Figure 1.--The Chritmas tree as the center of the family celebration of Christmas began as a German Protestant tradition, In fact the very idea of a family celebration of Christmas is German. And it all revolved around the Chritmas tree. It was from Germany that the tradition spread to Britain and America.

The actual history of the Christmas tree appears to be tied in primarily with three countries: Germany, England, and America. The origins are clearly German. Roman Saturnalia turned into Christmas was accepted by Christinized Germans and the Celtic/German traditions were woven nto the German celebration of Christmas. These traditions may have been built upon by Martin Luther. As a young monk, Luthur reportedly noticed a snow-covered evergreen tree and thought it beautiful. He brought it into his home and decorated it with candals to honor Jesus' birth. Some sources go much further and even say that Luther invented the Christms tree tradition. A knowledgeable German reader tells us that there is no evidence of this. It may be that Luther added to an already existing tradition, but he did not invent it. But the celeration of Christmas does seem to have shifted as a result of the Reformation. Until this, Christmas has been a relatively minor holiday in Christendom. Roman Catholocism had developed many saints who Luther thought had taken attention away from Jesus. A central aspect of the Reformation was to refocus the Church on Jesus. Luthur wanted more attention placed on Jesus and increasing the importance of Christmas was one way of doing so. Christmnas gradually became the most important Christian celebration in Germany. And the center of the family's celebration in Germany became the Chritmas tree. In Italy the tradition if creches became important. England and America have played supporting rules. While the Christmas tree was a German tradition, it was brought to Britain by Prince Albert who was of course a German prince. Many modern traditions accepted throughout Europe and North America are Victorian in origin and the Christmas tree is one of them. Interestingly the English people who settled America did not bring the Christmas tree tradition with them. They came before the Victorian era. It was the humble Germans who emigrated to America, rather han the nglish royal family, that brought the Christmas tree tradition with them. We see Germans in America from an early point. Many of the Hessians who fought wih the British stayed in Ameica after the War. Large numbers of Germans emigrated after the failed Revolutions of 1848. These Germans brought the Christmas tree tradition with them. And gradually their non-German neigbors adopted the tradition. Americans by the turn-of-the 20th century had widely adopted the tradition. At first families went into the woods to find trees. After World War II tree farming became well established and people bought their trees. Tree farms now exist all over the country. It was the American commercialization of Christmas and the role of media in spreading American fashions and traditions around the world. Thus the Christmas trees we see in countries around the world may be a German tradition, but are just as likely to have beem implanted there by America.

German Origins

The actual history of the Christmas tree appears to be tied in primarily with three countries: Germany, England, and America. The origins are clearly German.

Ancient Traditions

Roman Saturnalia turned into Christmas was accepted by Christinized Germans and the Celtic/German traditions were woven nto the German celebration of Christmas. And this included bringing greenery into the home.

Germany and the Reformation

These early traditions concerning greenery and trees may have been built upon by Martin Luther. As a young monk, Luthur reportedly noticed a snow-covered evergreen tree and thought it beautiful. He brought it into his home and decorated it with candals to honor Jesus' birth. Some sources go much further and even say that Luther invented the Christms tree tradition. A knowledgeable German reader tells us that there is no evidence of this. It may be that Luther added to an already existing tradition, but he did not invent it. But the celebration of Christmas does seem to have shifted as a result of the Reformation. Until this, Christmas has been a relatively minor holiday in Christendom. Roman Catholocism had developed many saints who Luther thought had taken attention away from Jesus. A central aspect of the Reformation was to refocus the Church on Jesus. Luthur wanted more attention placed on Jesus and increasing the importance of Christmas was one way of doing so. Christmnas gradually became the most important Christian celebration in Germany. And the center of the family's celebration in Germany became the Chritmas tree. A German source reports, "A steel engraving, which consists of a series of paintings of Carl August Schwerdgeburth (1785-1878) illustrates the life of Luther. Luther is shown with his family on Christmas Day. The family is shown what is now known as Luther House in Wittenberg. The family is gathered around a table on which a brightly lit Christmas tree stands. Although the image was created in 1843, it gave rise to the idea around the world that it was Martin Luther that had invented the Christmas tree. That is not true, but it is true that Luther and the Reformtion helped popularize the Christmas tree tradition. Although Luther did not invent the Christmas tree, he was of great significance in popularizing the modern Christmas celebrations and with it the Chritmas tree. In a sermon he delivere on St. Nicholas Day he described the legend of St. Nikolaus' (1527). Basically, he rejected the veneration of saints of the Catholic Church, and he railed also against St Nicholas himself. However, the legend of St Nicholas was so popular in Germany and other countries that it could not be so easily replaced. It has been customary, that the master in well-to-do families reward his servants and the house staff on St. Nicholas Day with gifts. Mostly, these were clothes and other useful things with which they were awarded. The Luther family followed this tradition kin a modest wat even after the Rformation was well established. There are budget accounts provig this (1535). Gradually the role of St. Nicholas changed and the Chrit child became the center of the celebration. Thus the traditional Bescherungstag began to be postponed (December 6) until Christmas Day. And Christmas began to shit from a purely Kirchenfest (church celebratin) to a family celebration. The idea of ​​the Christ Child bringing the gifts was a little illogical. This date of Christ's birth was set by the Cathoic Church n Secember 25. Nobody really knows when he was born. What ever the date, the Baby Jesus obviously needed an assistant to deliver the gifts. St. Nicholas with or without his bishop's vestments now delivers its service with the Protestants Santa Claus. So both denominations have their part in the creation of today's Christmas." [Unknown German source] Of course under the Christmas tree became the logical place for placing the gifts and opening them.

