In the 7th century a monk from Crediton, Devonshire, named Winfrid at his baptism but taking the name Boniface before he was ordained to the priesthood, went to Germany to teach the Word of God.   He did many good works there and spent much in time in Thuringia, an area which was to become the cradle of the Christmas Decoration Industry. 

          Legend has it that in 722 Saint Boniface came upon some men about to cut a huge oak tree as a stake (Oak of Thor) for a human sacrifice to their pagan god.  With one mighty blow, Saint Boniface felled the massive oak and as the tree split, a beautiful young fir tree sprang from its center.  Saint Boniface told the people that this lovely evergreen, with its branches pointing to heaven, was indeed a holy tree - the tree of the Christ Child - a symbol of His promise of eternal life.  He instructed them to carry the evergreen from the wilderness into their homes and to surround it with gifts, symbols of love and kindness. 

          Saint Boniface used the triangular shape of the Fir tree to describe the Holy Trinity of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  The converted people began to revere the Fir tree as God's tree, as they had previously revered the Oak.

          There is a very old and charming European custom of decorating a fir tree with apples and small white wafers representing the Holy Eucharist.  These wafers were later replaced by little pieces of pastry cut in the shapes of stars, angels, hearts, flowers and bells.  Eventually other cookies were introduced, bearing the shapes of men, birds, roosters and other animals.

          In the Middle Ages, about the 11th century, religious theatre was born.  One of the most popular plays, the German mystery play, concerned Adam and Eve and their fall and expulsion from the Garden of Eden, the Early Paradise.  The Garden of Eden was represented by a fir tree hung with apples.  It represented both the Tree of Life and the Tree of Discernment of Good and Evil, which stood in the center of Paradise.  The play ended with the prophecy of a coming Savior and was often enacted during Advent. 

          The one piece of scenery - the "Paradeisbaum" (the Paradise Tree) - became a popular object and was often set up in churches and eventually in homes.  It became the symbol of the Savior.  Because the tree represented not only Paradise and man's fall, it also was a symbol of the promise of salvation, being decorated with apples, bread or wafers (Holy Eucharist) and often sweets, representing the sweetness of redemption.  In sections of Bavaria, fir branches and little trees, decorated with lights, apples and tinsel, are still called Paradeis.

          By the 12th century, the fir tree was being hung upside down, from ceilings at Christmastime in Central Europe, as a symbol of Christianity. 

          The first decorated tree was at Riga in Latvia in 1510.

          In the 16th century, Martin Luther is said to have been walking on Christmas Eve through a forest of evergreens with shining stars overhead.  He was so moved by the starlit sky, he took a fir tree home and attached candles to its branches to show his children how the stars twinkled through the dark night. 

          Whatever its origin, the Christmas tree was popularized by the Germans.  They considered it an integral part of Christmas and believed it symbolized eternal life.  The early trees were biblically symbolic of the Paradise Tree in the Garden of Eden.  The many food items were symbols of Plenty; the flowers, originally only red (for Knowledge) and White (for Innocence). 

          The best record we have is that of a visitor to Strasbourg in 1601.  He records a tree decorated with "wafers and golden sugar twists (Barley sugar) and paper flowers of all colours." 

          In the mid 16th century, Christmas markets were set up in German towns to provide everything from gifts, food and more practical things, such as a knife grinder to sharpen the knife to carve the Christmas Goose!  At these fairs, bakers made shaped gingerbread and wax ornaments for people to buy as souvenirs of the fair, and to take home to hang on their Christmas Trees. 

          Tinsel was invented in Germany around 1610.  At that time, real silver was used and machines were invented which pulled the silver out into the wafer thin strips for tinsel.  Silver was durable, but tarnished quickly, especially with candlelight.  Attempts were made to use a mixture of lead and tin, but this was heavy and tended to break under its own weight, so was not very practical.  So silver was used for tinsel right up to the mid-20th century.

          It is hard to pinpoint the first decorated Christmas trees in America.  Some say the tradition began with Moravians of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania who decorated trees in the very early 1800's.  Most early accounts in the United States were among the German settlers in eastern Pennsylvania, with them having community trees as early as 1747.  Others say the first American Christmas tree was set up by German Hessian soldiers at Trenton, New Jersey in 1776.  An early account tells of a Christmas tree set up by American soldiers at Fort Dearborn, Illinois, the site of Chicago, in 1804.  We do know that by the early 1800's there were numerous decorated trees throughout our country, but the term "Christmas tree" was not in common use until 1830.

          Before the Civil War, the North and South were divided on the issue of Christmas.  Many Northerners saw sin in the celebration of Christmas.  To these people, the celebration of Thanksgiving was more appropriate.  But in the South, Christmas was an important part of the social season.  The first three states to make Christmas a legal holiday were in the South:  Alabama in 1836, Louisiana and Arkansas in 1838.

