The tradition of Christmas trees in America came from German

people like to have a fresh Christmas tree in their homes, or outside

on their lawns. And similar to all other trees, Christmas trees also

have different shapes and qualities that make some types more popular

than others.

Along with other decorative Christmas items such as wreaths and

garlands, having a Christmas tree in your home is very essential in

creating a special atmosphere for the season. It is believed that

Christmas trees have been available for sale in America since the

1800s, which is about the same time that the former Woolworth's

department store started selling ready-made ornaments for Christmas

trees.

Choosing the right type of Christmas tree is important because

Christmas trees are often a focal point for many family activities and

traditions. Given the many types of Christmas trees that are available,

it is important to think about how the tree will be used. While a tall

tree may look very elegant, it may not be suitable if there aren't many

adults around who can reach the tree's heights. And a very short tree

may be dwarfed by other furniture in the room. It's therefore very

important to carefully consider and get a tree that has a suitable

height and also one that has sturdy branches to hold heavy ornaments.

Artificial and real Christmas trees can often be bought from the

same retail stores these days as local businesses and retail chain

stores often sell both types of trees. The best place to get a real and

fresh Christmas tree, and also to see a wide variety, is likely a

Christmas tree farm however. Using modern technology, both types of

trees can also be obtained through online transactions, via telephone

as well as by mail-order through catalogs.

Among Christmas trees there are certain types that are

always favorites and which are bestsellers. These include: Douglas,

Fraser, Noble and Balsam firs, and Scotch, Virginia and white pine

trees.

These evergreen trees all have all have one or more excellent

features related to shape, color or sheen and fragrance, which makes

them favorites for Christmas trees.

The most favorite Christmas trees basically have a pyramid or

cone shape. A pyramid-shaped tree is likely taller and has somewhat of

an elegant look. Douglas Fir, which ranks first among Christmas tree

favorites, is an example of a pyramid-shaped tree. Other examples are

Fraser, Balsam and Noble firs.

A cone shape tree tends to be short with dense branches, which makes

them excellent for holding many ornaments and other decorations.

Families that have a strong tradition of making their own ornaments, or

putting mememtos on Christmas trees may consider a cone-shaped tree.

Virginia and Scotch Pines, Norway Spruce and the Eastern White Pine all

have cone shapes.

Another feature that makes Christmas trees appealing is their

color. While all trees have a green appearance, a closer look at their

needles will reveal differences such as a bright or dark-green, blue-

green or yellowish-green hue. The needles may also emit a silvery sheen

with the right lighting. Fraser and Noble firs both have needles with a

silvery sheen, and the branches of both trees are also used for

garlands and wreaths.

Most people choose a fresh Christmas tree for its fragrance,

which can be fairly strong or just subtle, giving off just enough of a

whiff of scent. Douglas Fir, which is the most popular Christmas tree

in homes and public places, is a very fragrant tree. The Balsam fir is

also fairly fragrant. The Eastern White Pine is however, a tree that

doesn't have much fragrance.

Whether you have a favorite type of Christmas tree or will choose

one from its appearance, there are many choices to satisfy the desire

to have a fragrant and well-decorated tree for Christmas.

It is an accepted fact that the Christmas tree tradition is one that was

The first interesting fact is the source of real Christmas Trees for some

Americans. These can be bought at a Christmas Tree Farm or at many local stores

and other places of business in just about every town and city across the

country around Christmas time. But according to the National Christmas Tree

Association, Americans buy about 330,000 Christmas trees that are real through

e-commerce or from a catalogue and have them shipped by mail-order.

The scent of real Christmas trees is the reason they are so popular. But as they

stand silently in their decorative wonder, they also are providing another

benefit. The Christmas Tree Association says the amount of oxygen produced on a

daily basis by one acre of Christmas tree is enough to provide enough oxygen for

18 people. And during the first week, a Christmas Tree at home will use up to

one quart of water each day to help retain its longevity for the many days of

Christmas.

Since Christmas celebrations gained popularity in America, the Christmas Tree

has always been a big tradition. During the 1950s however, artificial Christmas

trees were not always green. It was very popular during those times to have

artificial trees with other colors such as silver, pink and aqua. The appeal in

having these colored Christmas trees may have been due to the fact that they

looked shiny and bright and appeared like tinsel instead of green foliage.

