Have you ever wondered how the tradition of cutting down a fir or pine tree, and attaching lights and ornaments to it came about? Well, according to various online sources, fir trees were not brought inside at Christmas time until the 16th century in Germany and England, and not until much later to America. Many other traditional holiday customs, including images of Santa Claus, holiday songs, hand blown glass ornaments, and the lighting of the Christmas tree originated in Europe as well. The legend of the latter is that Martin Luther originated the tradition of decorating trees in celebration of Christmas, by bringing a small fir tree indoors and decorating it with lighted candles in honor of Christ’s birth. This practice slowly spread across Europe and came to the United States as immigrants brought their Christmas traditions with them.
Today, everyone has a lighted Christmas tree, and it certainly wouldn’t be Christmas without it! You can go out and pick your tree, cut it down yourself or buy one that’s already pre-cut. Bring it home and put your lights and decorations on and there you have it, or you can choose a pre-lighted artificial tree from any number of local and online retailers. Lowe’s and Home Depot have a nice selection of pre-lit Christmas trees in all sizes and styles that require minimal set up. The advantage to purchasing a pre-lit Christmas tree is that you don’t have to mess with untangling the light strands every season, just to get yourself tangled back up with them while getting dizzy going around tree placing them just right on the tree! That’s what makes it fun though, wouldn’t you agree? Put on some holiday music, and enjoy some tasty beverages with family members as you decorate the tree.
Let’s not forget the natural trees in your yard that make beautiful, stunning lighted Christmas tree displays during the holiday season. Use solid colored lights or multi-colored strands that are available in various sizes to illuminate the trees in glowing color. Of course, make sure that the lights are safe to use outdoors, and use water-proof power supply cords. Enjoy a safe holiday season with family and friends while celebrating old traditions and discovering new favorites. This is a time of year to rekindle relationships and spend time with our loved ones, sit around the Christmas tree, open gifts, and of course, indulge in decadent holiday treats and feasts that everyone looks forward to! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!