30 incredible facts of Christmas trees to make an additional magical vacation

There are many things you do not know your holiday center.


Nothing does not think of the same amount of joy asBeautifully decorated Christmas tree. It may seem like it has always beenTradition for families to suspend ornaments, Tinsel and Evergreens lights, but these festive fir trees have become a Christmas post in the last two centuries. In fact, many cultures, countries and centuries have shaped the way our Christmas trees look like today. If you are a holiday story, keep reading for some of the most amazing Christmas tree facts we could find. They are sure to make you feel happy and bright! And for some fascinating regional vacation activities, check20 Christmas ways is celebrated differently across the United States.

1
Christmas trees were used as chandeliers in Poland.

upside down tree christmas tree facts
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Do not be alarmed if you see a hanging tree upside down the ceiling. This trend actuallyOriginal medieval time, according toSpruce. The legend is that a Benedictine monk used the triangular shape of the inverted tree to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagans. But the idea really took off in the 1900s in Poland withpodłazniczek, a custom where Polish people decorate the branches with fruits, nuts and ribbons, thenHanging the ceiling tree! And for the festive trivia to share with the family, check55 Fun Christmas facts to get you into mind.

2
Ukrainians decorate their Christmas trees with spider canvases.

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Although it sounds winding, this tradition is in fact rooted in a comforting folktale on a poor widow who has found a Christmas tree for his children. However, she did not have money to decorate it, so on Christmas Eve, she went to bed crying. That night, the spiders heard his tears and took place to cover the tree with delicate and shiny canvases. Some versions of history indicate that bands are actually transformed into silver and gold, while others say they simply resemble precious metals - anyway, the widow was rich, coming from Christmas in the morning.

"The spiders have always been considered" good luck of insects "inUkrainian tradition, "LUBROW WOLYNETZ, conservator of popular art at the Ukrainian Museum of New York, saidToday. In honor, many Ukrainian families decorate their trees with spiders and silver and gold spiders.

3
The colleague of Thomas Edison was the first to put electric lights on a Christmas tree.

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Some people sayThomas Edison He himself does that, but let's not let Edison take more credit than it deserves. It was actually his colleague and friend,Edward Johnson, who first thought of putting the electric lights on a Christmas tree instead of traditional candles, according to theCongress Library. However, the first bulb tree is passed into the Edison power plant in Manhattan in 1882, on a rotating box so that passers-by can see the 80 light, white and blue lights. Nobody had seen anything like that.

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4
One of the first trees decorating traditions involved fir trees.

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One of the first Christmas tree decoration ceremonies involving adorating a fir with paper flowers, singing and dancing around him, then rushingIlluminate all fire on fire. According toThe New York Times, everything took place on the place of the city ofRiga, the capital of Latvia, in 1510. (Although Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, says it was the first to celebrate in 1441.)

At that time in northern Europe,Christmas celebrations looked very different from what they do today. The festivities ran from the end of November until the new year, but the dazzling show of our Christmas trees today would probably be as much shock.

5
The first Romans were the first to celebrate with fir trees.

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Persistent leaf trees have been synonymous with Christmas for centuries. First Romans usedEvergreens to decorate Their temples for Saturnalia, a festival they celebrated in December. When Christians started associating the birth of Christ with these previously existing winter holidays, they took his hand on theTree Evergreen as a symbol of eternal life, ExplainDixie Sandborn the extension of the University of Michigan State.

For the most beloved holiday movie ever, checkThe best Christmas movie of all time, according to critics.

6
The cherry workers were used as Christmas trees.

cherry tree christmas tree facts
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Nowadays, the most popular Christmas trees are scotch sprockets, Douglas fir, Fraser tree, balsam fir and white pine. However, in the beginning before everyone moves on fir trees and pines, some Europeans used cherry trees or hawthorn as Christmas greenery, according to Sandborn. The call of these trees was in their flowers. If you cut a branch, brought it inside, and put it in a pan of water, it would flourish just in time for Christmas.

