Over 25 million American families will celebrate this holiday season with a Real Christmas Tree. This is a long-standing tradition with many families, but where does this tradition come from and how did it start? Trees of all kinds have long been used as a symbol of life. to many ancient cultures evergreens came to symbolize immortality because they did not "die" when winter came as did many other trees and plants. To celebrate this triumph of life over death people brought the evergreens into their homes.
The first recorded reference to the Christmas Tree dates back to the 16th century. In Strasbourg, Germany (now part of France) families both rich and poor decorated fir trees with colored paper, fruits, and sweets. The retail Christmas Tree lot also dates back that far -- in those times older women would sell trees harvested from nearby forests. Today Christmas trees are grown on plantations as a crop so families can continue this important Christmas tradition. (See "Tree Facts" for additional information)
Early decorations consisted mostly of food items such as cookies, candy, and fruit. Later Trees were decorated with other items such as ribbon, shapes cut from tin, small books, and lace. The first recorded use of lit candles to decorate a Tree dates back to the 18th century.
By the 1700's the tradition of the decorated Christmas Tree was firmly entrenched in Europe. The tradition was brought to the United States by German settlers and by Hessian mercenaries paid to fight in the Revolutionary War. In 1804 U.S. soldiers stationed at Fort Dearborn (now Chicago) hauled Trees from surrounding woods to their barracks at Christmas.
The popularity of the Christmas Tree then proliferated. Franklin Pierce, our 14th president, brought the Christmas Tree tradition to the White House. In 1923 President Calvin Coolidge started the National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony now held every year on the White House lawn.
Since 1966 members of the National Christmas Tree Association have presented a beautiful fresh Real Christmas Tree to the president and first family. This Tree is displayed each year in the Blue Room of the White House.
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