gold paper fans, paper lanterns, and origami swans are also popular decorations.
• Families in the Philippines generally can't afford fresh trees, so handmade trees in an array of colors and sizes are a common substitute. These Christmas trees are typically decorated with star lanterns made from bamboo sticks, covered with brightly colored rice paper or cellophane.
• In Sweden, Christmas trees are displayed outside for several weeks before being taken into the home to be decorated for the holiday. Common decorations include stars, sunbursts, colorful wooden animals, and snowflakes made from straw.