Southern Europe

Catholic southern Europe did nor for many years adopt the Christmas tree asthe center of the family celebration of Christmas. In Italy the tradition of creches became important. The Christmas tree tradition, perhaps because it was associated with Protestantism was not important. Of course there were also fewer trees in southern Europe. The same was true of Spain and Portugal and the colonies they inplanted in Latin America. When I first began working in Latin America (1960s), the association between the Christmas treend Christmas was just beginning. Catholic coutries north of the Alps (southern Germany, Austria, the Czech Lands, and Poland) more readily adopted the Protestant Christmas tree.

England

England played a supporting rules. While the Christmas tree was a German tradition, it was brought to Britain by Prince Albert who was of course a German prince. Many modern traditions accepted throughout Europe and North America are Victorian in origin and the Christmas tree is one of them.

America

Interestingly the English people who settled America did not bring the Christmas tree tradition with them. Actually the Puritans in New England objected to the celebration of Christmas and all the trappings and decorations. And other Engish people came to America before the Victorian era. It was the humble Germans who emigrated to America, rather han the nglish royal family, that brought the Christmas tree tradition with them. We see Germans in America from an early point. Many of the Hessians who fought wih the British stayed in Ameica after the War. Large numbers of Germans emigrated after the failed Revolutions of 1848. These Germans brought the Christmas tree tradition with them. And gradually their non-German neigbors adopted the tradition. Americans by the turn-of-the 20th century had widely adopted the tradition. At first families went into the woods to find trees. After World War II tree farming became well established and people bought their trees. Tree farms now exist all over the country. It was the American commercialization of Christmas and the role of media in spreading American fashions and traditions around the world. Thus the Christmas trees we see in countries around the world may be a German tradition, but are just as likely to have beem implanted there by America.

Sources

Unknown German source. Here is the Grman text that we have tried to translate, "Ein Stahlstich, der aus einem Bilderzyklus von Carl August Schwerdgeburth (1785 – 1878) über das Leben Luthers stammt, zeigt Luther im Kreis seiner Familie zu Weihnachten. Zu sehen ist die Stube in Luthers Wohnhaus in Wittenberg. Die Familie ist um einen Tisch versammelt, auf dem ein hell erleuchteter Weihnachtsbaum steht. Durch das Bild, das 1843 entstand, wurde das Gerücht in die Welt gesetzt, Martin Luther habe den Weihnachtsbaum erfunden. Das stimmt aber nicht. War er auch nicht Urheber des Weihnachtsbaums, so hat Luther doch große Bedeutung für die Entwicklung der Weihnachtsfeierlichkeiten. In einer Predigt, die er am Nikolaustag 1527 hielt, bezeichnete er die Legende vom heiligen Nikolaus´ als „kyndisch ding“. Grundsätzlich lehnte er die Heiligenverehrung der katholischen Kirche ab, und so wetterte er auch gegen den Nikolaus. Dieser ließ sich jedoch nicht so leicht ersetzten. Es war üblich, dass das Gesinde und die Hausbediensteten am Nikolaustag von ihren Dienstherren Geschenke erhielten. Meist waren dies Kleidung und andere nützliche Dinge, mit denen sie bedacht wurden. Auch Familie Luther befolgte diesen Brauch. Noch auf einer Haushaltsrechnung von 1535 werden Nikolausgeschenke ausgewiesen. Den Nikolaus als Gabenbringer ersetzte Luther durch das Christkind. Damit wurde der Bescherungstag vom 6. Dezember auf den ersten Weihnachtstag verlegt, und Weihnachten konnte sich vom reinen Kirchenfest zum besinnlichen Familienfest entwickeln. Allerdings ist die Vorstellung vom Christkind als Gabenbringer durchaus nicht unproblematisch. Obwohl dieser Gedanke Luthers auch von der katholischen Kirche übernommen wurde, weiß bis heute niemand so recht zu sagen, wie alt dieses Christkind eigentlich ist und welches Geschlecht es denn hat. Das Christkind brauchte einen Gehilfen: St. Nikolaus legte sein Bischofsornat ab und leistet nun bei den Protestanten seinen Dienst als Weihnachtsmann. So haben beide Konfessionen ihren Anteil an der Entstehung unseres heutigen Weihnachtsfestes."

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Created: 9:36 PM 7/14/2016
Last updated: 9:36 PM 7/14/2016