The tradition of the Christmas tree comes from Northern Europe , in particular from Estonia where in 1441 a large fir tree was erected in the center of the square of Tallin around which many young people began to dance. Urban legends also cite other cities as the first to use the Christmas tree such as Lithuania and Switzerland .
The first tree to be decorated was in Germany in 1611 by the Duchess of Brieg. The Duchess noticed that a corner of a hall of her home was empty, so she went out into the garden, chose a fir tree and had it decanted and then decorated .
In Italy , on the other hand, it arrived in the 19th century thanks to Queen Margherita , wife of Umberto I of Savoy who, by emulating, now a widespread tradition abroad, had a Christmas tree decorated and placed inside the Quirinale . Shortly thereafter all of Italy began to use and decorate the tree for the Christmas holidays.
The pagans revered the evergreens because they considered them a symbol of longevity , thanks to their ability to always remain green. The Vikings, on the other hand, considered them magical plants because they never lose their leaves.
The first artificial Christmas tree was born in Germany where the trees were decorated with green painted goose feathers .
Like any self-respecting tree, decorations are also important.
The decorations are linked to the symbolism of light, therefore of happiness and serenity. The tradition of decorating the Christmas tree dates back to Ancient Egypt , where during the cult of the Sun , it was customary to decorate the pyramids. The Europeans then replaced the pyramids with fir trees, using the lights to celebrate the cult of the sun.
In addition to the lights, the Christmas trees are decorated with colored balls . This tradition has it that in Bethlehem a very poor artist decided to set up a show for Jesus, using precisely the colored balls, objects kept over the years to embellish our trees.
The Italian tradition has it that the gifts are left under the tree, only to be discarded on the evening of Christmas Eve.
Are you still unsure about Christmas gifts? Here are some ideas.