Oh Christmas Tree:
folklore and traditions

By Kathi Kirchmeier
Throughout time, and across many cultures, trees have been honored as a symbol of health, prosperity and abundance. Long before there was ever a Christmas, pagans believed that the forests would turn green in spring only if they paid homage to the evergreen throughout the winter. They were convinced that evergreens had mystical powers that enabled them to stay green all year long, and would bring them indoors to protect their homes from evil spirits. The ancient Egyptians brought green palm branches into their homes on the shortest day of the year in December as a symbol of life’s triumph over death. The Romans, during their winter feast honoring the god of agriculture, would adorn their homes with evergreens and Druid priests would decorate oak trees with golden apples for their winter festivals. During the middle ages, the Paradise tree, an evergreen hung with red apples, was the symbol of the feast of Adam and Eve which was celebrated on December 24.

It is not surprising, then, that the tree was brought forward into modern times as part of our holiday customs. The first recorded reference to the “Christmas tree” dates back to the 16th century in Germany. Even the poorest homes displayed fir trees decorated with colored paper, fruits and sweets as a celebration of the Yuletide season. The first retail Christmas tree lots also date back to this time. Originating in Strasbourg, Germany, elderly women would sell trees harvested from the nearby forests to the local townspeople. The tradition of the Christmas tree spread throughout Europe and eventually made it across the Atlantic to the United States. Brought to us by German immigrants settling in the Pennsylvania area, the Christmas tree was seen as an oddity and an outrage. The Puritans viewed the decorated tree as a ‘pagan mockery’ of the sacredness of Christmas. In 1659, the General Court of Massachusetts passed a law making any observance of December 25, other than attending church, a penal offense. It was not until the early eighteen hundreds that Christmas was celebrated as a happy, festive holiday.

Many different people have been credited with initiating the tradition of the Christmas tree in America. In 1804, U.S. soldiers stationed at Fort Dearborn (now Chicago) hauled trees from the surrounding woods to their barracks for Christmas. The first record of the decorated tree was found in the diary of a German immigrant in Pennsylvania, in 1821. The custom was introduced to the State of Virginia in 1842. And in 1851, Mark Carr loaded up two ox sleds with trees from the Catskills and hauled them to the streets of New York and established the first retail Christmas tree lot in the United States.The popularity of the Christmas tree continued to grow. Franklin Pierce, our 14th President, brought the Christmas tree into the White House for a group of Sunday School Children. In 1923 President Calvin Coolidge started the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony now held every year on the White House Lawn.

Transplanted from Europe, just as many of us were, the tradition of the Christmas tree has taken root in the hearts and homes of more than 37 million Americans. The tree, used as a symbol of life, is a tradition older than Christianity and is not held exclusive by any religion. It is a part of our holiday customs that engages not only our senses of sight, touch, and smell, but also our sense of hope and good will.