Contents1** *
History1.1** *
Ancient predecessors
1.2** *
Origin of the
modern Christmas tree
1.3** *18th
to early 20th centuries
1.3.1** *Adoption
by European nobility
1.3.2** *Adoption
by country or region
1.4** *1935
to present
1.4.1** *Public
Christmas trees
2** *Customs
and traditions
2.1** *Setting
up and taking down
2.2** *
Decorations3** *
Production3.1** *Natural
trees3.2** *Artificial
trees4** *Environmental
issues5** *Religious
issues6** *See
also7** *
ReferencesHistory[edit]
Ancient predecessors[edit]
Yggdrasil,
in Norse cosmology, is an immense
and central sacred tree.
Sources
have offered a connection between
the first documented Christmas
trees in Alsace around 1600 and pre-Christian traditions. For example, according to the Encyclopædia Britannica, "The use of evergreen trees, wreaths, and garlands to symbolize eternal life
was a custom of the ancient
Egyptians, Chinese, and Hebrews.
Tree worship was common among
the pagan Europeans and survived
their conversion to Christianity
in the Scandinavian customs
of decorating the house and
barn with evergreens at the New Year
to scare away the devil and of setting
up a tree for the birds during
Christmas time."[14]
During
the Roman mid-winter festival
of Saturnalia, houses were decorated
with wreaths of evergreen
plants, along with other antecedent
customs now associated
with Christmas.[15]
Contemporary celebration of the Christmas tree is frequently traced to the symbolism of trees in pre-Christian winter rites, wherein Viking and Saxon worshiped trees.[15] The story of Saint Boniface cutting down Donar's Oak illustrates the pagan practices in 8th century among the Germans. A later folk version of the story adds the detail that an evergreen tree grew in place of the felled oak, telling them about how its triangular shape reminds humanity of the Trinity and how it points to heaven.[16][17]
Origin of the modern Christmas tree[edit]
Martin Luther is depicted with his family and friends in front of a Christmas tree on Christmas Eve
Modern Christmas trees originated during the Renaissance in early modern Germany. Its 16th-century origins are sometimes associated with Protestant Christian reformer Martin Luther, who is said to have first added lighted candles to an evergreen tree.[18][19][20]
The earliest known firmly dated representation of a Christmas tree is on the keystone sculpture of a private home in Turckheim, Alsace (then part of Germany, today France), with the date 1576.[21]
Modern Christmas trees have been related to the "tree of paradise" of medieval mystery plays that were given on 24 December, the commemoration and name day of Adam and Eve in various countries. In such plays, a tree decorated with apples (to represent the forbidden fruit) and wafers (to represent the Eucharist and redemption) was used as a setting for the play. Like the Christmas crib, the Paradise tree was later placed in homes. The apples were replaced by round objects such as shiny red balls.[12][13][22][23][24][25]
At the end of the Middle Ages, an early predecessor appears referred in the 15th century Regiment of the Cistercian Alcobaça Monastery in Portugal. The Regiment of the local high-Sacristans of the Cistercian Order refers to what may be considered the oldest references to the Christmas tree: "Note on how to put the Christmas branch, scilicet: On the Christmas eve, you will look for a large Branch of green laurel, and you shall reap many red oranges, and place them on the branches that come of the laurel, specifically as you have seen, and in every orange you shall put a candle, and hang the Branch by a rope in the pole, which shall be by the candle of the high altar."[