          Charles Minnegrode introduced the custom of decorating trees in Williamsburg, Virginia in 1842.

         By 1850, the Christmas tree had become fashionable in the eastern states.  Mike Carr brought trees from the Catskills to the streets of New York in 1851 and opened the first retail Christmas tree lot in the United States.

          Franklin Pierce was the first president to introduce the Christmas tree to the White House in 1856 for a group of Washington Sunday School children. 

          In the years after the Civil War, Christmas traditions spread across the country.  Children's books played an important role in spreading the customs of celebrating Christmas, especially the tradition of trimmed trees and gifts delivered by Santa Claus.  Sunday school classes encouraged the celebration of Christmas.  Women's magazines were also very important in suggesting ways to decorate for the holidays, as well as how to make those decorations.

          The first national Christmas Tree was lighted in the year 1923 on the White House lawn by President Calvin Coolidge.

          The Christmas tree first came to England with the Georgian Kings who came from Germany.  At this time, German merchants living in England also decorated their homes with a Christmas tree.  The British public were not fond of the German Monarchy, so they did not copy the fashions of the Court, which is why the Christmas tree did not establish in Britain at that time.  A few British families did have Christmas trees, probably more from the influence of their German neighbors than from the Royal Court.

          The decorations were Tinsels, silver wire ornaments, lighted candles and small beads.  All these had been manufactured in Germany and East Europe since the 17th century.  The custom was to have several small trees on tables, one for each member of the family, with that person's gifts stacked on the table under the tree.

          Unlike the previous Royal family, Queen Victoria was very popular with her subjects, and what was done at Court immediately became fashionable, not only in Britain, but also with the East Coast American society.  In the 1840's, the German Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, decorated a large Christmas tree at Windsor Castle.   The Royal family was shown in the Illustrated London News, standing around a Christmas tree.

          Many decorations were still of a "homemade" variety.  Young ladies spent many hours at Christmas crafts, quilling snowflakes and stars, sewing little pouches for secret gifts, making paper baskets with sugared almonds in them and paper cornucopias filled with sweets, fruit, nuts and popcorn to hang on their Victorian Christmas trees.  The small bead decorations, silver tinsel and beautiful angels to sit at the top of the tree came from Germany.  Candles were often placed into wooden hoops for safety.

          In the 1850's, Lauscha began to produce fancy shaped glass bead garlands for the trees.  These were readily available in Germany but not produced in sufficient quantities to export to Britain. 

          The 1860's English tree had become more innovative than the delicate trees of earlier decades.  Small toys were popularly hung on the branches but most gifts were placed on the table under the tree. 

          Around this time, the Christmas tree was spreading into other parts of Europe.  The Mediterranean countries were not too interested in the tree, preferring to display only a Crèche scene.  Italy had a wooden triangle platform tree called a "CEPPO."  This had a Crèche scene as well as decorations.

          The German tree was beginning to suffer from mass destruction.  It had become fashionable to lop off the tip of a large tree to use as a Christmas tree, preventing the tree from growing properly.  Statutes were made to prevent people having more than one tree.

          Glass Christmas tree balls, handcrafted in Lauscha, made their first appearance on American trees in the 1860's, primarily in the homes of German immigrants.  Other early ornaments were made of lead and formed into flat geometric shapes, such as stars and crosses. 

          Store-bought tree ornaments were imported into Britain  around 1870 and quickly began to replace the homemade, and usually edible, decorations.  Most were crafted in Germany, from Dresden and tiny villages in the Thuringian Mountains.  It became a status symbol to have glass ornaments on the tree.  The more one had, the better ones' status!  Still, many homemade things were seen, with many Victorian Christmas trees, from the 1870's to 1890's,  being trimmed with ornaments formed with wax in the shape of angels and children.  Also cotton-wool ornaments were used, crafted with embossed paper faces, trimmed with buttons and gold paper wings.  The Empire was growing, and the popular tree topper was the Nation's Flag.  Sometimes there were flags of the Empire and flags of the allied countries.  Trees became very patriotic! 

          The glass ornaments were imported into America around 1880, where they were sold in stores such as F. W.  Woolworth.  American patents for electric lights quickly followed in 1882, with metal hooks for safer hanging of decorations onto the trees in 1892. 

          The 1880's saw a rise of the Aesthetic Movement.  At this time, Christmas trees became a glorious hodgepodge of everything one could cram on the tree.  By complete contrast, the aesthetic trees, which were delicately balanced trees, with delicate colors, shapes and style, also grew to floor-standing trees. 

