Christmas Tree History

From the Garden of Eden to middle age tradition to European royalty to the White House Christmas tree lighting ceremony, the evolution of the decorated, lit indoor and outdoor Christmas trees has been a bit of a journey throughout the years. The Christmas tree is also referred to as a Yule tree.

Whether you celebrate Christmas as a Christian or non-Christian the Christmas tree is widely accepted symbol of the Christmas season. Families form Christmas memories as they decorate the tree together. Sit around the tree in the days leading up to Christmas. And of course, rush to the Christmas tree on Christmas morning to see the beautiful stash of gifts awaiting little fingers.

The Christmas tree tradition we celebrate today is an interesting mix of history with facts and word of mouth stories. The combination of the two has formed the modern version of the indoor, lit evergreen Christmas tree. When looking at Christmas tree traditions a person can start back at the celebrations of the Tree of Knowledge from the Garden of Eden. In the middle ages, evergreen trees were decorated with red apples to celebrate the feast of Adam and Eve.

From the middle age traditions, the Christmas tree history moves from evergreen trees being decorated outdoors to the trees moved indoors but undecorated, to indoor trees decorated and lit. The first trees indoors were also hung upside down. 16th-century Germany fir trees were decorated, indoors and out, with apples, roses, gilded candies, and colored paper. This tradition is getting closer to the Christmas tree traditions we currently practice.

It is not clear who should be credited with first decorated an indoor tree with lights. There are a number of stories crediting Martin Luther with first placing lights on an indoor tree. There are accounts also crediting Martin Luther with turning the tree right side up. The most accepted version of the story goes like this - Martin Luther wanted to share an experience with his family of a winter evening walking by evergreen trees sparkling from the starlight. So he placed lights on the indoor tree, to show his family the beauty of the trees in the starlight.

In the 17th century, the tradition of decorating Christmas trees began to spread throughout part of Europe. They were decorated with apples, nuts and strips of red paper. It is in this time period that the royal families began to embrace the idea of a 'Christmas tree.' It did take a bit of time for the Christmas tree tradition to be accepted in the United States. The first president to introduce the Christmas tree to the White House in 1856 was Franklin Pierce. President Calvin Coolidge lighted the first, now famous, national Christmas tree in 1923 on the White House lawn. In 1979 President Jimmy Carter only lit the crowning star on top of the national Christmas tree to honor American hostages.

Today people celebrate Christmas by decorating their trees with various types of lights and ornaments. There are beautiful themed Christmas trees with ribbons, flowers, lights and ornaments. As well as, the wonderfully decorated trees with mismatched ornaments that tell a story of life every year as you decorate your tree.

Today we also have a huge number of choices as to whether we want a real or artificial tree, what size of a tree, what type of tree, whether it is pre lit, and etc. There are artificial trees now being made that look and feel so real that you need to wear gloves to put them together. These trees also offer options that are pre-lit with white and colored lights that can change depending on what button you press on your remote. A tree with a remote is a Christmas tree every man needs.

However, you choose to decorate your Christmas tree have a great time creating memories with the ones you love this Christmas season.