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The Garden of Eden was represented by a fir tree hung with Apples; it symbolized both the 'Tree of life” and the “Tree of discernment of good and evil” which stood at the center of Paradise. Later the apples were replaced by wafers representing the saving fruit of the Sacrament
As the tree became more secular, the wafers gave way to bits of pastry cut into the shapes of stars, angels, hearts, and bells, hence the origin of the cookie tree with its decorated men and animals.
It wasn’t until the 16th Century that the tree made its way into the homes, of people, and even then it was really popular only in Germany. There the family yuletide celebration centered around the tree (which they called Tannenbaum) on Christmas eve, and every family, no matter how poor, was able to afford its own tree.
About 125 yeras ago the custom of the Christmas tree really took hold in Europe when Queen Victoria’s German husband, Prince Albert, introduced it to England. Within no time it became a national symbol of not only the holidays, but of an entire era. Our use of the Christmas tree started at this time.
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