Christmas Trees

'Christmas' trees were first used by ancient Germanic tribes at the time of Yule, to represent the renewal of life. This custom was later taken up by the Romans, who kept doing so after the mass conversion to Christianity. The Germans kept practising the tradition until the Americans and British found out about them in 1837. However, the first Christmas tree in England was in 1761, so the custom was known, just not widely practised outside Germany, until Prince Albert erected his at Buckingham Palace in 1837. Answer

The exact origin of the Christmas tree is still being argued about, but it is safe to say that this symbol evolved from Pagan tradition.

The Norse pagans and Celtic Druids revered evergreens as manifestations of deities because they did not die from year to year but stayed green and alive when other plants appeared dead and bare. The trees represented everlasting life and hope for the return of spring.

The druids decorated their trees with symbols of prosperity, a fruitful harvest, coins for wealth and various charms such as those for love or fertility. Scandinavian Pagans are thought to be the first to bring their decorated trees indoors as this provided a warm and welcoming environment for the native fairy folk and tree elementals to join in the festivities. The Saxons, a Germanic pagan tribe, were the first to place lights on the their trees in the form of candles. Ancient Romans decorated their homes with greens at the Festival of Saturnalia, their New Year, and exchanged evergreen branches with friends as a sign of good luck.

In the mid 16th century, Christmas markets were set up in German towns, to provide everything from gifts, food and more practical things such as a knife grinder to sharpen the knife to carve the Christmas Goose! At these fairs, bakers made shaped gingerbreads and wax ornaments for people to buy as souvenirs of the fair, and take home to hang on their Christmas Trees.

In a manuscript dated 1601 a merchant in Strasbourg, Germany wrote that at Christmas, "they set up fir trees in the parlors in Strasbourg and hang thereon roses cut out of paper of many colors, apples, wafers, spangle-gold and sugar. The custom of decorating the trees may have developed from the medieval Paradise Play. This play was a favorite during the Advent season because it ended with the promise of a Saviour. The action in the play centered around a fir tree hung with apples

The earliest date in England for a Christmas Tree was at Queen's Lodge, Windsor by Queen Charlotte, the German born wife of George III, for a party she held on Christmas Day, 1800, for the children of the leading families in Windsor.

The Christmas Tree was made popular in England, by the German Prince Albert, soon after his marriage to Queen Victoria. In 1841, he began the custom of decorating a large tree in Windsor Castle. In 1848, a print showing the Royal couple with their children was published in the Illustrated London News. Albert gave trees to Army barracks and imitation followed. From this time onwards, the popularity of decorated fir trees spread beyond Royal circles and throughout society. Even Charles Dickens referred to the Christmas tree as that 'new German toy'. German immigrants brought the custom to the United States and tree decorating is recorded back to 1747 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

As to the introduction of electric lights on trees, this is credited to a friend of Thomas Edison, Edward Johnson who used electric lights on his tree in 1892.

Every family is different. Therefore, no specific day or schedule is set for when to decorate your tree. Some people will choose to go with family tradition, others choose a random day where they have everyone together, while others decorate the tree on Christmas Eve day. The only commonality is that most people wait until after Thanksgiving.

Here are suggestions and ideas from our users:

• It depends on your family, country and your unique tradition. I like to put my tree up on the 1st day of December.
• We put it up on December 6, because that is the day of Saint Nicholas "Santa Claus" because he died on that day. In our family it has an extra meaning because our great-grandfather, who immigrated from Italy to Brazil was born on that day 6 Dec 1871. His middle name Nicolo in honor of San Nicolo or Saint Nicholas.
• After Thanksgiving, but before Christmas. I put mine up during the 2nd week of December and take it down the day after Xmas.
• You put up your Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving. This way you are celebrating for the birth of Jesus for a maximum period. You are preparing and showing respect and love for Him.
• The day after Thanksgiving is when stores put up their displays and decorations so they can maximize their advertising for Christmas. You should put them up whenever you like.
• Whenever you want to put your tree up. But I would say not before Thanksgiving. Or even wait until a few days into December before putting it up.
• This one is really a preference, but I usually start the ritual of finding a tree in the first week of December. I like to wait until at least the month when Christmas actually occurs. All in all, it's completely what you prefer.
• I don't know of any "traditional" date. I know that in my family, and in many of the homes in my community, Thanksgiving weekend is the traditional time to "deck the halls." However, every family is different. I have known people who don't decorate until the week of Christmas (especially if they use a live tree); and this year, a family down the street has just erected their holiday lawn display, and it's still 11 days until Thanksgiving!
• My whole life my family have followed the tradition of 12 days before Christmas, putting the tree up on 13 December and taking the tree down 12 days after Christmas.
• I have always put the tree up on December 13, much to the kids' dismay; this has always been our family tradition following the 12 days of Christmas.
• I put it up a week before Christmas and a week after Christmas I take it down.
• My family would always put their tree up the day after Thanksgiving. However, I decided that, since it is so painstaking, I am putting it up today November 10th so I can have more time to appreciate all the work I put into it. we will take it down during the week after Christmas.
• Of course, you put it up and take it down as you like. But consider a little history. The period of time beginning with the 4th Sunday before Christmas is known as Advent, a somewhat penitential and solemn season, like unto if not quite as austere as Lent, the season before Easter. The real time of celebration historically began on December the 25th, the First Day of the Christmas Season. In keeping with this tradition up until about 60 years ago most families trimmed the tree as a Christmas Eve tradition. It was certainly that way for my parents and even my older brothers as children. The 12 Days of Christmas are a time of celebration that goes from Dec. 25 till January 5 (also known as "12th Night") when great parties would be held to close out the Christmas festivities prior to the celebration of Epiphany on January 6th (sometimes known as "little Christmas"). In keeping with this more ancient and festive tradition, we strive to put our tree up as close to Christmas as we can, and leave it up the full 12 days of the celebration, while most folks start stripping off their decorations on 12/26, when Christmas is just getting started. This is due to the fact that, since the latter half of the 20th century, commercialism has pushed Christmas into September, when the first inflatable Santa's appear in the aisles of Walmart. No wonder many people are sick of it and happy to move on by 12/26. It is a pity that the old ways are so easily lost and forgotten in the rush to "get stuff."
• As an Aussie, I usually put my tree up over the first weekend of December, and take it down on New Year's Day.
• At about 1 week before Christmas