CHRISTMAS TREES IN AMERICA

Without question, the most widely accepted symbols of Christmas in America are Santa Claus and the Christmas tree. Both have become an essential part of both the public and family Christmas traditions. Public buildings, stores, schools and homes are all home to decorated Christmas trees and images of Santa Claus. Both the religious and the non-religious celebrants of Christmas center their celebration of the Christmas Spirit around a Christmas tree.

The earliest accounts of Christmas trees attribute the first Christmas trees to the Hessian soldiers who were brought to the Colonies by the British to help quell the Colonial Revolution. General Washington's attack on the Hessian troops in Trenton, NJ, on the morning of December 26, 1776, on the day following their Christmas celebrations caught the Hessian soldiers by surprise. It is likely that the Hessian soldiers had incorporated a decorated Christmas tree into the Christmas celebration the day prior to the surprise attack. Other stories abound about this time period with examples of Hessian soldiers and other German immigrants bringing their Christmas tree tradition with them to America.

While early European immigrants simply cut their own Christmas trees, the growing demand and the collection of more people into cities without nearby sources for cutting their own Christmas trees led to the first commercial sales of Christmas trees in New York City in the early 1850's. As the tradition grew, so did the Christmas tree industry grow to supply the increasing demand. One interesting chapter in this history is that of the so-called Christmas ship. Starting in the year 1887, the Schuenemann family in Michigan started loading a fishing schooner with Michigan cut fir trees and sailing to Chicago to sell the trees in Chicago. In spite of several storm wrecks with the resulting deaths of two family members, for more than 25 years the Schuenemann family's "Christmas Ship" delivered cut Christmas trees to excited customers in Chicago.

Except for a White House ban on Christmas trees imposed by President Theodore Roosevelt in the early years of his Presidency to emphasize the need for conservation of America's natural resources, the growing demand for real Christmas trees continued. Americans quickly learned that real Christmas trees could be "farmed" without destruction of natural forests.

As the demand for real Christmas trees continue to expand, in the 1930's the Addis Brush Company produced the first artificial Christmas tree by using the same technology and the same manufacturing equipment they used to manufacture their toilet brushes. Since then artificial Christmas trees of all designs, dimensions and materials have found their way into the market.

Many cities throughout the United States have an annual Christmas tree lighting to commence the Christmas Season. Perhaps the most famous of such publicly displayed Christmas trees include the National Christmas Tree located at the White House Christmas, the White House Christmas trees, Christmas trees displayed in the rotundas of many State Capitol buildings, and Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.

Whether a real Christmas tree or an artificial one, the Christmas tree in its decorated splendor reflects the joys and wonders of the Christmas Season for millions of Americans.