Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Water Cooler: History of the Christmas tree

The Davenport Hotel’s holiday tree, plus 12 elaborately decorated entries, light up the lobby at Christmas Tree Elegance in 2016.  (Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review)

How old is the Christmas tree tradition and where did it come from? Evergreen plants and trees have long been used in celebrations, even before the advent of Christmas. Their ability to remain green has always made them special during the winter, and many ancient peoples decorated their homes with evergreen boughs just like we do now, although likely for different reasons.

Prior to Christianity, it was common for evergreens to be hung around the house as protection against evil spirits and illness brought about by the winter solstice. The Druids of Northern Europe, the ancient Egyptians, Chinese and Hebrews all thought of evergreen trees, garlands and wreaths as symbols of everlasting life. The Vikings of Scandinavia associated evergreens with the sun god, Balder. Early Romans decorated their homes and temples with evergreen boughs to celebrate the feast, Saturnalia, which was held on Dec. 17 on the Julian calendar, and later would go on to last through Dec. 23. So where does the modern day Christmas tree fit into this long history?

Western Germany is generally credited with creating the association between decorated evergreen trees and the Christmas holiday. Evergreen trees were often the main prop in medieval plays retelling the story of Adam and Eve. It was hung with apples to represent the paradise tree in the Garden of Eden. Medieval German Christians celebrated the Feast of Adam and Eve on Dec. 24 by setting up these paradise trees in their homes. They would also set up a pyramid of wood in the same room that held Christmas figurines, candles and a star, and was decorated with evergreen boughs. By the 16th century the paradise tree and the Christmas pyramid became one in the same, creating the archetypal Christmas tree.

German Protestant Christians in the 16th century decorated trees with items like apples, sweetmeats and roses created from colored papers. Candles were likely added to the tree as symbols of Christ as the light of the world. There is also a popular story of Martin Luther, the 16th-century Protestant reformer, that some believe led to the tradition of lights on the tree. Luther was said to have been walking home through the forest when he noticed the brilliant twinkle of the stars through the evergreen branches, prompting him to recreate the scene by erecting a tree and decorating it with lit candles.

By the 18th century, the Christmas tree tradition would spread to the German Lutherans, but the Christmas tree wouldn’t become a widespread German tradition until the following century. The Christmas tree had become popular among European nobility in the early 19th century. The marriage of German-born Prince Albert to Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom in 1840 helped popularize Christmas Trees even further. The Victorian tree introduced the tradition of decorating with small gifts, toys, popcorn strings, candies and even small cakes hung from the branches with ribbons or paper chains.

German settlers introduced the Christmas tree to North American colonies as early as the 17th century, and by the 19th century they had become immensely popular. Blown glass ornaments had been sold for Christmas trees as early as the 1870s in the United States and Britain. By 1890 the Woolworth Co., an American retail store chain, was making $25 million from ornament sales each year.

In a way, Christmas trees are rooted in traditions ranging from ancient to modern history, taking aspects from various stories, symbols, beliefs and peoples. If your family celebrates with a Christmas tree, you can enjoy connecting to traditions hundreds and thousands of years old, all while adding traditions of your own.