AbeautifullydecoratedevergreentreewithcoloredlightsablazeinspiresinmanywarmmemoriesofChristmaseslongpast.TheChristmastreehasbecomeoneofthemostbelovedandwellknowholidaysymbols.
Thetraditionofaholidaytreehasbeenaroundsinceancienttimesandhasplayedanimportantpartinwintercelebrationsformanycenturies.Manypaganfestivalsusedtreeswhenhonoringtheirgodsandspirits.InNorthernEuropetheVikingsconsideredtheevergreenasymbolandreminderthatthedarknessandcoldofwinterwouldendandthegreenofspringwouldreturn.TheDruidsofancientEnglandandFrancedecoratedoaktreeswithfruitandcandlestohonortheirgodsofharvests.AtthefestivalSaturnaliatheRomansdecoratedtreeswithtrinketsandcandles.
TheuseofaChristmastreeindoorsappearstohavebeguninGermany.GermanChristianswouldbringtreesintotheirhomestodecorate.InsomeareasevergreentreeswerescarcesothefamilieswouldbuildaChristmaspyramidsimplewoodenstructureswhichtheydecoratedwithbranchesandcandles.
ThetraditionoftheChristmastreeeventuallyspreadthroughoutEurope.TheEnglishRoyaltyhelpspopularizethetreeinEnglandbydecoratingthefirstChristmastreeatWindsorCastlein1841.PrinceAlberthusbandofQueenVictoriadecoratedthefirstEnglishChristmasTreewithcandlescandiesfruitsandgingerbread.
WhentheGermanimmigrantswenttoAmericantheyalsobroughtalongtheirChristmastrees.Inthe1830smostAmericansstillconsideredtheChristmastreeanoddity.OneofthefirstpublicdisplaysofaChristmastreewassetupbyGermanSettlersinPennsylvania.Atthetimemanystillconsideredthetreetobeasymbolofpagansanditwasn untilthelate1800sthatAmericansbeganacceptingtheChristmastree.
EarlyChristmastreeswereoftendecoratedwithapplesnutscookiescoloredpopcornandcandles.Theinventionofelectricityintheearly20thcenturyanduseofelectricalChristmaslightshelpedspreadtheuseoftheChristmastree.
ItisnowcommoninmostcommunitiesthroughouttheUStofeaturepublicdisplaysofChristmastrees.EveryyearthePresidentoftheUnitedStateslightstheNationalChristmasTreeinWashingtonandinNewYorkskatersspinbeneaththelightedtreeofRockefellerCenter.ThroughEuropeandtherestoftheworldtheChristmastreehasalsobecomereadilyacceptedandadored.