7
Americans have 30 million Christmas trees a year.

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According toNational Association of Christmas Trees (NCTA), 25 to 30 million living trees are harvested each year of a harvest of about 350 million trees in US farms. The total land needed for all these farms varies from 547 square miles - about twice as much as the size of the large area of ​​Chicago. Fortunately, these farms help preserve green space and also use about 100,000 Americans each year. (Alternatively, as NCTA is, most artificial trees are manufactured in China.)

And if you want to celebrate like the queen, check15 Christmas Royat traditions you need to know about.

8
Christmas trees are grown in all the United States, but three American states

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It is a myth commonly held thatChristmas trees are grown in the 50 states. According to a card published byNbcThere are no tree farms in New Mexico, South Dakota or Wyoming. In fact, the country gets most of its Oregon and North Carolina trees, both states with the largest production of Christmas trees.

9
Christmas tree farms are durable.

Christmas tree farm in the snow
Jacquie Klose / Shutterstock

Concerned about the impact of a fresh tree can have on the environment? Do not be. While Green America points out, the vast majority of the cupChristmas trees come from farm trees, who usually plant about two trees for everyone they cut ". If it is important for you to support a farm that does not use chemical pesticides, you can search forLocal harvest for organic tree farms.

10
The idea of ​​the Christmas tree of the Rockefeller Center comes from construction workers.

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The huge holiday show at the Rockefeller Center in New York has modest beginnings. According toThe New York Times, theTradition started during the Great Depression In 1931, when construction workers mounted a single 20-foot tree in the Plaza and decorated with paper garlands, cranberry ropes and tin cans. Today, a Norway spruce no larger than 100 feet is chosen every year, transported by truck in Manhattan, has entered the Plaza and surmounted by a Swarovski crystal star that weighs more than 9,000 pounds. Look how far she came!

For songs, you must keep your holiday playlist, discoverThe most hated Christmas songs of all time.

11
The London Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree is an annual Thank you Norway.

christmas tree with green lights at trafalgar square in london at night
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London has its own arboricultural tradition: a hugeChristmas tree at Trafalgar Square. This tree is a thank you for Norway. Every year since 1947, the inhabitants of Oslo have chosen a spruce tree of 50 to 60 years to reduce and ship in London as a means of showing gratitude to England to support Norway in the Second World War. In turn, Londoners decorate the traditional Norwegian style tree, with vertical strings of lights descending from the star on top.

12
Australian Christmas trees are the largest parasites in the world.

gold flowered trees in Australia
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If you heard the sentence "Australian Christmas tree, "You could imagine a tree on the beach, or possibly one in the ocean in the ocean. However, the plant that Australians call a" Christmas tree "is actually an aggressive hemipparationGui-type. This parasite is supposed to be the largest in the world, with its rootsStabby victims up to 360 feet away! This does not look like a conifer, but its yellow-orange flowers bloom around the holidays, hence the name.

13
The first artificial Christmas trees have been made of feathers and dyed threads.

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If you prefer aartificial tree, you're not alone. It is a cheaper and less maintenance option, giving parents andPet owners One less thing to worry during the holidays. Artificial treesDate of return to the 1880sWhen the Germans seeking to compensate for the deforestation have made the first feathers of goose sticks with a thread. Since then, people around the world have made fake aluminum, cardboard and glass trees, although most artificial Christmas trees sold today are made of PVC plastic.

14
The largest artificial Christmas tree costs $ 80,000 to build.

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In Colombo, Sri Lanka, a 236-foot high metal scrap metal and broken wood theGuinness World RecordIn 2016 for the largest artificial Christmas tree in the world. The tree was surrounded by certain controversies during construction - the local Catholic Archbishop felt that it was a waste of money (about $ 80,000) that should have gone to charity - and it was not finally remained long time. It was dismantled in 2017 when people realized that it looked more like a rocket than a fir tree.

