THE CHRISTMAS TREE

Why do we decorate the Christmas tree? This tradition is likely inherited from the Egyptians, who decorated their homes with palm leaves on the day of the astrological winter. The habit was adopted by the Romans, who used conifers instead of palm trees. But the story truly begins around the 7th century when a monk from Devonshire went to Germany to teach the word of the Lord. Legend has it that he used the triangular shape of the Christmas tree to symbolize religious meanings. In 12th-century Europe, on Christmas Day, the Christmas tree was hung upside down from the ceiling! It seems that the tree was first decorated in Riga in 1510. In the early 16th century, Martin Luther decorated the tree with candles to suggest to his children the twinkling of stars in the sky. In the mid-16th century, in Germany, the first specialized markets for the sale of Christmas gifts appeared, usually food or practical items. Christmas decorations meant to suggest snow were invented in Germany in 1610. At that time, not only were they made of silver, but they were also manufactured from silver. Machines were invented to produce thin silver threads for the tree. Silver lasted a long time, but it oxidized very quickly, so they tried to combine it with copper and zinc, but the product was so heavy that it broke under its weight. Silver was therefore used until the mid-20th century. In Great Britain, the Christmas tree arrived with merchants from Germany who settled in England. The decoration of the Christmas tree consisted of silver ornaments, candles, and bead-shaped ribbons, all produced in Germany and Eastern Europe at the time. The custom dictated that each family member or invited person should have a small tree placed on the table in front of them, with the gifts beside it. In 1846, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert - both born in Germany - appeared in the "Illustrated London News" with their children, all around the Christmas tree. The popularity of the royal family quickly spread this custom among the people. The tree became a fashion trend not only in the British Isles but also on the East Coast of America. The decorations were of great variety, mainly homemade because they were expensive at the time. Young girls spent hours cutting out paper snowflakes and stars, folding gift envelopes and paper holders for candies. In America, the Christmas tree first appeared around 1747 in German communities in Pennsylvania, but it only became widespread with the development of communication in the mid-19th century. In 1882, the electric light bulb was invented, and by 1892, it was adapted for use on Christmas trees. This brings us to our current tree, which combines all the elements mentioned above in the most ingenious and creative combinations.