|
A Christmas tree is one of the most popular traditions
associated with the celebration of Christmas. It is normally an
evergreen coniferous tree that is brought into a home or used in the
open, and is decorated with Christmas lights and colorful ornaments
during the days around Christmas.
This is a
German tradition, started as early as 700 A.D. In the 1800s the
tradition of a Christmas tree was widespread in Germany, then moved to
England and then to America through Pennsylvanian German immigrants.
In Victorian times, people had already started
decorating trees with candies and cakes hung with ribbon. In 1880,
Woolworths first sold manufactured Christmas tree ornaments, and they
caught on very quickly. Martin Luther, in the 16th century, is credited
as being the first person to put candles on a tree, and the first
electrically lighted Christmas tree appeared in 1882. Calvin Coolidge in
1923 ceremoniously lit the first outdoor tree at the White House,
starting that long tradition. Fake snow and tinsel... Who knows? It's
probably related to the song "White Christmas."
Traditionally, Christmas trees were not brought in and decorated until
Christmas Eve (24 December), and then removed the day after twelfth
night (i.e., 6 January); to have a tree up before or after these dates
was even considered bad luck. |