15
New England Puritans has banned Christmas trees at the end of the 17th century.

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In 1659, the Court of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay officiallybanned all Christmas celebrations In addition to a church service, which included the "pagan tradition" of suspended decorations. Christmas trees drew looks of contempt in America for nearly two more than centuries, before German and Irish immigrants are finally normalized in the corridors.

16
Queen Victoria popularized the Christmas tree.

a drawing of queen victoria and royal family around a christmas tree
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Although strict religious attitudes on Christmas trees had finally started softening in the early 1800s, it was not beforeQueen Victoria and the royal family weresketched next to the household fir tree In 1848, they become really popular in the English-speaking world. After growing up with a German mother, Victoria has associated Christmas with Evergreens decorated with oranges, cloves and cinnamon sticks. The old colonies admired so much the British royalty that Christmas trees finally became fashionable in America.

17
The Germans believe that it's a bad chance to put your tree before Christmas Eve.

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In order to avoid Christmas bad luck, some Germans think you should erect yourChristmas tree Not earlier than Christmas Eve (or sometimes the 23rd) and release it at the latest the twelfth night (January 5th). In some countries mainly Catholics, Ireland, Italy, Argentina, etc. - The tree increases the day of the immaculate design (8 December) and presents itself to Epiphany (January 6), although some Catholics extend it to candles (February.), According toMagazine Italy. However, everyone can agree that you should definitelynot Put your tree before Halloween (or America, before Thanksgiving).

18
The Vatican did not have a Christmas tree before 1982.

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The Christmas tree was a tradition that the Catholic Church snobe for hundreds of years. It was not until 1982 that Pope John Paul II, already known as a little reformer, broughtA Christmas tree in the Vatican sit next to the traditional crib of the Italian Nativity. Today, the Catholic liturgy includes a prayer to officially bless your tree.

19
The White House Evergreen goes in the blue room.

john f. kennedy and jaqueline kennedy onassis in blue room at white house with christmas tree
Public domain via the JFK library

The officialWhite House The Christmas tree is sitting in the circular blue room and every year since 1961, the first lady is responsible for choosing the theme and decorations of the tree. But this custom has not always been controversial - in 1899, many people have exhorted the presidentWilliam McKinley To give up the "an-american" display because of its German roots, according toThe Washington Post. He even said the presidentTeddy Roosevelt Christmas trees prohibited for environmental reasons, but in fact he had a tree for three of his eight Christmas from the White House.

20
The national Christmas tree remained dark in 1979.

National Christmas Tree at night with Capitol in the background
Orhan Cam / Shutterstock

It was a surprise for the spectators when, at the National Christmas Lighting Ceremony in Washington D.c. in 1979, only the star at the informed summit after the PresidentJimmy CarterThe Amy daughter threw the switch. The Chairman then announced that the normally resplendent Evergreen would otherwise be dark throughout the season in honor of theAmericans were captive during the hostage crisis of Iran. "We will light the rest of the lights when the hostages come home," said President Carter, as indicated byThe Washington Post. (The hostages were not released before January 1981.)

21
A city in Florida makes an annual Christmas tree on 700 tons of sand.

The world's only 35-foot-tall tree made from 700 tons of sand in West Palm Beach, Florida
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Every year, West Palm Beach, Florida, presents that the largest Christmas tree in the world is entirely made of sand: 700 tons of things go in the manufacture of "Sandi", a 35-foot picked with lights and garnished a star. During the monthHoliday in Paradise Celebration, children are invited to exploreSandi-earth, a free attraction including musical shows, miniature golf and more family events.

22
Americans make Christmas trees on everything, Hubcaps lobster traps.

a christmas tree made out of lobster traps and buoys in front of a Maine seafood shack on a snowy day
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SomeCities across the United States make Christmas trees Out of even more unique materials than the sand. For example, Baltimore, Maryland, housesA tree makes Hubcaps, according toTravel + Leisure. And exactly 154 lobster traps include the 40-foot 40-foot-high feet lobster trap tree in Maine (on the photo here). Meanwhile, the junction, the Texas, displays a tree composed of deer wood; Chandler, Arizona, turns each year in Tumbleweed in a glittering Christmas tree; and layout, Lynchburg, Tennessee, makes a tree ofJack Daniels' Whiskey Sheets.

