Many people celebrate the occasion, but few understand why they decorate with Christmas trees. The practice of putting up Christmas trees dates back to the 1500s as a German ritual, but it was not widely adopted then.
Many sections of Germany didn’t celebrate Christmas with a tree until the latter part of the 1800s.
By the turn of the last century, two categories of individuals began decorating Christmas trees: the wealthy and royalty.
From these beginnings, the habit of decorating Christmas trees spread across society.
However, the Christmas tree took considerably longer to gain hold in America.
Christmas Trees are Not a Christian Symbol!
Some people assumed the Christmas tree was a Christian emblem, but Christians opposed putting it in the middle of their holiday celebration.
It was regarded with distrust, and religious people felt the tree to be a sign of paganism, even if that idea was erroneous.
As a result of this conviction, many Christians choose not to participate in any activities, including using Christmas trees.
Despite this, the practice won more and more adherents over time.
Public Displays of the Christmas Tree!
Christmas trees were initially promoted in the United States in the mid-1800s and were also welcomed inside the White House by the President.
People were amazed by the splendor of the Christmas trees in public displays adorned with decorations.
In the late 1800s, a well-known retail business recognized the demand for fake trees and began selling them to customers.
In some nations, the Winter Solstice marks the beginning of the season for putting up the Christmas tree, which is close to the arrival of Christmas day.
Taking Down the Christmas Tree!
The first week of January was set aside for removing the tree and its trimmings.
Today, the Christmas tree is often placed just after the Thanksgiving holiday, while some households place it earlier.
It is customary to bring down the Christmas tree during the first week of January; however, some families wait until after New Year’s Day.
This is related to the old wives’ tale that anything you do on January first will follow you throughout the year.
Since cutting down the tree is hard work, locals felt that taking it down then indicated they would work hard all year long.
Making Decorating a Tree a Tradition!
This is a tradition that many people look forward to and participate in.
Some people like to put the tree up after Thanksgiving, while others wait until after New Year’s Day to take it down.
Well-decorated, celebrated Christmas trees can give a brilliant shine to your holidays.
See all The Different Christmas Ornaments!
