History of the Christmas Tree

The Christmas Tree is must-have: it’s one of the great symbols of the festive season. About 100 million people around the World have a Christmas tree at this time of year. Here’s a short history.

Christmas TreeTrees have long been a religious symbolism of eternal life. The ancient Egyptians, Romans and Vikings used such, but it was probably in Germany around the 16th century that Christians first started to adopt a decorated tree to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Many other European countries had similar traditions.

Queen Victoria was know to have a decorated tree as a child. Around 1841 her husband, Prince Albert, started using an ornately decorated tree in Windsor Castle. When a drawing of the tree appeared in a 1848 London Newspaper the wealthy classes quickly followed suit, both in Britain and America. By 1920, most homes in Britain had Christmas trees over the festive season.

The trees used were evergreen conifers, like Fir, Pine and Spruce. Such was the popularity of the Christmas tree, deforestation became a real problem and artificial trees started to appear around the 19th century, again in Germany. These early artificial trees were made out of coloured goose feathers.

In the 1930’s, commercial artificial trees were made from brush bristles, eventually leading to the PVC trees that we use today. The popularity grew as artificial trees require much less maintenance, last longer, are reusable and are less of a fire hazard.

Christmas trees are traditionally decorated with baubles, tinsel and lights. Years ago these would have been fruit, slivers of real silver and candles but today we have mainly plastic equivalents and electric lights.

Every Christmas, Europe and America people buy over 100 million trees making it a multi-billion pound business.

Although by tradition the Christmas tree should be decorated and go up about on the first day of Christmas (23rd December) ready for Christmas Eve, many trees go up before December. Tree should be taken down on the 12th day (January 5th).

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UK On eBay UK:
Christmas Tree With Lights 4/5/6/7ft Deluxe With USB LED Remote and Stand XMAS
Christmas Tree With Lights 4/5/6/7ft Deluxe With USB LED Remote and Stand XMAS
£ 14.99
Christmas Tree with Stand Bushy Artificial Xmas Tree Home Decor 4ft 5ft 6ft 7ft
Christmas Tree with Stand Bushy Artificial Xmas Tree Home Decor 4ft 5ft 6ft 7ft
£ 13.99
Christmas Tree Artificial 4/5/6/7ft Deluxe With USB LED Remote Lights and Stand
Christmas Tree Artificial 4/5/6/7ft Deluxe With USB LED Remote Lights and Stand
£ 13.99
Slim Christmas Pencil Tree Pine Artificial Bushy XMAS Decoration 4FT 5FT 6FT 7FT
Slim Christmas Pencil Tree Pine Artificial Bushy XMAS Decoration 4FT 5FT 6FT 7FT
£ 14.99
New 7FT Christmas Tree Artificial 870 Branches Xmas Snow Tips Decorated Tree
New 7FT Christmas Tree Artificial 870 Branches Xmas Snow Tips Decorated Tree
£ 30.99
Green Christmas Tree 4ft 5ft 6ft 7ft Metal Stand Xmas Bushy Home with LED Lights
Green Christmas Tree 4ft 5ft 6ft 7ft Metal Stand Xmas Bushy Home with LED Lights
£ 3.99
Pre Lit Christmas Tree Xmas Fibre Optic LED Lights Star 2ft 3ft 4ft 5ft 6ft 7ft
Pre Lit Christmas Tree Xmas Fibre Optic LED Lights Star 2ft 3ft 4ft 5ft 6ft 7ft
£ 19.90
Christmas Tree with Lights Bushy Artificial Xmas Tree Home Decor 4ft 5ft 6ft 7ft
Christmas Tree with Lights Bushy Artificial Xmas Tree Home Decor 4ft 5ft 6ft 7ft
£ 14.71
4/5/6/7ft Pre Lit Christmas Tree with LED Lights Bushy Tips Artificial Xmas Tree
4/5/6/7ft Pre Lit Christmas Tree with LED Lights Bushy Tips Artificial Xmas Tree
£ 17.99
Christmas Tree with Stand Bushy Artificial Xmas Tree Home Decor 4ft 5ft 6ft 7ft
Christmas Tree with Stand Bushy Artificial Xmas Tree Home Decor 4ft 5ft 6ft 7ft
£ 14.95
Christmas Tree Slim Pencil 4ft 5ft 6ft 7ft 8ft Green Grey White Black Xmas Trees
Christmas Tree Slim Pencil 4ft 5ft 6ft 7ft 8ft Green Grey White Black Xmas Trees
£ 17.99
Christmas Tree Pre Lit With LED Lights Bushy Pine Xmas Indoor Decor 4/5/6/7FT
Christmas Tree Pre Lit With LED Lights Bushy Pine Xmas Indoor Decor 4/5/6/7FT
£ 15.99
4FT 5FT 6FT 7FT Christmas Tree Snowy Xmas Artificial Snow Flocked Pine Cone Tree
4FT 5FT 6FT 7FT Christmas Tree Snowy Xmas Artificial Snow Flocked Pine Cone Tree
£ 3.59
Lighted Christmas Tree Xmas White Birch Twig Tree with LED Light Indoor Outdoor
Lighted Christmas Tree Xmas White Birch Twig Tree with LED Light Indoor Outdoor
£ 16.99
Christmas Tree With  Stand 4ft 5ft 6ft 7ft  Deluxe XMAS
Christmas Tree With Stand 4ft 5ft 6ft 7ft Deluxe XMAS
£ 12.99
6ft Christmas Tree Traditional Artificial Large Bushy Xmas Tree with Metal Stand
6ft Christmas Tree Traditional Artificial Large Bushy Xmas Tree with Metal Stand
£ 27.45
Slim Christmas Tree Pencil Pine Artificial Bushy XMAS Decoration 4FT 6FT 7FT 8FT
Slim Christmas Tree Pencil Pine Artificial Bushy XMAS Decoration 4FT 6FT 7FT 8FT
£ 14.99
Pre Lit Fiber Optic Christmas Xmas Tree Colour Changing Xmas Lights Star Green
Pre Lit Fiber Optic Christmas Xmas Tree Colour Changing Xmas Lights Star Green
£ 7.95
Artificial Christmas Tree Snowy Green Snow tipped effect Hinged Full 5ft 6ft 7ft
Artificial Christmas Tree Snowy Green Snow tipped effect Hinged Full 5ft 6ft 7ft
£ 49.99
3/4Ft Christmas Trees Fibre Optic Pre-lit Xmas Tree with Stand Top Star Decor
3/4Ft Christmas Trees Fibre Optic Pre-lit Xmas Tree with Stand Top Star Decor
£ 21.99
Grey Christmas Tree Xmas Colorado Spruce 4ft 5ft 6ft 7ft 8ft 9ft 10ft Free Del!
Grey Christmas Tree Xmas Colorado Spruce 4ft 5ft 6ft 7ft 8ft 9ft 10ft Free Del!
£ 11.95

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