Bigfoot's Friend

Tall and timeless, the Christmas tree brings the magic of the forest indoors, bringing with it the joy of the holiday season with its scent of pine and the promise of the cheerful days ahead.

And with Christmas just around the corner, (less than 48 hours away!) nearly 94 million homes across the U.S. have one (or more) Christmas trees set up and decorated in their homes for the holidays.

So, while my husband and I were setting up one of our three trees this year, I decided to learn a little bit more about the iconic Christmas tree – and of course, I’m here to share with you what I learned!

So, here are some interesting facts about Christmas trees that you probably didn’t know!

• The first decorated Christmas tree of record was put up in Latvia all the way back in 1510. However, the tradition of the Christmas tree we know and love today didn’t make its way over to America until the early 1800’s.

• Christmas trees used to be decorated with fruits, ribbons, candles, and paper decorations.

• Every year in the U.S. alone, there are nearly 25-30 million live Christmas trees sold during the holidays!

• It can take 4-15 years to grow a tree of average height (6–7 feet), but the average grow time for a Christmas tree is 7 years.

• Nearly 155 house fires are caused by Christmas trees every year in the U.S. alone! To help avoid being one of those 155, I suggest checking out the article that the National Fire Protection Association has on preventing Christmas tree fires.

• The Fraser Fir is known to be the most popular variety for Christmas trees across the world!

• Pine and Fir trees were chosen as the iconic Holiday tree because they are evergreens – meaning the pine needles remain green and attached throughout the winter, not only being ideal for decorating but also symbolizing everlasting life and the promise of Spring being just around the corner.

• You can find and cut down your own tree in the forest! Check out your local forest service information to learn where and how you can hunt for your own wild Christmas tree!

Elegant pine trees adorned with twinkling lights and shiny ornaments have been a symbol for the holiday season for centuries, and I believe they will always retain their relevance in holiday culture.

I hope you all have beautiful Christmas trees in your homes today, and I hope you have a wonderful and blessed holiday.

Thanks for reading, Merry Christmas!

-Jessica C.