Like the Christmas crib, the Paradise tree was later placed in homes. In such plays, a tree decorated with apples (representing fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and thus to the original sin that Christ took away) and round white wafers (to represent the Eucharist and redemption) was used as a setting for the play. Modern Christmas trees have been related to the ' tree of paradise' of medieval mystery plays that were given on 24 December, the commemoration and name day of Adam and Eve in various countries. The Moravian Christians put lighted candles on those trees.' The earliest known firmly dated representation of a Christmas tree is on the keystone sculpture of a private home in Turckheim, Alsace (then part of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, today France), with the date 1576. The Christmas tree was first recorded to be used by German Lutherans in the 16th century, with records indicating that a Christmas tree was placed in the Cathedral of Strasbourg in 1539, under the leadership of the Protestant Reformer, Martin Bucer. Its 16th-century origins are sometimes associated with Protestant Christian reformer Martin Luther, who is said to have first added lighted candles to an evergreen tree. Modern Christmas trees originated in Central Europe and the Baltic states, particularly Estonia, Germany and Livonia (now Latvia) during the Renaissance in early modern Europe. History Origin of the modern Christmas tree Martin Luther is depicted with his family and friends in front of a Christmas tree on Christmas Eve The Christmas tree is sometimes compared with the ' Yule-tree', especially in discussions of its folkloric origins. In the Western Christian tradition, Christmas trees are variously erected on days such as the first day of Advent or even as late as Christmas Eve depending on the country customs of the same faith hold that the two traditional days when Christmas decorations, such as the Christmas tree, are removed are Twelfth Night and, if they are not taken down on that day, Candlemas, the latter of which ends the Christmas-Epiphany season in some denominations.

The Christmas tree has been historically regarded as a custom of the Lutheran Churches and only in 1982 did the Catholic Church erect the Vatican Christmas Tree. Edible items such as gingerbread, chocolate, and other sweets are also popular and are tied to or hung from the tree's branches with ribbons. An angel or star might be placed at the top of the tree to represent the Angel Gabriel or the Star of Bethlehem, respectively, from the Nativity. Today, there is a wide variety of traditional and modern ornaments, such as garlands, baubles, tinsel, and candy canes.

Moravian Christians began to illuminate Christmas trees with candles, which were often replaced by Christmas lights after the advent of electrification.

The tree was traditionally decorated with 'roses made of colored paper, apples, wafers, tinsel, sweetmeats'. The custom was developed in Central Europe and the Baltic states, particularly Estonia, Germany and Livonia (now Latvia), where Protestant Christians brought decorated trees into their homes. 1970s)Ī Christmas tree is a decorated tree, usually an evergreen conifer, such as a spruce, pine or fir, or an artificial tree of similar appearance, associated with the celebration of Christmas. For other uses, see Christmas tree (disambiguation).Ĭhristmas tree decorated with lights, stars, and glass balls Glade jul by Viggo Johansen (1891) Family decorating Christmas tree ( c.

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