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__NOTOC__[[File:Hillingford Yule Log.jpg|thumbnail|left|300px|Figure 1. Yule logs derive from the Old Norse tradition of celebrating Yule.]]Christmas trees, which are a variety of fir, pine, and spruce trees, are closely linked with the visuals most of us have for Christmas. However, in many ways, the symbol of the Christmas tree seems surprising for the story of Christmas. The development of the Christmas tree as a key symbol begins before Christianity and only long after Christianity established itself in Europe did it become associated with Christmas.

==Early Developments Before Christianity==In Northern Hemispheres of Europe, including in Germany, Scandinavia, and other parts The development of Northern Europe, Yule was traditionally among the most important holidays in the pre-Christian calendar. The Tree of Life is Christmas tree as a key symbol begins before Christianity and only long after Christianity established itself in many ancient cultures that also as Biblical references. In Northern Hemispheres, much of the landscape would Europe did it become bleak and short on food during winter. The winter solstice, December 21-22, was celebrate as Yule. This was often a time of feasting and even sacrifice to give thanks to the gods and anticipate renewal of the land as the days begin to get longer and winter endsassociated with Christmas.

While Christmas trees are clearly associated with the tree ====Early Developments Before Christianity====In Northern Hemispheres of life from Old Norse mythologyEurope, including in Germany, Scandinavia, and other aspects parts of Christmas may also link. For instanceNorthern Europe, Yule trees may have been decorated with lights, particularly candles, to symbolize was traditionally among the stars. Other decorations may have been put around trees most important holidays in the Old Norse tradition as pre-Christian calendar. The Tree of Life is a way to remember those who died during the year. These decorations could have been personal items or implements symbol in many ancient cultures that were simply hung around the treealso has Biblical references. Gifts placed under or near the Yule Many cultures had used trees may have symbolized gifts given to celebrate life's renewal. In Northern Hemispheres, much of the gods as a token of thanks landscape would become bleak and offering for blessing in the coming yearshort on food during winter. The burning of winter solstice, December 21-22, was celebrate as Yule logs . This was applied to symbolize the life giving force often a time of fire. The idea was that the sun after solstice would begin feasting and even sacrifice to gain strength, similar give thanks to a sick person gaining strength. As the sun gained strength, then it would renew gods and anticipate renewal of the land and trees would blossom in as the spring, giving life days begin to get longer and providing for peoplewinter ends.

==Associations Fir, pine and other evergreen trees were often the only green color present in the landscape, indicating that they had life in them during the depths of winter and gave hope for spring's return. Thus evergreens became symbols of life and renewal and in Old Norse mythology evergreens were equated with Christmas==the great mother goddess that gave life. Hanging reefs in one's home and other parts of the evergreens was a way to bring luck to the home during a period when death and want were likely.<ref>For more on Yule, see: Morrison, D. (2000). <i>Yule: a celebration of light & warmth</i>. St. Paul, Minn: Llewellyn Publications.</ref>

The date While Christmas trees are clearly associated with the Tree of Life from Old Norse mythology, other aspects of Christmas chose by may also link. For instance, Yule trees may have been decorated with lights, particularly candles, to symbolize the Roman Catholic Church was selected because many societies converting stars. Other decorations may have been put around trees in the Old Norse tradition as a way to remember those who died during the year. These decorations could have been personal items or implements that were simply hung around the tree. Gifts placed under or near the Yule trees may have symbolized gifts given to Christianity had celebrated the solstice and many gods, such as Mithras a token of thanks and others, were born on December 25thoffering for blessing in the coming year. Caroling derives from Yule singing and celebration. Thus, policies of including pagan traditions with that The burning of Yule logs was applied to symbolize the birth life giving force of Jesus made conversions relatively easierfire (Figure 1). With Christmas treesThe idea was that the sun after solstice would begin to gain strength, this likely was also a similar policy as Nordic countries began to convert to Christianity a sick person gaining strength. As the sun gained strength from the spark present in greater numbers the Yule logs, then it would renew the land and trees would blossom in the late 1st millennium ADspring, giving life and providing for people. However, <ref>For more on Christmas was not universallytraditions and their origins, even in Nordic countriessee: Dues, applied with G. (2000). <i>Catholic customs & traditions: a Christmas treepopular guide (Rev. ed)</i>. This might mean that for some time Christmas trees may have had some meaning to peopleMystic, particularly with their old traditions before they convertedCT: Twenty-Third Publications, where they remembered people and the renewal of lifepg. However, Christmas trees do not seem to be associated with the home56. </ref>

During ====Associations with Christmas====The date of Christmas chosen by the Roman Catholic Church was selected because many societies converting to Christianity had celebrated the late Medieval period solstice and many gods, such as Mithras and early modern periodothers, around the 16th centurywere born on December 25th. Thus, we begin to see policies of including pagan traditions with that of the use birth of Jesus made conversions relatively easier. With Christmas trees more frequently or , there likely was, at least initially, also a similar policy of integrating pagan ideas with Christian holidays, as Nordic peoples began to convert to Christianity in greater numbers in direct association with Christmasthe late 1st millennium AD. After the Protestant Reformation However, Christmas trees was not universally, even in Germany began to be brought into the home and placed as Nordic countries, applied with a way to remember life and renewal along with Christmastree. Although nobody knows This might mean that for sure, why, one possibility is the clergy began to see some period Christmas trees as heathen practice from pre-Christian may have had some meaning to people, particularly with their old traditionsbefore they converted, forcing where they remembered people to bring them to their homes to hide themand the renewal of life. Sometimes Martin Luther himself is credited with decorating Christmas trees with candles do not seem to symbolize the starts, but this might not be likely given associated with the fact evergreens were decorated already during home in the centuries after many Norse societies converted.<ref>For more on early Christianity and Old Norse period traditions, see: Andrén, A. (Ed.). (2006). <i>Old norse religion in long-term perspectives: origins, changes, and interactions ; an international conference in their traditionsLund, Sweden, June 3 - 7, 2004</i>. Lund: Nordic Acad. Press. </ref>