An important ceremony related to the Christmas tree that gains national

attention during the Christmas season is the lighting of the National Christmas

Tree at the White House. This tradition can be credited to President Calvin

Coolidge who lit the first decorated Christmas tree outside at the White House

in 1923.

The lighting of the National Christmas Tree has also been used to convey some

symbolic meaning not related to Christmas. It was not lighted until Dec. 22 in

1963 because of a national mourning period of 30 days for the assassination of

President Kennedy. And while Teddy Roosevelt was President he gave an order that

banned the Christmas tree from the White House, not for the assassination of

President McKinley in 1901, which caused him to become president, but for

reasons related to the environment.

Also of note is that when the National Christmas Tree was lighted on Dec. 13 in

1984, temperatures were in the 70s during an unusually warm December.

Christmas has been celebrated in the United States since the 1600s although it

wasn't always very popular. It took more than two centuries into the mid-late

1860s for Christmas to become a popular holiday season all across America. So

maybe the rest of the country owes the holiday of Christmas Day to the state of

Alabama, which in 1836 became the first state to declare Dec. 25 a legal

holiday.

It is interesting to note that on Christmas Day of 1789 Congress was in session.

And to show how far ahead of the game Alabama was, it wasn't until June 26, 1870

that the federal government declared Christmas as a federal holiday.

Although Christmas is based on the Christian religion, not all Christian groups

celebrate the season. Among the Christian groups who do not celebrate Christmas

and related traditions such as sending greeting cards are Jehovah Witnesses.

Jehovah Witnesses and other non-participating Christian groups say Christmas

isn't specifically mentioned in the Bible as a time or reason to celebrate and

since they strictly adhere to the word of the Bible, they refuse to celebrate

The tradition of caroling and Christmas carols is believed to have

their visit, they continued their proclamations in the street.

The origin of the word carol however, is thought to come from the word

'caroller,' which is a French word that describes a circle dance with singers.

And from the twelfth through the fourteenth centuries, the carol was highly

popular as a dance song. The use of carols then evolved to festivals where they

were sung as processional songs and others were used as part of religious

mystery plays in Europe. Some traditional qualities of a carol was that the

words expressed should celebrate a topic that was seasonal, have verses and a

chorus arranged alternately and have music that was suitable for dancing.

Although many of the carols that are now popular at Christmas time are very old,

there are others from earlier times that didn't survive. During the 17th century

when the Protestants, led by Oliver Cromwell were in power in England, many

Christmas caros were banned and consequently some were never heard again. The

Christmas carols that survived the Protestant Reformation period didn't become

very popular again until the mid-19th century to the start of the 20th century.

Many of the Christmas carols that were banned, and early Christmas carols in

general, had lyrics that expressed joyous and merry themes instead of the

serious somber words found in church hymns. During the time when carols were

banned, some composers and musicians wrote non-religious songs that had highly

varied choral music, which they called carols, for Christmas. After Christmas

carols again became popular, many of those songs were re-arranged with new

Christian lyrics and used by the church.

Making changes to Christmas carols continues in a different way today with pop

artistes singing the carols to different tunes and melodies to give them a style

that characterizes the particular artiste. Having Christmas carols with tunes of

contemporary or popular music of today means that they are also more likely to

survive because younger listeners will be interested in hearing any music that

is done by their favorite or other popular singers.

The popularity of Christmas carols in the United States increased in the 19th

century, as it did in England, because many of the traditions related to

Christmas came to the United States from England. The United States and England

also have closely linked religious observances, which also accounts for the

popularity and similarity of Christmas carols that are enjoyed in both

countries.

Today, radio stations are the first to play Christmas carols, usually starting

toward mid-November, to signal the coming season. At the start of December when

the Christmas season official begins, mall stores and other retail

establishments will begin to pipe Christmas carols and songs through their

places of business.

The singing of carols at churches, schools, and by groups performing at malls

usually will be a common sight starting in early to mid-December. Carol singing

as a part of Nativity plays and concerts at churches and schools is usually in

full swing by mid-December as the Christmas season gets into high gear and the

countdown to Christmas Day begins.

Whether it's the traditional tune or popular makeovers of Christmas carols that

you enjoy, listening to them is part of an old Christmas tradition. And any

version of a Christmas carol that is played will serve the purpose of putting

you in a festive mood for Christmas that you may even want to dance, just like

the music of original carols was meant to do.