          In earlier decades, the limited availability of decorations had kept trees to table size.  Now, with decorations more popular than ever, the larger the tree, the more affluent the family seemed.

          The High Victorian tree of the 1890's was a joy to behold!  They were as tall as the room and held every glitter, tinsel and toys imaginable.  Even the "middle classes" managed to over decorate their trees.  Everything that could possibly go on a tree went onto it.

          By 1900 themed trees were popular.  A color theme set in ribbons or balls, an Oriental tree, or an Egyptian tree.  These were to be the last of the great Christmas trees for some time.

          With the death of Queen Victoria in 1903, Britain went into mourning and the Christmas tree died with her for a while in many homes.  While some families and community groups still had large tinsel strewn trees, many opted for the more convenient table top tree.  They were available in a variety of sizes and the artificial tree, especially the Goose Feather tree, became popular.  These were originally invented in the 1880's in Germany to combat some of the damage being done to Fir trees in the name of Christmas.

          In America, the Addis Brush Company created the first brush trees, using the same machinery that made their toilet brushes!  These had an advantage over the feather tree because they could take heavier decorations.

          After 1918, because of licensing and export problems, Germany could not easily export its decorations.  The market, especially in Christmas tree lights, was quickly taken up by Japan and America.

          Britain's Tom Smith Cracker Company began to manufacture trees for a short while.

          In the 1930's, there was a revival of Dickensian nostalgia, especially in Britain.  Christmas trees became large and real again, being decorated with much tinsel, bells and balls and with a beautiful golden-haired angel at the top.

          But war-time England put a stop to many of these trees.  It was forbidden to cut trees down for decoration.  With so many raids, many people preferred to keep their heirloom decorations stored away in metal boxes and decorated a small tabletop tree with home-made decorations.

          However, large trees were erected in public places to boost the morale of the people during this war time.

          In America, German-made ornaments were boycotted and they were encouraged to be thrown out with the trash.  The first American glass ornaments were of clear glass and not silvered inside, because of war restrictions.  The tinsel inside the ornaments was to give it a sparkly effect. Americans complained because these clear ornaments did not reflect the lights as well as the silvered European ones.  By 1942, even the metal caps for the ornaments had disappeared because metal could not be wasted on something as frivolous as a Christmas ornament.  Paper and cardboard tops were used.  The patriotic thing to do was make ornaments instead of purchasing them.  Magazines encouraged homemade ornaments like those from earlier times.  Patterns would include ornaments made out of non-priority war items. 

          Post-war Britain saw a revival of the nostalgia again.  People needed the security of Christmas and trees became as large as people could afford.  Many poorer families still used the tabletop Goose Feather trees and the American Addis brush tree was being imported into Britain, becoming very popular for a time, though the favorite was still the real tree.  The popular decorations were produced by a British manufacturer, Swanbrand, and sold by F. W. Woolworth in Britain.  Popular were translucent plastic lock-together shapes, honeycomb paper angels and glow-in-the-dark icicles.  In South Wales, where real trees were often difficult to find in the rural areas, Holly Bushes were decorated.

          In the 1950's, glass ornaments from Germany became available again but they were not as popular as before.  Plastic ornaments were the rage and people loved the fact that these ornaments were practically indestructible.  By the end of the decade, a new American fad was emerging with decorating styrofoam balls with sequins, rhinestones, ribbons and miniature beads.

          Live trees were again plentiful in the fifties.  Artificial trees were popular for people with a limited amount of space.  These came in green and white with branches that folded flat for storage.  By 1959 American manufacturers produced a much more realistic artificial tree with removable branches.  With the introduction of aerosol-dispensed snow in 1951, people were infatuated with flocked trees, making this new invention of flocking much simpler than the earlier methods.  "Sensational Sno-Flock" was a sno-flock gun which fit onto the vacuum cleaner, being advertised to last 30 days without falling off and was fire retardant.  The tree could be colored pink, blue or white for $4.49.

          The 1950's and 60's saw another change.  Modern ideas were everywhere!  The middle of the 50's saw the invention of the aluminum trees,  which were imported from America.  These were created in response to the foil Christmas tree decorations that were so popular in the 1940's.  Floodlights, or revolving color wheels, were recommended to light these trees because of the danger of putting electric lights on an aluminum tree.   No decorations were needed for this tree.  Decorations became sparse.  Glass balls created an elegant modern tree.

          In the 1960's, the American people wanted everything to be new.  Companies advertised that you could change the entire look of your tree every year.  Good Housekeeping suggested that families should pick new themes each year and then purchase new ornaments to carry out these themes.  Inexpensive, coordinated ornaments were being sold.  This was different than in the past when collections were built upon year after year. 

