Christmas trees covered in tinsel, baubles and lights are a part of the season that we take for granted. We never really ask ourselves why we are decorating the trees in that way – when did this tradition begin? Well, if this has got you wondering, keep reading to find out.
A Germanic tradition
It is fairly well known that the Christmas tree originated in Germany. Of course, green trees were winter symbols in pre-Christian times – representing the promise of life – but Christmas trees as we know them have their origins in 16th century Germany. What people do not realise though is that the Germans also came up with the idea of decorating the trees.
In those early days, the decorations looked a bit different. They usually consisted of candles that were hung carefully on the branches. These certainly qualified as Christmas lights – but they were not exactly the string lights of today. The idea of decorating a fir tree in this way during the festive season spread beyond Germany to the rest of Europe.
The next key development came courtesy of Martin Luther. This German priest came up with the idea of putting a tree in the home and also of Christmas tree lights.
The Victorians step in
Decorating a Christmas tree with baubles became a popular UK trend during the Victorian era. A picture of Queen Victoria and family alongside a tree with German glass ornaments on it was published and everyone copied the idea.
That trend stuck and became an annual festive tradition in Britain.
