by AGS Member Philip Spivey
The Christmas Tree stands as one of the most iconic images of the holiday season in America. Bringing trees into our homes, decorating them, and putting presents underneath is embedded in our culture. It’s hard to imagine Christmas without it. But that was not always the case.
In 1848, this picture of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s Christmas tree was published in The Illustrated London Times. The image was adapted and published in Godey’s in December of 1850, sparking an interest in Christmas Trees for American homes. Godey’s Lady’s Book was the most widely circulated magazine in America prior to the Civil War.
The idea of bringing a tree into the home and decorating it for Christmas was a German tradition, believed to date back to 1605. A few German immigrants to the U.S. would have such trees, but the practice didn’t become widespread until after the article in Godey’s. As a true “American tradition,” the Christmas tree has only been around for a little over 150 years.
“The British Royal Family and their Christmas tree in 1850.” Blog post, How Queen Victoria introduced America to the Christmas tree, Findmypast (https://www.findmypast.com/blog/history/how-the-king-and-queen-of-england-popularized-the-christmas- tree-in-am : accessed 27 November 2021). “Stories From Around the Globe,” Time (https://time.com/5736523/history-of- christmas-trees/ : accessed 27 November 2021).
