Christmas trees are a fun tradition in lots of places. Did you know the first time people displayed a Christmas tree in America was in Pennsylvania? In the 1700s, German settlers came to America and brought the idea of decorating evergreen trees with candles and ornaments.
They started putting up trees in communities in Pennsylvania around 1747, but the first time it was officially recorded was in the 1830s. Even though people started doing it, many Americans didn’t really like the idea until after the 1840s because some thought the trees were connected to pagan beliefs.
Christmas Trees & Their History
The history of Christmas trees goes way back. In ancient times, people used evergreen plants and trees to represent life and hope during the winter solstice. This was a time when they believed the sun god was weak and sick. For example, the Egyptians celebrated the recovery of their god Ra by filling their homes with green palms and papyrus reeds.
The Romans also got in on the tradition, decorating their homes and temples with evergreen boughs to honor Saturn, the god of agriculture, during his feast day.
The Druids, who were the priests of the ancient Celts, used evergreens as symbols of everlasting life. In Scandinavia, the Vikings had mistletoe as a significant plant, associated with the story of Balder, a god of light.
The modern tradition of putting up wood pyramids inside homes and decorating them with evergreens and candles began in 16th-century Germany. Devout Christians there wanted to honor God’s creation. Some Germans also used similar pyramids to remember their deceased relatives as a sign of respect and mourning.
When German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania, they kept up the tradition of decorating trees for Christmas. They added elements from their culture, like apples, nuts, marzipan cookies, and candles shaped like animals or angels.
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Christmas Trees’s Popularity Over the Time
The tradition of Christmas trees became popular in America when Queen Victoria shared a drawing of her family around a decorated tree in 1846. This inspired many Americans to follow the British trend.
As time passed, ornaments became fancier, showing various styles and preferences. Common decorations include stars, angels, bells, ribbons, balls, tinsel, lights, wreaths, stockings, snowflakes, candy canes, gingerbread men, nutcrackers, Santa Claus figures (or reindeer figures), elves (or snowmen), snowmen (or penguins), polar bears (or huskies), and more.
Modern Christmas trees are often tall and adorned with various decorations to create a festive feel. Some people opt for artificial trees as they’re easier to maintain, while others prefer real trees for their natural beauty and scent.
People sometimes have more than one tree for different occasions or purposes. For instance, some have indoor trees just for decoration, some have outdoor trees for decoration, others have both indoor and outdoor trees, and some have different types of trees for various rooms or themes.
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Final Words
Christmas trees go beyond being just holiday decorations. They represent history, culture, and tradition. The first Christmas tree in the U.S. was displayed in Pennsylvania by German settlers who brought the custom of decorating evergreen trees with candles and ornaments.
Nowadays, Christmas trees are celebrated in various forms, whether they’re artificial or real, placed indoors or outdoors, and range from simple to elaborate. They’re not just symbols of celebration but also bring joy and happiness to many people worldwide.
Christmas trees have a way of bringing families together, creating lasting memories, sparking creativity, spreading goodwill, brightening up dark days, and filling our hearts with love.
