Interesting Christmas Facts

Do you know how far back the Christmas tree dates? Do you know how many Christmas trees are planted every year? Here are some interesting fact about Christmas trees and Christmas traditions, great for conversation round your Christmas Dinner table!

Christmas tree history and traditions

• The use of evergreen trees to celebrate the winter season occurred before the birth of Christ.


• The first decorated Christmas tree was in Riga, Latvia in 1510


• Every year since 1947, the people of Oslo, Norway have given a Christmas tree to the city of Westminster, England. The gift is an expression of good will and gratitude for Britain's help to Norway during World War II.


• Other types of trees such as cherry and hawthorns were used as Christmas trees in the past.


• The first printed reference to Christmas trees appeared in Germany in 1531.

Growing Christmas trees

• 73 million new Christmas trees will be planted this year.


• Growing Christmas trees provides a habitat for wildlife.


• Christmas trees take an average of 7-10 years to mature.


• Christmas trees remove dust and pollen from the air.


• An acre of Christmas trees provides for the daily oxygen requirements of 18 people.


• The best selling tree is the Nordman Fir Christmas tree due it's excellent needle retention

Recycling Christmas trees

• Recycled trees have been used to make sand and soil erosion barriers and been placed in ponds for fish shelter.


• Artificial trees will last for six years in your home, but for centuries in a landfill.

Christmas tree lights

• Using small candles to light a Christmas tree dates back to the middle of the 17th century.


• Thomas Edison's assistant, Edward Johnson, came up with the idea of electric lights for Christmas trees in 1882.


• Christmas tree lights were first mass produced in 1890.