Where Did Christmas Trees Come From?

Ancient Egyptian Christmas Tree as seen in Isiopolis

The Christmas tree tradition is much older than most people think. Long before it was linked to Christmas, many cultures used evergreen plants as a symbol of life during the dark winter months. Ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Vikings all decorated their homes with greenery during midwinter festivals.

Christmas tree dating back 1900, as seen in House Crazy Sarah

But the Christmas tree as we know it today originated in Germany in the 16th century. Devout Christians would bring decorated trees into their homes, often adorned with apples, nuts, candles, and small sweets. There’s even a popular story that Martin Luther, the Protestant reformer, was the first to add lighted candles to a tree after being inspired by the sight of stars twinkling through the evergreens on a winter walk.

Vintage family photo taken at Christmas time in the early 19th Century, as seen in House Crazy Sarah

The tradition spread slowly across Europe, and when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were pictured around their decorated Christmas tree in the 1840s, the concept took off in the UK and then across the world. Today, millions of households carry on the tradition, each adding their own spin with colours, lights, and ornaments that tell a story.