Although German settlers had brought Christmas trees to America in the early 1800s, and records point to the existence of Christmas trees in Colonial German homes as early as 1747, Americans were slow to accept the Christmas tree. Probably due to the Puritans’ fierce invective against all things pagan, it took a British monarch to start the Christmas tree on the road to its incredible popularity today. In 1846, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, her German consort, were sketched standing around a Christmas tree with their children. Victoria was popular amongst her subjects, unlike the previous monarch William IV, and whatever happened at the court immediately became fashionable amongst her subjects, and not just in Britain. In fashion-conscious East Coast U.S. society, whatever was adopted in Britain as vogue became adopted soon after. The Christmas tree had finally arrived in America.

In the late 19th century/early 20th century, Christmas trees were decorated with handmade wooden ornaments. Britons liked their trees to be table-top height, while Americans liked their trees to be floor-to-ceiling monuments. German-Americans continued their earlier tradition of decorating their trees with nuts, marzipan cookies and nuts. Dyed popcorn strung up with berries and nuts made its first appearance soon afterward.

Decorations signify an intention to beautify one’s surroundings. There are all kinds of decorations available for Christmas trees today, made of all sorts of materials. Round balls, wooden Santa carvings, even miniature Christmas trees to hang on Christmas trees! But all these details fail to get at the real heart of the Christmas tree. The Christmas tree is a symbol of the goodwill of Christmas, a celebration of “Peace on earth to men of goodwill”. Ultimately the Christmas tree is not about the decorations, or even about the pine tree itself. The tree is about gathering around and celebrating the time of Christmas, a time so sacred that during one Christmas Eve in World War I French, German and English soldiers ceased hostilities to celebrate it together.

With the coming of electricity, it became possible to light Christmas trees for days or even weeks. President Calvin Coolidge introduced the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on the White House lawn in 1923. Since they have been introduced Christmas trees have been an indispensable symbol of  Christmas all over the world. Let’s keep it that way.

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