Christmas Trees Are an Old Tradition 
No one knows exactly when or where the tradition of the Christmas tree began,
but there are some interesting theories.
One of the more colorful stories goes back to Martin Luther (1483 - 1546).
Luther was strolling through the countryside on Christmas Eve when he noticed
the beauty of a snow flaked evergreen tree as it glistened in the moonlit winter
landscape.
He attempted to recreate the winter scene for his family using a small
evergreen tree and lighted candles to simulate the reflected moonlight.
Some historians trace the use of evergreen trees in the home to ancient
Egyptians. They used green date palms as a symbol of life's triumph over death
in their celebration of the shortest day of the year.
The Romans adorned their houses with evergreens to celebrate Saturnalia in
honor of Saturnus, the god of agriculture.
The first recorded reference to a Christmas tree appears in German writing
dated 1521. The writer said, "At Christmas, fir trees are set up in the rooms at
Strasbourg and hung with roses cut from paper of many colors, apples, wafers,
spangles, gold and sugar."
As people began to move across Europe and later to new lands, they took the
Christmas tree tradition with them.
The tradition apparently came to this country slightly before or during the
Revolutionary War, brought by German immigrants settling in Pennsylvania and
Ohio, or by Hessian troops paid to fight in the Revolution.
Use of the Yule tree spread slowly until just before the Civil War, when it
began gaining popularity. In 1851, the custom had grown enough to prompt an
ambitious farmer in the Catskill Mountains to try a new venture selling cut
Christmas trees in New York City.
In 1856, Franklin Pierce became the first president to have a Christmas tree
in the White House. In 1923, President Calvin Coolidge lighted the first
national Christmas tree on the lawn of the White House.
Now, two-thirds of all American families put up Christmas trees.
By: Dr. Gerald Klingaman, retired
Extension Horticulturist - Ornamentals
Back to Christmas Trees
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