where does the tradition of decorating christmas trees come from?

Answer 1

It came from the Pagan religion where they worshipped the one tree during the winter that never died like the others. (lose its leaves.) Then christianity adopted its idea and stuck it togethor with their Beliefs so that the pagans might convert to Christianity. Thast how you get Jesus and a shining tree in the same holiday.

Answer 2

The first decorated tree was at Riga in Latvia, in 1510. In the early 16th century, Martin Luther is said to have decorated a small Christmas Tree with candles, to show his children how the stars twinkled through the dark night.

The Christmas Tree first came to England with the Georgian Kings who came from Germany. At this time also, German Merchants living in England decorated their homes with a Christmas Tree. The British public were not fond of the German Monarchy, so did not copy the fashions at Court, which is why the Christmas Tree did not establish in Britain at that time. A few families did have Christmas trees however, probably more from the influence of their German neighbours than from the Royal Court.

IIn 1846, the popular Royals, Queen Victoria and her German Prince, Albert, were illustrated in the Illustrated London News. They were standing with their children around a Christmas Tree. Unlike the previous Royal family, Victoria was very popular with her subjects, and what was done at Court immediately became fashionable - not only in Britain, but with fashion-conscious East Coast American Society. The English Christmas Tree had arrived!

Answer 3

the quick answer is that noone knows for specific. The earliest point out of Christmas timber at Christmas is comparatively previous due on in Christianity and in factors that have been Christian for hundreds of years so any meant pagan link is amazingly no longer likely (As an aside, an analogous is going for Christmas itself - no pagan link is shown, pagan origins are a Victorian delusion). there is an extremely achieveable Christian link. In Medieval Europe the custom arose of telling biblical memories via drama - via what are time-honored as "secret performs". the ideal time-honored presently are the keenness performs (Oberramergau, working example). even with the undeniable fact that, there have been additionally Christmas performs - a hangover is, in keeping with possibility, the college nativity play. those performs does not basically depict the nativity. they could hint its origins via previous testomony memories. Christ is time-honored because of the fact the 2d Adam who got here to maintain us from the consequences of the sin of the 1st Adam. different performs began with Genesis - the story of Adam and Eve interior the backyard interior the midst of which stood - a tree. The tree replaced into hung with fruit. The baubles we now beautify yule timber with are a hang over from - in some places they nonetheless use fruit.

Answer 4

The Egyptians were part of a long line of cultures that treasured and worshipped evergreens. When the winter solstice arrive, they brought green date palm leaves into their homes to symbolize life's triumph over death.

The Romans celebrated the winter solstice with a fest called Saturnalia in honor of Saturnus, the god of agriculture. They decorated their houses with greens and lights and exchanged gifts. They gave coins for prosperity, pastries for happiness, and lamps to light one's journey through life.

Centuries ago in Great Britain, woods priests called Druids used evergreens during mysterious winter solstice rituals. The Druids used holly and mistletoe as symbols of eternal life, and placed evergreen branches over doors to keep away evil spirits.

Late in the Middle Ages, Germans and Scandinavians placed evergreen trees inside their homes or just outside their doors to show their hope in the forthcoming spring. Our modern Christmas tree evolved from these early traditions.


Legend has it that Martin Luther began the tradition of decorating trees to celebrate Christmas. One crisp Christmas Eve, about the year 1500, he was walking through snow-covered woods and was struck by the beauty of a group of small evergreens. Their branches, dusted with snow, shimmered in the moonlight. When he got home, he set up a little fir tree indoors so he could share this story with his children. He decorated it with candles, which he lighted in honor of Christ's birth.

The Christmas tree tradition most likely came to the United States with Hessian troops during the American Revolution, or with German immigrants to Pennsylvania and Ohio, adds Robson.

But the custom spread slowly. The Puritans banned Christmas in New England. Even as late as 1851, a Cleveland minister nearly lost his job because he allowed a tree in his church. Schools in Boston stayed open on Christmas Day through 1870, and sometimes expelled students who stayed home.

The Christmas tree market was born in 1851 when Catskill farmer Mark Carr hauled two ox sleds of evergreens into New York City and sold them all. By 1900, one in five American families had a Christmas tree, and 20 years later, the custom was nearly universal.

Christmas tree farms sprang up during the depression. Nurserymen couldn't sell their evergreens for landscaping, so they cut them for Christmas trees. Cultivated trees were preferred because they have a more symmetrical shape then wild ones.

Six species account for about 90 percent of the nation's Christmas tree trade. Scotch pine ranks first, comprising about 40 percent of the market, followed by Douglas fir which accounts for about 35 percent. The other big sellers are noble fir, white pine, balsam fir and white spruce.

Answer 5

The Celts

Answer 6

This link should give you all you need to know...

Have a lovely Christmas!

Answer 7

http://www.christmasarchives.com/trees.h...

Answer 8

germany.