          Replacing the silver tree, the new fad of the decade was to flock the tree and decorate it in a monochromatic color scheme; then floodlight the tree with a blue or clear spotlight, instead of using lights. 

          Outside decorations became very popular in the 1960's.  Americans purchased huge sets of lighted plastic figures.  Many lawns would have a nativity scene and Santa with his sleigh and reindeer on the roof.  In neighborhoods, families would vie with each other to set up the most elaborate outdoor Christmas displays.

         In the 1970's, America made a return to the Victorian nostalgia, and a decade later, Britain followed the fashion.  Some American companies specialized in antique replicas, actually finding the original makers in Europe to recreate these wonderful glass ornaments, real silver tinsels and pressed foil "Dresdens."

          With oil embargoes at both the beginning and the end of the decade, Americans became more energy conscious, with this extending even to Christmas.  There was a major reduction in the sale of Christmas lights.  In response to the dimly lit Christmas trees, new types of ornaments were created.  One was called "Magi-Glo," red, white, blue and green laminated plastic ornaments that glowed in the dark to offset the lack of lights on the trees.  Plastic ornaments continued in popularity during the 70's.

          Also, the "country look" dominated many Christmas trees in the 70's, with gingham bows, dried flowers, fabric dolls, corn-husk girls, wooden ornaments and glazed bread dough ornaments being hung on the tree.  With the natural look being in style, the 70's saw the revival of the home-crafted decorations.

          The limited-edition ornament became popular in the 70's, with the fad continuing today.  In 1973 the Hallmark Corporation introduced "Keepsake Ornaments," and by 1979 there were ornaments for "Teacher," "Special Friend," and "Baby's First Christmas." 

          Real Christmas trees remained popular but many ladies of the home preferred the convenience of the authentic looking artificial trees that were being manufactured.  She could decorate as large a tree as her home would allow, without a single dropped needle.  There was even pine scented spray for that "real tree smell."  At first glance, the tree looked so good that it could fool anyone!

         In the 1980's Christmas decorating was almost like the early Victorian era - the more decorations, the better.  The emphasis on holiday decorating was nostalgic, family-centered Christmas ornaments.  They were more than just decorative; they also brought seasonal memories.  Theme trees were the trend of the 80's and Victorian, Southwestern, or nautical designs were all popular.

          The trend in previous decades had been to sell ornaments by the box.  As many Americans already had complete sets of decorations, this would no longer work.  Ornaments were once again sold individually and they were more expensive than ever.  Electronic gadgets were the latest fad and Americans were rushing out to buy the latest invention, a walking Santa Claus, ringing a bell.  Stores began to set up their displays by the middle of October to cater to people who were spending more than ever to decorate their homes and trees.

          Live trees made a comeback in the 80's.  The tradition of the family going together to a tree plantation to cut a live tree was reborn.

         Christmas in the 1990's brought us homes lavishly decorated inside and out for the holiday season, with many families setting up several trees each year.  Some trees were decorated with themes and others were full of nostalgic ornaments from the past.  With entire neighborhoods being magnificently decorated with Christmas lights and displays, Americans developed a new Christmas tradition of slow drives through neighborhoods to marvel at the displays.

          While themed Christmas trees continued to be popular in the 90's, there was a Christmas ornament to represent most anything.  The tree could be decorated with favorite football, basketball, or baseball team ornaments, light houses, toy soldiers, sailboats, or beautiful blown glass ornaments.  Many families purchased an ornament for their children or grandchildren each year, so when they were grown, they could have their own collection of special ornaments. 

          The 90's also showed a renewed interest in the display of miniature villages and towns.  Entire villages were created and each year buildings were retired to make room for the production of new ones, creating very collectible items.  The villages included detailed streets, ponds with ice skaters, trains, automobiles and people.

          The retail Christmas season in the 1990's began well before the Halloween merchandise was gone.  People decorated their houses earlier than ever and left the decorations up longer.  The day after Christmas, everyone rushed out to the stores to buy new ornaments at bargain prices for the next year.

          The traditions we enjoy at Christmas today were invented by blending together customs from many different countries throughout the years. 

          Christmas in this new millennium will most likely be a mixture of both old and new customs.

          The ornaments that we use to decorate our trees and our homes will probably change but the meaning of Christmas will stay the same. 

          Our Christmas tree may bring to mind the shining star that guided the Magi on their journey to Bethlehem, or it may symbolize the starry night that guides Santa Claus on his journey to the homes of good boys and girls.

          As we celebrate Christmas in this new millennium, our thoughts are drawn to that first Christmas so long ago.  As few men or women living in that biblical time could have imagined the world as it is today, it is just as difficult for us to predict what Christmas will be like in the future....

Christmas Pages

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