The History and Traditions of the Yule (Christmas) Tree
The tradition of bringing an evergreen tree into the house and decorating it is a key feature of the Christmas or Yule season. In my household, I love this tradition so much that the tree is up twice a year. To celebrate Yule and midwinter from 1 July to 16 July (after the Yule party on 15 July) or 31 July if I’m really keen, and again for our Australian Christmas celebrations in the middle of summer. Each occasion has a different theme and different decorations: golds, reds, oranges, evergreens, toadstool mushrooms, winter-themed and northern hemisphere symbols for Yule; and for our Aussie Christmas, gold and turquoise, candy canes, eucalyptus leaves and branches, wattles, callistemons, Australian native animals, and decorations made by my children.
In this article, we explore the origins of this tradition and discover some lovely folktales. Enjoy!
Roots of the Yule Tree
The tradition of the Yule or Christmas tree, as we know it today, has its roots in ancient pagan customs and religious symbolism. As we’ve discovered in previous articles, the use of evergreen trees, such as firs, spruces, and pines, in winter celebrations can be traced back to ancient civilizations, including the Romans, Germanic peoples and Celts. These cultures believed that evergreen trees symbolised life and fertility, even in the midst of winter. They would decorate trees with ornaments and candles as a way to honour nature's enduring beauty.
Some scholars believe the Christmas tree tradition evolved from the pre-Christian Germanic Yule log traditions, which we explore in a previous article. Others believe that the modern tradition of the Christmas tree can be directly traced back to Germany in the 16th century. According to popular folklore, the Protestant reformer Martin Luther was inspired by the beauty of the stars shining through the evergreen trees while walking through a forest one winter evening. To recreate this magical scene, he brought an evergreen tree into his home and adorned it with lit candles, which symbolised the stars, and was the first recorded use of candles as tree decorations.
However, there are earlier references to decorating Christmas trees in guildhall records from the 1400s in Northern Germany, and what is now Estonia and Latvia, where such trees were decorated with sweets for the enjoyment of the guild apprentices and children. One chronicle from 1584 describes a tradition from Lyfflandt Province in which a spruce tree was erected and decorated in the market square, where young men “went with a flock of maidens and women, first sang and danced then set the tree aflame.” Pastor and chronicler Balthasar Russow in his Chronica der Provinz Lyfflandt.
In Eastern Europe, an old Slavic, pre-Christian folk tradition was practised by peasants until the early 20th Century, where the branch of a fir, spruce or pine tree called podłaźniczka, was suspended from the rafters of the home, usually above the dinner table for the celebration of the Koliada1 winter festival. Although the Christmas tree has become popular in Eastern Europe, it has not fully supplanted the podłaźniczka, which is experiencing a revival of folk practices.
A German folktale about the Christmas Fairy claims faeries brought the first Christmas tree to the city of Strasburg. It was retold by Frances Jenkins Olcott in his book Good Stories for Great Holidays published in 1914.
The Story of the Christmas Fairy
Long ago near the ancient city of Strasbourg, a young and unmarried count named Otto, known as "Stone-Heart," embarked on a great hunt on Christmas Eve. As he rode alone, he stumbled upon a spring called the "Fairy Well" and decided to rest there. To his surprise, the water was warm and comforting despite the cold weather. As Otto laved his hands in the water, he felt a small, soft hand grasp his right hand and take away his gold ring. Bewildered, he returned to his castle.
That night, while lying on his couch, Otto heard the hounds baying, the drawbridge lowering, and small footsteps in the adjacent room. He discovered a group of dancing fairies clad in sparkling robes, surrounded by a magnificent Christmas Tree adorned with diamond stars, pearl necklaces, and other precious jewels. Among the fairies was Ernestine, their queen, who returned Otto's lost ring from the Fairy Well. Overwhelmed by the enchantment, Otto fell in love with Ernestine and they danced together.
Their love blossomed, and they were married the next day with great pomp and splendour. However, Ernestine had one condition: Otto must never speak the word "death" in her presence. They lived happily for many years until one day when they were about to go hunting. Impatient for Ernestine, Otto uttered in anger, "You would make a good messenger to send for Death!" At that moment, Ernestine disappeared with a cry, never to be seen again.
Deeply remorseful, Otto searched in vain for his beloved. He spent the rest of his life grieving for her. Every Christmas Eve, he set up a lighted tree in the room where they first met, hoping for her return. But she never came back. The castle eventually fell into ruins, yet there is still an imprint of Ernestine's delicate hand embedded in the stone arch above the castle gate.
The Fir Tree
Hans Christian Andersen wrote a rather sad story about the fate of a fir tree, cut down and used as a Christmas tree before being discarded. It is too sad to repeat but he does describe the beauty of the Christmas tree and how they were traditionally decorated in the 1800s:
The fir tree was put into a great tub filled with sand… The servants, and the young ladies also decked it out. On one branch they hung little nets, cut out of coloured paper; every net was filled with sweatmeats; golden apples and walnuts hung down as if they grew there, and more than a hundred little candles, red, white and blue, were fastened to the different boughs. Dolls that looked exactly like real people – the Tree had never seen such before – swung among the foliage, and high on the summit of the Tree was fixed a tinsel star. It was splendid, particularly splendid.” Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875). The Fir Tree.
