Naples, FL Arborists Share the Story of the Evergreen as a Christmas Decoration.
The Surprising History of the Christmas Tree
There’s nothing that says Christmas more than a decorated evergreen tree. Proudly displayed in homes across the world, Christmas trees have been an icon of the holiday for decades. But where did the Christmas tree come from? How did the tradition start?
It may come as a surprise that Christmas trees have only really been a part of Christmas for the last two hundred years or so. Before Christmas, evergreen trees were worshipped as a symbol of immortality during the Winter Solstice and in ancient holidays like Yule or the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia. It is from these ancient holidays that the Christmas Tree was born.
As Germany and other European countries became Christian, the pagan tradition of the evergreens shifted to becoming a symbol associated with Christmas. When Queen Victoria and Prince Albert decided to have a Christmas Tree in Buckingham Palace around the year 1840, the practice became a tradition in households across Europe and the United States.
The rest was history. As technology advanced, live trees began to jockey for position with artificial trees bedecked with tinsel and included lights. The last fifty years have seen a rise in the popularity of fake trees, but live fir and pine trees remain the traditionalist’s choice for Christmas trees.
The Modern Christmas Tree Trends
The decorations for Christmas Trees have evolved from the wax candles and dried fruits of the past. Nowadays, decorators have countless themes and types of decorations to choose from. Blown glass ornaments, first introduced in 1847, share the stage with LED lights, plastic ornaments, ribbon, and tinsel.
This year has seen the rise of several Christmas Tree decoration trends. The natural wood, rough burlap, and buffalo checked patterns of rustic farmhouse Christmas has taken the Holiday Scene by storm. More traditional colors of gold, deep red, and emerald green are still just as popular, but soft pinks and silvers are also in this season.
How to Up-cycle a Christmas Tree in the New Year?
Purchasing a real Christmas Tree can seem like a waste if there isn’t a way to use it after Christmas. No one wants to just throw away something that good money was spent on, including a Christmas Tree. But, the good news is, there’s plenty of things to do with a Christmas Tree after Christmas ends!
- Give it to the Garden: The boughs and needles of Christmas trees can be used on the lawn and garden of a home. Boughs can insulate perennial plants from the chill of winter, and pine needles can be quickly dried and used as mulch in the garden. A trained arborist company can quickly get the Christmas Tree cut down to size for the garden.
- Use it for DIY Decor: Rustic is in this year, and the wood from the Christmas Tree can easily be sliced up into supplies for rustic decor. Having the trunk trimmed by a tree trimming service into flat disks and using the smaller cuttings of branches are just a few ways to prep the tree for DIY projects.
- Plant the Tree: Most people think live trees just end up in the trash after Christmas. But, some Christmas Trees can be replanted to become a permanent addition to the yard. Be sure to purchase a Christmas Tree that has the root ball intact, without the roots the tree cannot continue to grow. Then, reach out to a tree care service to find out the best watering practices to keep the tree healthy while in use for Christmas, and plan on having the company come out after Christmas to plant the tree properly in the yard.
There’s nothing more fun to do during the holidays than picking out a Christmas Tree and decorating every inch of it. Be sure to enjoy this wonderful tradition of the holiday and when Christmas is over, consider using the tree for something more than just holiday decor.
About Any Town Tree
Reliable, highly-trained, and trustworthy; this is the kind of work that the team at Any Town Tree is proud to offer the Naples community. Their licensed and certified technicians are trained to take on any tree or shrub related challenge, from scaling damaged trees to excavating and repairing damage caused by roots. They offer affordable rates and incomparable service for their clients.