At Christmas we decorate our homes with an array of ornaments and foliage the most dominant of which is the Christmas Tree. The first Christmas Trees are believed to have dated back to the 7th Century and originated as a symbol of Christianity. The sign that the Fir would remain evergreen was taken as a symbol of life and would spring hope that the winter would pass and be shortly followed by the better weather that spring and summer would bring.

So why do we decorate our Christmas Trees? Well legend has it that in the mid 16th Century a German Monk and Church reformer was returning home one Christmas night, his journey took him through a start lit forest of which the site of the twinkling stars through the tree tops amazed him. Upon arriving home the German Monk wanted to share this experience with his family, so to help them understand this amazing site he used candles against their fir Christmas tree. From this point onwards the custom spread throughout Germany and then the world!

The popularity of Christmas Tree decorations had an impact on the local German Christmas markets which had to expand to cope with the demand for extra Christmas items. These magical markets would supply everything from gifts, goose, candles, decorations, souvenirs and tinsel.

The Christmas Tree custom spread around the world arriving in England in 1841 when Queen Victoria married Prince Albert (who was German) he set up a Christmas Tree in Windsor Castle to remind him of his homeland. The English were not fond of the German Monarchy at the time so this new fashion was not warmly received. The Christmas Tree custom spread across Europe and eventually further a field to America.

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