The Story of the Christmas Spiders
In German and Eastern European folklore, there is a charming story that explains the origin of decorating Christmas trees with tinsel and the presence of spiders on the tree. One version of the story goes that once there was a poor family who couldn't afford to decorate their Christmas tree. As the family slept on Christmas Eve, spiders in the house heard their wishes for a beautiful tree. During the night, the spiders spun intricate webs all over the tree, covering it with their delicate silk.
In the morning, the family was delighted to discover their tree covered in gossamer webs, which shimmered gold and silver in the sunlight. From then on, it was believed that spiders brought good luck and prosperity, and their webs were considered a symbol of Christmas magic and beauty.
Here is another lovely version of the story from Agrilife.org:
The story is about two mothers—one a peasant woman, the other a mama spider—both struggling to provide for their young children. On Christmas Eve, the woman went into the forest and came back with a small fir to serve as a Christmas tree. She discovered that a spider had made a home for her babies among the fir’s branches, but the woman didn’t have the heart to sweep them away. The spider discovered that the woman was too poor to decorate the tree, let alone place presents beneath it, and hatched a plan out of gratitude and kindness. Later that night, when the woman and her children went to bed, the spider spun sparkling webs all throughout the fir tree’s branches. In the morning, the children woke up to the thrilling sight of a Christmas tree draped in the most exquisite, shimmering gossamer!
To honour the spiders and their contribution, people began incorporating tinsel, which resembled spider webs, into their Christmas decorations. Tinsel strands were hung on the tree to recreate the sparkling effect of the spider webs and to symbolise blessings of good fortune, happiness, and abundance. This folk tale reminds us to appreciate the beauty in unexpected places and to find joy in simple acts of kindness and generosity.
Growing the Christmas Tree Tradition
Regardless of its origins, the custom of the Christmas tree quickly spread throughout Germany and eventually gained popularity across Europe. German merchants imported the Christmas tree tradition into Britain in the early 1800s, where it quickly replaced what was once the centrepiece of English Christmas decor – the kissing branch or bough – an evergreen branch decorated with lit candles, apples and a branch of mistletoe. German immigrants brought the tradition to the United States, where it was widely embraced. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, further popularised the Christmas tree in England during their reign and influenced its spread throughout the British Empire and beyond.
In Prince Albert’s native Germany, the Christmas tree had long been a cherished part of the holiday celebrations. When he married Queen Victoria in 1840, he brought with him his German traditions and customs, including the Christmas tree. An illustration published in the Illustrated London News in 1848, depicting Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and their children gathered around a decorated Christmas tree, helped to popularise the tradition in England. The image struck a chord with the public, showcasing a royal family engaged in a joyful Christmas celebration centred around a beautifully adorned tree. The Christmas tree quickly gained popularity among the upper classes and soon spread to the middle and working classes as well as the colonies and territories under British rule.
The Christmas tree became an integral part of Victorian Christmas celebrations, reflecting the era's focus on family, sentimentality, and nostalgia. The custom of decorating the tree with candles, ornaments, tinsel and small gifts became more elaborate and widespread, further fueling the popularity of the tradition. Their influence not only contributed to the cultural significance of the Christmas tree but also helped to shape the way Christmas is celebrated to this day.
Today, the Christmas tree is a central and cherished tradition that brings families together as they gather to decorate the tree and place gifts beneath its branches. The Christmas tree serves as a focal point for festive celebrations, evoking a sense of joy, warmth, and togetherness. It embodies the spirit of the season, reminding us of the beauty of nature and the hope and renewal that comes with the arrival of Christmas.
Our midwinter Yule celebration is fast approaching I am eagerly anticipating a large party with lots of delicious food and a merrily festive atmosphere. The decorations will be expanded over the coming week with dried orange slices, orange pomanders and evergreen branches. The sticks for the ashen faggot have been collected and are waiting for me to tie the bundles. There might even be time to make Julbok decorations from scratch (more about that in an upcoming article) and some beaded Christmas spider decorations in honour of the beautiful folktale mentioned in this article. A trip to IKEA on Friday for more candles and maybe a paper star light, then the markets for the Yule food - duck, pork, and vegetables for the feast. The glühwein has already been purchased, as well as some non-alcoholic strawberry mulled wine, the marzipan is ready for shaping into little toadstool mushrooms, and spices are in the pantry.
Is anyone else celebrating Yule or hosting a Christmas in July? Does anyone else put up their tree and decorations twice a year? What themes do you use when you decorate?
Stay tuned for the next article about Twelfth Night and the Twelve Days of Christmas. Until then merry Yuletide… God Jul (Good Yule) or Glaedelig Jul (Merry Yule)!
The Koliada is similar to the Western European Christmas and Northern European Yule celebrations, and the twelve days of Christmas.