History of the Riga Christmas Tree

When searching for the historical beginning of the first Christmas tree, one must go very deep into the past. Just like Santa Claus one finds that the first Christmas tree was a combination of many different facts, legends and customs all starting in the Baltic countries and what is now Northern Germany. The first documented use of an evergreen tree in a Christmas celebration was in Riga, Latvia, in the year 1510 according to many sources,

Finland has Santa Claus, Russia has traditional handmade Christmas ornaments, Germany has Christmas markets. But arguably the most well known of Christmas traditions--decorating the Christmas tree--may have its origins in Latvia, and it's all but unknown. The location of the first recorded evergreen tree being used in a new year (Christmas) celebration was in Town Hall Square in Riga Latvia, just yards from the majestic Daugava River banks.

Riga has come a long way from those early beginnings. Surviving the harsh Soviet occupation for 50 years. Latvia is once again one of Northern Europe's most exciting places with great possibilities. Latvians look like and consider themselves Nordics.

By the early 18th century, the custom had become common in towns of the upper Rhineland, but it had not spread to rural towns. In the 19th century, the custom became popular among the nobility, in Britain the Christmas tree was introduced by George the third. Several cities in the United States with German connections lay claim to that country's first Christmas tree.

The United States' National Christmas Tree is lit each year on the South Lawn of the White House. Traditionally, Christmas trees were not brought in and decorated until Christmas Eve and taken down the day after twelfth night (Jan. 6th) to have a tree up before or after these dates was even considered bad luck. The term "Charlie Brown Christmas tree" is used in the United States and Canada to described any poor-looking or malformed little tree.

The first artifical Christmas trees were developed in Germany during the 19th century, though earlier examples exist. The trees were made using goose feathers that were dyed green, the size of the trees ranged from two inches to 98 inches, often the tree branches were tipped with artifical red berries which acted as candle holders. In 1930, the U.S. based Addis Brush Co. created the first artifical Christmas trees made from brush bristles.

Over the years since the first people celebrated the first Christmas tree in a far away time, we have since developed our own way of putting up our own tree and making it look beautiful. We even like to decorate outside, so to bring joy and beauty so others may see, in other words we are spreading the joy of the season. I am wishing all my friends a very Merry Christmas, may your spirit of the season touch your heart and your loved ones, God Bless everyone and remember it is a season to reach out and touch someone.