By 1605During the late Medieval period and early modern period, by around the city 16th century, we begin to see the use of Strasburg was recorded to have Christmas trees decorating places more frequently or in direct association with other associations that we now consider part of the Christmas tradition, such as chocolate covered apples, sweets, and other foods and presents. In After the 17th centuryProtestant Reformation, many places continued Christmas trees in Germany began to shun be brought into the Christmas tree, seeing it home and placed as a symbol of paganismway to remember life and renewal along with Christmas. HoweverAlthough nobody knows for sure why, one possibility is that the popularity of the clergy began to see Christmas trees never went awayas heathen practice from pre-Christian traditions, forcing people to bring them to their homes to hide them. In particularother traditions, Martin Luther himself is credited with decorating Christmas was seen trees with candles to symbolize the starts and making them popular as a solemn event by many part of the clergy home, but this might not be likely given the fact evergreens were decorated already during the Old Norse period and reveling and feasting associated with Christmas went against thisin their earlier traditions. Perhaps to accommodate a strong popular demand, some <ref>For more on the origin of the clergy began associating Christmas trees with Christ and the coming of Jesus to save the worldChristmas, see: Brunner, B. (2012). However, throughout much of <i>Inventing the 17th and 18th centuries, only mostly in Germany was Christmas associated with Christmas treestree</i>. New Haven: Yale University Press.</ref>

====Modern Developments====[[File:Victoria and Albert Christmas tree.jpg|thumbnail|left|300px|Figure 2. Queen Victoria and her husband helped popularize Christmas in Britain and other countries.]]Credit for spreading the idea of a Christmas tree as a way to decorate the home during Christmas likely originates with Queen Victoria of Britain and German settlers who began to migrate to North America. Queen Victoria married a German husband, Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, who had in his traditions the use of Christmas trees during Christmas. Victoria herself was of German origin and had Christmas trees in her home as she grew up. After she was married, Queen Victoria began to circulate images of her family celebrating Christmas, with the Christmas tree shown, helping to make the imagery popular among the British public. As the royal family in Britain had a public role as symbols of the country, people began to mimic their practices. This included Christmas trees, where wealthier classes and up and coming classes began to decorate their homes with Christmas trees in response to the royal family's use of the trees. Soon charities even were established that provided poorer children with access to seeing or having Christmas trees. Thus, many classes soon began adopting Christmas trees and also associating Christmas with children and gift giving, which derived from the Norse tradition used in Germany(Figure 2).

In North America, German soldiers under British command, already by As the late 18th century during royal family in Britain had a public role as symbols of the American Revolutioncountry, people began to use mimic their practices. This included Christmas trees in Quebec , where wealthier classes and up and perhaps coming classes began to decorate their homes with Christmas trees in response to the royal family's use of the Colonies themselvestrees. The first Soon charities even were established that provided poorer children with access to seeing or having Christmas tree in trees. Thus, many classes soon began adopting Christmas trees and also associating Christmas with children and gift giving, which derived from the United States may have been by a Hessian soldier imprisoned Norse tradition used in Connecticut in 1777Germany. By As Victoria's children married into other European royal families, this also helped spread the early 19th century, use of Christmas trees began to become .<ref>For more common in on Victoria and the United States as more German immigrants migrated to spread of the United States. With technology rapidly developing in the late 19th century as the Industrial Revolution developedChristmas tree tradition, see: Rappaport, electricity became available in many placesH. This led to the idea of decorating trees with electric lights by Edward H(2003). Johnson, <i>Queen Victoria: a vice president in the Edison Electrical Light Companybiographical companion</i>. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, where in 1882 he decorated his Christmas tree at home with electrical lights in New York Citypg. 91. </ref>

InitiallyIn North America, German soldiers under British command, already by the late 18th century during the American Revolution, began to use Christmas trees were in Quebec and perhaps in the Colonies themselves, although most Revolutionaries would not have decorated their homes with apples or sweetsChristmas trees. The round shapes first recorded use of apples were continued as glass and later plastic balls were used to decorate treesa Christmas tree in the United States may have been by a Hessian soldier imprisoned in Connecticut in 1777. In GermanyBy the early 19th century, glass making industries Christmas trees began to specialize become more common in colorful decorations that were applied the United States as more German immigrants came to treesthe United States. With technology rapidly developing in the late 19th century as the Industrial Revolution developed, which then spread electricity became available in popularity in other regionsmany places. The origin This led to the idea of tree-toppers or decorations at decorating trees with electric lights by Edward H. Johnson, vice president in the topof the tree likely originates from the Victorian periodEdison Electrical Light Company, when the Queen and her family where in 1882 he decorated their his Christmas tree at home with an angel electrical lights in New York City.<ref>For more on developments of Christmas in North America, see: Baines, D. (1997). <i>Christmas Traditions and later traditions began to use starsLegends</i>. Bookpartners.</ref>

====Summary====Christmas trees have long symbolized life and renewal. In many ways, they still do through the Christmas stories and how many families choose to decorate them. With marketing and spread of globalization, Christmas trees now transcend Christian traditions and are popular among many cultures. Later traditions began to add "fake" snow and other sorts of decorations; however, many popular aspects of Christmas, including caroling and foods we eat, have an ancient origin in relation to celebration around the feast of Yule that Christmas later adopted. What was once a relatively solemn holiday began to change to something celebrated as a happy time of year. ====References====<references/>[[Category:Wikis]][[Category:Holiday History]][[Category:Religious History]]