The Christmas Tree StoryThe fashion for having Christmas trees in Britain was started by Prince Albert who was married to Queen Victoria. He was a German prince and married Victoria in 1840. He first took a Christmas tree to a Royal family Christmas at Windsor Castle.
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The story of the Christmas tree started way before that. In medieval times German people used to put fir trees in their homes to celebrate the feast day of Adam and Eve. This feast day was on 24th December and they used to decorate the fir trees with hanging apples. They called it the paradise tree. People also had a Christmas triangle which was a wooden triangle and it held little figures from the Christmas story, a candle and a star. Over time the two celebrations became one and that is how the Christmas tree became part of Christmas. Today we use electric lights to decorate Christmas trees, but in Victorian times they decorated their trees with paper chains and candles. Christmas trees are not only found in homes but outside as well. The people of Norway send a large Christmas tree to Britain every year to say thank you for helping them during the Second World War. The tree ends up in Trafalgar Square in London. In a lot of British homes presents are found in Christmas stockings, but in many other countries in Europe the presents are found under the Christmas tree. Who first introduced the Christmas tree into Britain? Which country celebrated the feast day of Adam and Eve? What was hung on the paradise tree? Why do you think these were hung on the paradise tree? What else did the Victorians place on their Christmas trees apart from paper chains? Where does Britain get a Christmas tree from each year?
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