Christmas tree history is rooted in a number of religious and regional practices, some of which are still being used during the holiday season.
The Earliest Version
There are different versions as to how the tree came to be a symbol of the winter holiday. Some of them are:
- The tree represents the one whose wood was made into a cross and used to crucify Jesus of Nazareth.
- It is a symbol of the Tree of Knowledge and that is why early decorations were apples.
- The ancient Roman celebration of Saturn used evergreens as decorations for the holiday which ended on December 25.
- The evergreen tree is a promise of life to come after a cold winter.
The Saints and Christmas Tree Symbolism
Various saints have been associated with Christmas trees over the centuries:
- An illustration from around 1600 shows St. Christopher with the Christ Child riding on his shoulders and passing under a leafless tree that has a variety of fruits, candy, baskets and what might have been glass balls hanging from it.
- Joseph of Arimathea is said to have gone to Britain around 63 A.D. to bring Christianity to the Britons. Then an old man, he carried a staff to aid in walking. Upon landing, he thrust the staff of hawthorne into the ground where it immediately took root and bloomed. Hawthorne is the only tree to bloom at Christmas time.
Calendars Determine the Date of Christmas
According to the Christian calender, Christmas was observed on December 25. However by the late 1500s, the calendar and the earth were ten days out of sync.
- Pope Gregory decreed that those ten days would not occur in the year 1582 so Catholics that year turned the pages of their calender from October 5 to October 15.
- In 1752 Britain adopted the Gregorian calendar so Christmas fell on December 25 of that year. The Hawthorne tree did not bloom until January 5 and today it does not bloom until December 7th.
Christmas Trees Decorations
By the early 1800s decorated evergreens were found in German homes:
- Apples (as a symbol of the Garden of Eden), nuts and berries, that were sometimes shared with children or birds and squirrels after the Christmas celebration was over. If the real articles were not available, paper ones were used.
- Paper streamers which were reminiscent of the hair of angels who had “decorated” the tree and that had been caught in the branches.
- Candle lights were added as an attempt to further explain the story of Christmas. Martin Luther was said to be the first to add lights to his tree in order to give his children a better understanding of the stars in the heaven from which Jesus came.
- Lighted Christmas trees were part of the Protestant celebration of Christmas but it was less popular in Catholic homes and churches.
Around the middle of the 19th century, miniature replicas of fruit, animals, toys, musical instruments and angels, made of materials found in the home, were added.
Christmas Trees of Famous People
Among the famous people who included the Christmas tree in holiday celebrations were:
- Queen Victoria of Britain used a Christmas Tree as part of the Royal Family’s celebration of the holiday in honor of her German-born husband, Prince Albert in 1840.
- U.S. President Franklin Pierce erected the first Christmas tree to appear in the White House in 1856.
- President Woodrow Wilson inaugurated the National Christmas tree in 1913.
- President Calvin Coolidge moved the National Christmas tree to its present location near the White House and switched on the newly installed electric lights.
Christmas Trees in the Home
Americans’ taste in trees changed over the years, often being influenced by illustrations seen in popular magazines.
- Artificial trees sometimes replaced natural trees after the manufacturers began using materials that more closely replicated the look and feel of natural trees. Some are made of aluminum and designed to be illuminated by a colored spot light or revolving color wheel. The tree can be taken down and stored, with it decorations, to be reassembled for the next Christmas season.
- Natural trees are still preferred by many Americans, either purchased at outdoor tree lots or being cut from a forest with a special permit or a tree farm. Some families have a traditional day for choosing a fresh tree and trimming it at a holiday party.
Christmas Trees in the Community
Community Christmas trees became symbols of holiday spirit and civic pride at the turn of the 20th century for the estimated 80% of Americans who did not or could not have a tree in their homes. Today, more than 85% of Americans have at least one tree in their own homes each year.
In the 21st century, for most Americans and Europeans, as well as Christians in other parts world, the Christmas tree celebrates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth and is a time to exchange gifts and holiday cheer in His honor.
Sources:
Bowler, G. O. World Encyclopedia of Christmas. McClelland & Steward Ltd. October 2004
Kelly, Joseph H. The Origins of Christmas. Liturgical Press. August 2004