Traditionally, the Christmas tree was not put up until 24th
December, Christmas Eve, and it was taken down on 6th January,
12th Night. The Germans used to put their tree up on Christmas
Eve and take it down on 1st January, once the New Year
celebrations were over. However, modern commercialism dictates
that a lot of trees now go up as early as the first or second
week in December. This has been made possible by the fact that a
lot of people use artificial trees - to bring a real fir or pine
tree indoors that early would result in falling needles and half
bare branches by Christmas Day.
The history of the Christmas tree certainly has its roots in
Pagan traditions. The Norse pagans and Celtic Druids worshipped
evergreens as manifestations of deity because they were eternal
and did not die, but stayed green when all other trees and
plants in nature were dead and bare in winter.
Scandinavian Pagans were thought to have started the trend of
bringing decorated trees indoors in order to attract the native
fairy folk and tree elementals into their homes to join in the
celebrations. Germanic Pagan tribes are said to have been the
first to place candles on the trees, while the Romans at
Saturnalia, their midwinter festival, exchanged evergreen
branches as a sign of good luck.
The first Christmas tree is said to have been brought to England
by Prince Albert in the 1840s and a picture of Queen Victoria,
Prince Albert and their children in front of a decorated
Christmas tree appeared in the London Illustrated News. The
fashion soon caught on and the Christmas tree became one of the
main symbols of English Victorian Christmas. The way we decorate
our Christmas trees nowadays owes a lot to the Victorians – we
have copied their designs and decorations and when we think
Christmas, it is basically a Victorian Christmas we think about.
Prince Albert used to distribute large quantities of Christmas
trees to schools and army barracks for the festive season.
It is said that the first Christmas trees in the United States
were introduced by German settlers who brought the custom from
their homeland. Nowadays it is customary for cities and councils
to put up large trees for all to enjoy. Many of these are tied
to specific events and are given as commemorative gifts, such as
the Christmas tree that is given annually by the city of Oslo to
the city of London as a token of appreciation for the British
support of Norwegian resistance during the Second World War.
In the 1850s the Thuringian Christmas Markets in Germany began
to sell fancy glass shaped garlands and gilt angels. By the
1860s the English Christmas trees would be hung with small
gifts, although most gifts were still put inter the tree. By the
1890s the Victorians had managed to go completely over the top -
the Christmas tree would stretch from floor to ceiling and be
festooned in toys, tinsel and garlands, great fun for the
children.
About the Author: http://www.christmasgems.co.uk
my site is about christmas, from planning to total enjoyment.
From food to poetry, stories and music, from christmas outings
to christmas markets to just having a lovely time with family
and friends.
