Where does the tradition of the Christmas tree come from?

Every December, the installation of Christmas trees in homes and public squares marks the start of the holiday season. It creates a magical and enchanting atmosphere that amazes young and old alike. But do you know the origin of this tradition?

In Norse mythology, the tree embodied renewal and life. It was decorated with wheat, flowers, and dried fruits to celebrate the winter solstice. This symbolism around the tree was also present among the Egyptians, Hebrews, and Romans.

Estonia and Latvia each claim to be the birthplace of the very first Christmas tree. According to Estonian historians, a tree was placed on Tallinn's Town Hall Square during a celebration organized by the House of Blackheads merchant association in 1441.

Latvia, on the other hand, claims that in 1510 the same association took a tree through Riga, decorated it on Town Hall Square, and burned it sometime later. However, according to some experts, these celebrations had nothing to do with Christmas.

In reality, the Christmas tree as we know it today was most likely born in the 16th century in Alsace, which at the time belonged to Germany.

According to the French audiovisual archive INA, a text dating from 1521 mentions the presence of fir trees, intended to become Christmas trees, on a market in Sélestat.

Furthermore, according to other historical records cited by National Geographic, a fir tree stood in front of Strasbourg Cathedral in 1539. This tradition is said to have become so widespread in the region that the city of Fribourg banned the felling of fir trees at Christmas time in 1554.

Legend has it that the German priest Martin Luther was the first to light a Christmas tree. The idea came to him during a walk in the forest on Christmas Eve, while watching the stars twinkle through the branches of a fir tree. According to The Conversation, he then cut down a young fir tree, brought it home, and decorated its branches with small candles.

Photo: Engraving of Martin Luther and his family around a Christmas tree, 1536

While the tradition spread throughout Germany in the 16th century, it later reached other countries, particularly thanks to German migration. According to Australian historian Carole Cusack, interviewed by National Geographic, the Christmas tree conquered all of Europe by the 18th century.

Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III of England, came from the House of Mecklenburg, one of the oldest German dynasties. She was the one who introduced the first Christmas tree to the British royal family in the 18th century.

Queen Charlotte's granddaughter, Queen Victoria, was a true 'it-girl' in her time. In 1848, the drawing of her family gathered around a Christmas tree, published in the Illustrated London News magazine, fascinated readers around the world. A global Christmas tree craze was officially launched.

The tradition of the Christmas tree is said to have crossed the Atlantic in the late 18th century when German troops came to aid the British during the Revolutionary War.

In the years that followed, many German immigrants settled in the United States, bringing the festive custom with them. According to historian Penne Restad, quoted by National Geographic, it was at this time that the Christmas tree "became an object of fascination for other Americans."

Since 1933, a Christmas tree has been installed at Rockefeller Center in New York City every year. Its lighting ceremony, broadcast live on NBC, makes it one of the most iconic Christmas trees in the United States.

No, that's not a Christmas tree in this photo, but a New Year tree ("yolka" in Russian ). In Russia, this large tree is set up every December on Cathedral Square in Moscow to celebrate the New Year.

Christmas trees were banned following the Russian Revolution, as the communists were strongly against any religious imagery. However, the people liked their trees so much, that they began installing them for New Year's.

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