The History of the Christmas Tree

By Mark Hoerrner

Maybe it was the Egyptians. Some think it might have been Martin Luther or some other Christian saint, perhaps St. Boniface, who was said to have flattened an oak tree with one blow of his fist. The truth, however, is probably more an amalgamation of myths all leading to one current tradition practiced by many around the world.

The present tradition seems to have come from 17th century Germans who would bring an evergreen tree into the home to decorate during Christmas festivities. In some German communities, evergreen trees were rare and people instead resorted to the "Christmas Pyramid," a wooden structure decorated with sprigs and other ornaments.

Prince Albert of England helped the tradition take root in his country by unveiling a Christmas Tree in 1841 at Windsor Castle. The husband of Queen Victoria decorated his tree with fruits, gingerbread and candles. At roughly the same time, German immigrants to America brought the tradition with them, although it did not immediately catch on as a common holiday decoration. In fact, it would be nearly 40 years before Americans ditched their skepticism about the tree being a remnant of a pagan rite and saw the tree as a regular symbol of Christmas.

It is thought that the Egyptians had a lot to do with the custom of bringing trees into the home for special occasions. Like many ancient cultures, the Egyptians revered evergreens. To mark the winter solstice, Egyptians would bring green date palm leaves into the household to honor the victory of life over death.

The English monk St. Boniface was thought to have brought forth a divine evergreen when he came upon a sacrificial rite being conducted by early pagans. Disgusted by the thought of child sacrifice, St. Boniface is said to have struck an oak tree the pagans were worshipping with a single blow from his fist, toppling the tree. In its place, a young evergreen is said to have sprung up symbolizing the death and resurrection associated with Christ.

Another Christian legend puts the protestant hero Martin Luther on a moonlit walk through an evergreen forest. Enchanted by the starlight, Luther saw the stars through the branches of the trees and was inspired to bring a tree into his home and decorate it with candles. The Romans even celebrated the evergreen by decorating their homes with boughs to pay homage to the god Saturn, lord of the harvest and patron of a festival in his honor called "Saturnalia."

Cultures all over the world have some association with such arboreal rites, such as the Norse Vikings who revered the evergreen as a manifestation of the Sun god, Balder, and a reminder that the cold, dark winter would give way to the life-giving spring. Celtic druids used evergreen boughs as a symbol of life.

Regardless of the origin, however, the tradition is now central to the celebration of Christmas and is a widespread symbol of the holiday season in many countries. Christian or pagan, the decorated tree has held a place in our hearts since time remembered. Each new take on the traditional classic, whether it is the candles of Martin Luther or the wonderful electric lights added at the dawn of the 20th century, seems to add to the pomp and circumstance of the holiday evergreen.