23
There are 500 chapters of the Hallmark Keepsake ornament Club.

Hallmark store front
Eddie Jordan Photos / Shutterstock

In 1973, Harmark launched his tradition of souvenir ornament. Each year, the company publishes a new collection of souvenirs - some with traditional holiday pictures, theme collectors and collectors of pop-culture culture. (8,500 Designs and Counting!) According to the Hallmark website, there are 500 local chapters of the Hardmark Keepksake ornamental Club, which theoretically involves a lot of eBay harves and organize trades.

24
Christmas trees provoke 160 fires each year.

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Between 2013 and 2017, Christmas trees caused an average of 160 household fires each year, according to theNational Fire Protection Association. Collectively, these four years of Christmas tree fires resulted in property damage of $ 10 million and three deaths. To avoid becoming a statistic,Firefighters recommend watering your tree dailyAnd, and if your tree is real or artificial - you must keep all heat sources at least three feet, discard damaged lights or frayed wires and unplug the lights when you go to bed at night or leave the house.

25
The Tinsel contain lead when the real money turned out too much.

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People have used metal tinsel to decorate their Christmas trees for at least 1800s. The bright metal strips reflect the light, allowing a sparkling tree even in the candles. Originally, only the rich could afford the Tinsel because it was made of real money. Copper and aluminum have become substitutes, but either ideal. According toAtlantic, after the First World War,Tinsel manufacturers settled on lead As a metal of choice, even if there were already inchlings that it could be toxic. It is only in the 1970s that food and drugs banned lead household products.

26
Christmas crowns were used for the first time to celebrate Advent.

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Herbal crowns go back to antiquity, where they were usually worn like crowns. But we have the sixteenth century Germans thanking for applying the crown to Christmas traditions. They have usedCrowns of Advent-The dish on a table - with four candles around the edge to count on Sundays until Christmas.

27
The children of Catalony have a "Christmas Journal".

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There is more than a way to celebrate Christmas with a tree. In the Catalan region of Spain, many celebrate with aTió de Nadal, or "Christmas Journal", which is also sometimes called Caga Tió, or "Coop Log". As of December 8th, the family exhibits a hollow newspaper (usually with a funny face and a red hat), and every day, children become turned turns with fruits and dried nuts. Finally, on Christmas Eve, children hit the newspaper with sticks until "cocked" treats. Guess it's a way to keep the kids entertained?

28
Popcorn Garland is a truly American tradition.

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All you need is popcorn, cranberries, a needle and a dental silk to make your own homeChristmas tree guide. Although the Germans traditionally shifted their trees with biscuits, nuts and fruits, the Americans in the 1800s have adapted this long-term customCords of popcorn and cranberries. Although it is unknown, why the popcorn has been chosen, probably because it was inexpensive - cranberries are perfect because their waxy coating prevents them from spoiling quickly. If you want to try it yourself, make sure you use a secular popcorn, which separated you less easily than fresh nuclei.

29
Christmas trees take a decade almost a decade.

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Your average Christmas tree of six to seven feet takes between eight and ten years to grow, according toCnn. On the way, it will be sheared to keep its conical shape for an easier decoration. For each cut tree, farmers generally boast up to three plants. Of the approximately 2,000 plants planted by Acre, about half a three-quarters will be mature.

30
Christmas trees are recyclable.

A discarded christmas tree sitting on the curb
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When the holiday season ends, make sureRecycle your Christmas tree. Obviously, recycled trees can be transformed into mulch or compost, but it is not the only option. The old Christmas trees can be buried to prevent soil erosion, poured into a body of water to create a refuge for fish, or shredded and placed on hiking trails to keep the trail marked and stable floor. They can also be given elephants for food In a sanctuary in Tennessee! But if you are elsewhere in the country, check This link to find a tree recycling center near you.


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