Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree.

We pick them out, we put them in the most prominent place in our homes and we decorate them with lights and memories - but have you ever stopped and wondered “why do we do this?”, and “where did the tradition of the Christmas tree come from?”.

Well, the tradition of the Christmas tree originated in Germany, when in the 16th century, Christians decorated what is known today as the Christmas tree in their homes.

“It is a widely held belief that Martin Luther, the 16th-century Protestant reformer, first added lighted candles to a tree. Walking toward his home one winter evening, composing a sermon, he was awed by the brilliance of stars twinkling amidst evergreens. To recapture the scene for his family, he erected a tree in the main room and wired its branches with lighted candles.” 

It wasn't until 1781 that the first Christmas tree was ever recorded in Canada, in Sorel Quebec. It was 1846 when the second Christmas tree in Canada was ever recorded, and it was right here in Halifax, Nova Scotia. William Pryer, a local merchant, cut down a tree for his German wife and decorated the evergreen with ornaments imported from Germany. The beautiful custom quickly spread when British and German pioneers began to settle throughout the country. Today we see decorated Christmas trees everywhere - malls, offices, parks and most importantly, in our homes.

Christmas trees have even become a star of pop culture, often claiming a leading role in any Holiday movie. So, let’s look at some of the most iconic Hollywood Christmas trees of our time, shall we.

Elf

The Grinch

A Christmas Story

National Lampoons Christmas Vacation

Charlie Brown Christmas

 

It's not only Hollywood that has adopted the Christmas tree as a star, the tourism industry also makes the Christmas tree a prominent attraction during the Holiday season in a number of cities around the world, many claiming to have some of the biggest and most expensive Christmas trees in the world.

...But we all know that the best tree is right here in Nova Scotia!

Rockefeller Tree, NYC
Photo by Alex Haney on Unsplash

Madrid, Spain
Photo by Álvaro Bernal on Unsplash

Paris, France
Photo by Bing HAO on Unsplash

Brandenburg Gate, Berlin, Germany
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Adelaide, Australia 
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Woody, Dartmouth, NS
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