By 700 A.D. in Scandinavia, the custom of hoisting an evergreen tree atop the ridgepole was a popular way of signaling the start of a completion party. The roots of this custom may also be mixed in with fertility symbols.
Saplings, eggs, flowers and sheaves of corn are long-standing customs in European home building,presumably as a wish to the newlyweds for a productive and long life together.
While the Teutonic tribes may have tried to appease the tree spirits for killing trees and using up that lumber, the Germans in the Black Forest seem to have invented the Christmas tree custom to celebrate the nativity of Jesus Christ, and hardly a structure goes up in Germany without an evergreen to signal the birth of a new building.
Why a
Christmas Tree?
by Scott L. Melnick
A look at the origins of “topping-out"
Another myth relate European tradition in medieval time, where the fir tree symbolize 'Paradise Tree'.On 24 December it was known as Adam and Eve Day, tradition that predate Christianity and later evolve into symbolism of Christ.
And starting from German, the tradition of Christmas Tree spread out throughout Europe. In England, the tradition took hold in Windsor Castle after Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg, husband of Queen Victoria introduce the tree during Christmas of 1841.
While in United State, a German professor at Harvard , Charles Follen provide a tree for his starting from 1832.
Christmas customs around the world
By Herbert Henry Wernecke
And in fulfilling modern day consumerism demand of Christmas tree, an estimate of 30-40 million fir tree in US and 50-60 million tree in Europe were harvest from tree plantation.
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