Early Christmas Tree History
In many cultures, evergreens are a symbol of eternal life and immortality.
Years ago, cherry and hawthorn trees were used as Christmas trees.
Evergreens were used by Romans in December to celebrate a festival called Saturnalia.
One of the first Christmas tree decorating ceremonies was in Riga, the capitol of Latvia in 1510.
In the 16th century, Martin Luther is credited with adding lighted candles to trees to mimic twinkling stars.
After that, German settlers brought the concept of Christmas trees to the US in the early 1800s.
Decorating History
Back in the early years, there didn't have mass means to produce goods. As a result, early ornaments were hand made.
In the late 1800s, glass ornaments became available.
Sears sold artificial trees in the late 1800s.
Electric lights for Christmas trees were invented in 1882 by Edward Johnson. He was Thomas Edison’s assistant.
Evolution of Christmas Tree Farms
By the late 1800s the natural supply of trees was declining.
As a result, the first Christmas tree farm was started in 1901 in New Jersey.
Now between 25-30 million farmed Christmas trees are sold yearly. As a result, only about 2% of trees sold are cut from the wild.
The majority of trees are farmed in Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Washington; however they are farmed in all but 3 states.
Depending on the source, there are around 15000 tree farms in the US.
Christmas tree farms are a good thing. First, they provide acres of trees. Second, for each tree harvested, 2-3 replacements are planted. Trees are ready to cut 6-10 years after planting. Finally, they are a great source of jobs.
Artificial trees date back to the 1880s. Therefore, they were made of a variety of materials people had available. Most artificial trees today are made of PVC plastic.
Benefits of artificial trees are less allergies and a lot less mess.
Resources for Christmas Tree History
To find out more about the history of Christmas trees, check out the following resources.
First, the National Christmas Tree Association is a great resource to find live Christmas trees as well a detailed history.
Second, Best Life has a great article including historical and current facts.
Finally, the University of Illinois Extension also has a great article including history and facts. The facts are a little dated, but the history is great!
