The history of the Christmas Tree

Christmas is a time for traditions, but few traditions are as strange as putting a dead or fake tree up in your house and decorating it. Where did this tradition come from?

Where did the Christmas Tree tradition begin?

The Christmas tree has roots that stretch back centuries, beginning in the forests and villages of Germany.

Long before Christmas was widely celebrated, early European communities used evergreen branches during winter festivals, seeing them as symbols of life and resilience during the darkest days of the year. That custom later evolved in medieval Germany, where fir trees were decorated with apples and used in plays performed on December 24 to mark the feast of Adam and Eve.

By the 16th century, German families began bringing entire trees indoors and adorning them with candles, nuts and handmade ornaments.

The tradition spread across Europe and eventually to North America through German immigrants. It surged in popularity in the 1840s after an illustration of Queen Victoria and her German-born husband, Prince Albert, standing beside a decorated Christmas tree was published and widely circulated in Britain and beyond.

Modern times

By the late 19th century, electric lights replaced candles, and commercial ornaments became commonplace, helping shape the modern tree seen in homes today.

Nowadays, the Christmas Tree is one of the most enduring holiday traditions in the world.