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  • Evergreen trees were decorated in the 15th century. The first Christmas tree although not actually called that was decorated in Strasbourg, Germany. In Germany around the middle 1850's trees were brought inside and decorated for the Christmas celebration.
  • A beautifully decorated evergreen tree, with colored lights ablaze inspires in many warm memories of Christmases long past. The Christmas tree has become one of the most beloved and well known holiday symbols.
  • Christmas trees originated in the Germanic states around the 15th century. Evergreen trees, especially the Fir tree, being beautiful and green in the winter were commonly used for decorations. The triangular shape was suggestive of the Christian Trinity and the evergreen trees were used to symbolize the "Tree of Life."
  • Then later on Martin Luther used the Christmas Tree as a symbol for the Tree of Life instead of the nativity.
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The Christmas tree today is a common custom to most of us. There are many interesting connections to ancient traditions such as Egyptian and Roman customs, early Christian practices, and Victorian nostalgia. However, most scholars point to Germany as being the origin of the Christmas tree.

One of the earliest stories relating back to Germany is about Saint Boniface. In 722, he encountered some pagans who were about to sacrifice a child at the base of a huge oak tree. He cut down the tree to prevent the sacrifice and a Fir tree grew up at the base of the oak. He then told everyone that this lovely evergreen, with its branches pointing to heaven, was a holy tree - the tree of the Christ child, and a symbol of His promise of eternal life.

Another story from Germany is about Queen Victoria. She often visited relatives in Germany and while she was there, she fell in love with Prince Albert. After they were married, they moved back to England to raise their family. Prince Albert decorated a tree and ever since that time, the English, because of their love for their Queen, copied her Christmas customs including the Christmas tree and ornaments. This story took place in the 19th century, around 1830.

Another story about the origin of the Christmas tree says that late in the Middle Ages, Germans and Scandinavians placed evergreen trees inside their homes or just outside their doors to show their hope that spring would soon come.

Another legend that has not been proved is that Martin Luther is responsible for the origin of the Christmas tree. This story says that one Christmas Eve, about the year 1500, he was walking through the snow-covered woods and was struck by the beauty of the snow glistened trees. Their branches, dusted with snow, shimmered in the moon light. When he got home, he set up a small fir tree and shared the story with his children. He decorated the Christmas tree with small candles, which he lighted in honor of Christ's birth.

Research into customs of various cultures shows that greenery was often brought into homes at the time of the winter solstice. It symbolized life in the midst of death in many cultures. The Romans were known to deck their homes with evergreens during of Kalends of January 15. Living trees were also brought into homes during the old Germany feast of Yule, which originally was a two month feast beginning in November. The Yule tree was planted in a tub and brought into the home. But there is no evidence that the Christmas tree is a direct descendent of the Yule tree. Evidence does point to the Paradise tree however. This story goes back to the 11th century religious plays. One of the most popular was the Paradise Play. The play depicted the story of the creation of Adam and Eve, their sin, and their banishment from Paradise. The only prop on the stage was the Paradise tree, a fir tree adorned with apples. The play would end with the promise of the coming Savior and His Incarnation. The people had grown so accustomed to the Paradise tree, that they began putting their own Paradise tree up in their homes on December 24.

Whatever legend you wish to pass on, remember that Christmas is the time to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The origin of the Christmas tree can't change that fact.

Other than that, I have no clue. =] teehee.

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Christmas trees were first used as simple decorations which, at first, were not associated with Christmas at all.

The origin of the trees as decorations and gift-bearers

The trees were used in a country called Livonia, which is now today known as Latvia, in the 1440's. The trees were used in guilds, schools and apprentice halls and were decorated with sweets and treats for the apprentices and children to help themselves to if they did well in their studies.
The treats would include apples, Oranges, nuts, dates, boiled sweets, shaped sweets and so on.

It's then believed that people also erected these trees and decorated them with sweets and treats during national holidays, including Christmas, as a treat for people, particularly children. Candy canes and chocolates are still used as decoration on Christmas trees today.

The popularity of this tradition spread across the world by travelling and migrating Livonians, particularly in north-Western Europe.


Modern Christmas tree

The modern tradition of using the trees for Christmas traditions originated from Germany in the late 17th century, where the tree tradition became popular with the rich protestants after being introduced by migrating Livonians. In fact, the only thing that converted the trees from "decoration" to "Christmas tree" was simply adding an angel or star on top, to represent the Bethlehem star or the angel who informed Mary about her pregnancy.
Aside from that, there is no difference between Christmas trees and Livonian decoration/treat trees. The popularity of the trees on Christmas didn't do too well at this stage in time. Mainly because they were so expensive that only the rich could afford to have one and buy all the treats to hang on it.

The trees then became known in Britain when one was given to King George III in the early 19th century as a gift from the German Royal Family. However at this time they were only used by the Royal Family and the rich, since only the rich could afford treats for the trees.
Later on, the popularity spread even further when Queen Victoria married Prince Albert, a German.

Queen Victoria loved the trees so much from her childhood that she and Albert encouraged more to be planted in England, so "the common folk can enjoy the same wonders at Christmas time". This is where the modern-day decorations came from, because the poorer people could not afford treats, they instead decorated the trees with paper decorations, glitter and hand-crafted balls or figurines.


In conclusion

  • The trees originate from Livonia, part of modern-day Latvia.
  • They were used as general decorations and to hang treats from for children and apprentices if they did well in their studies.
  • They were spread around Europe by migrants. Reaching Germany where they became relatively attractive to rich protestant Germans.
  • The trees were gifted Britain's Royal Family in the Georgian era during Christmas. Queen Victoria loved the trees so much but was disappointed that it wasn't openly available to everyone. So she, when she became queen, ordered the trees to be imported to and planted in Britain, to increase the numbers of the trees. This allowed the popularity of using decorated trees at Christmas to hit off, because now anybody could afford one, not just the rich.
  • As there were more poor people than rich, most people could only afford simple paper decorations for the trees, instead of delicious treats. This is where we get the tradition of using tinsel and Christmas balls. We still hang some treats on trees like little chocolates and candy canes.


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Q: Where is the Christmas Tree originated?
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Related questions

Where did the Christmas tree traditionally come from?

it originated in Germany


Christmas tree originated in which country?

Germany is the country where the Christmas tree originated. They began lighting the trees with candles during the Renaissance period of Germany.


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I think the tradition of the Christmas tree originated in Germany... or at least that's where the United States got it from.


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Tinsel as a Christmas tree decoration originated in Nuremberg, Germany around 1610. Before that, it was used primarily as a decoration for sculptures.


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The modern Christmas tree tradition was begun in Central Europe and Germany. Prince Albert, a German prince and husband of Queen Victoria, brought the Christmas tree tradition to the UK in 1841.Prince Albert


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