The Christmas Tree
The tradition of the Christmas tree goes all the way back to the ancient Celts. These people, who lived in England and Gaul (France), used evergreen trees to celebrate the Winter Solstice, which usually came at the end of December. The Celts would put these trees up in their homes and decorate the trees with colored paper, toys, and food. Candles were sometimes used as well.
When electric lights became available near the beginning of the 20th Century, people used these lights on their Christmas trees as well. |
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As
these people moved to other countries, they took this
tradition with them. People began to use other things to
decorate their trees, such as cotton (to look like snow),
candy, popcorn, and glass ornaments.
Social Studies for Kids
copyright 2002–2024
David White