The use and spread of Christmas trees in Great Britain dates back to Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, wife of King George III of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. He belonged to the Hanoverian dynasty, also known as Georgians, due to the fact that their first four kings were named George.
At the beginning of the 19th century, Queen Charlotte imported this German Christmas tradition. Inside the palace, a holly branch was decorated with sweets, raisins, fruits, candles, and toys for singing carols around it and distributing gifts hanging from its branches. For this tradition, it was common that the queen ordered to place a holly branch in one of the largest rooms at Windsor Castle or Kew Palace, decorating it herself along with her ladies-in-waiting. This unusual new tradition caused a stir among the nobility who had never seen anything like it before. However, the tradition evolved and in 1800, the first English Christmas tree was placed in the Queen's Lodge drawing room at Windsor Castle to welcome the new century. The queen ordered a large holly tree instead of a branch, decorating it with various ornaments and candles to celebrate the New Year. As described by the queen’s biographer, writer John Watkins:
"Her Majesty celebrated Christmas in a very pleasant manner. Sixty poor families received an abundant dinner, and at night, the children of the principal families in the neighborhood were invited to a party at Queen's Lodge. In the center of the room was a huge tub with a holly tree placed in it, from whose branches hung bunches of sweets, almonds, raisins, papers, fruits and toys, arranged with much taste, and all illuminated by small wax candles. After the company had walked around and admired the tree, each child received a portion of the sweets that contained it, along with a toy, and then they all went home very pleased." (Watkins, 1819, pp. 462-463).
After this, Christmas trees caused a sensation among the English upper classes, becoming the focal point in numerous children's gatherings. When Queen Charlotte died in 1818, the tradition was already established in British society and continued to evolve throughout the 1820s and 1830s. Subsequent monarchs carried on with the Christmas tree tradition, such as Queen Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, wife of King William IV, or then Princess Victoria, who recorded her Christmas tree placed at Kensington Palace in 1832:
"After mother rang the bell three times we went in. There were two large round tables on which stood two trees with lights and sugar decorations. All the presents were arranged around the tree." (Queen Victoria, 1912, p. 61).
In 1840, already as queen, she celebrated her first married Christmas with Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and as a new mother to Princess Victoria Adelaide (Hubert, 1999, p. 84). A year later the couple had two children since on November 9, 1841, Prince Albert Edward, future King Edward VII was born. During that Christmas, the queen wrote in her diary as Prince Albert wrote to his father, Ernest I of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha:
«Today I have two children to whom I can give presents, who are filled with happy wonder at the German Christmas tree and its radiant candles.» (Fawcett, 1895, p. 122).
Christmas in Queen Victoria's royal family was celebrated following the German tradition introduced by Prince Albert to his family. Each member of the family had their own Christmas tree, usually firs from Coburg, decorated with candles, sweets and decorative cakes hung with ribbons, and paper chains, leaving gifts under them (Weintraub, 1997, p. 114). Interest in this German tradition increased when publications by newspapers such as Illustrated London News, Cassell's Magazine, and The Graphic, described royal Christmas trees from 1845 until the late 1850s,
In December of 1845, the London Missionary Society included a German Christmas tree as the central element in their party. The Illustrated London News explained to its readers that it was a Christmas tree: «In almost every family, this pleasant figure is placed, which has the appearance of a growing tree, loaded with an abundance of fruits and flowers; and on its branches, the different members of the family hang small gifts they have in mind for their loved ones; and when displaying the tree, the donors claim the gifts and give them to their friends with compliments» (Illustrated London News, 1845, p. 230). Two years later, in 1847, The Illustrated London News published a volume titled A German Christmas Eve, explaining to its readers how to make a Christmas tree step by step. A year after that, in December of the year 1848, in the Christmas supplement of Illustrated London News, it showed an engraving of the royal family: Queen Victoria and Prince Albert gathered around the tree with their six children and the queen's mother, Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, at Windsor Castle (figure 1). From the branches hung elegant baskets and candy dishes for various sweets, golden gingerbread, filled eggs, and ribbons in different colors.
This illustration created such anticipation and popularity among British society that from then on, the tradition of placing a Christmas tree with handmade decorations spread to all homes. Similarly, at parties for less fortunate children held in December, they were given Christmas trees with gifts that could be chosen. Prince Albert also sent numerous Christmas trees to schools or army barracks for soldiers who couldn't spend the holidays with their families. This Christmas tradition quickly spread not only within British society but also in the United States and Canada due to Queen Victoria's popularity. Conversely, Mediterranean countries showed less interest in this German Christmas tradition. The customs of Queen Victoria were followed with great interest by British society. The first advertisements for tree decorations appeared in 1853, while at the beginning of 1860 (figure 2), new innovations began to be included such as placing gifts under the tree instead of hanging them from branches; or having larger trees that the whole family decorates together rather than smaller ones on a table decorated individually by each person.
Between the decades of 1880 and 1890, the Christmas tree had conquered the country, adopted not only by the nobility but also by common people. By the end of the 19th century, Christmas tree decorations were a mix of different and varied ornaments hanging from branches with anything that could be decorated, unlike at the beginning of this century when style, colors, and delicate shapes prevailed. Thanks to the popularity of decorations and craftsmanship, having a Christmas tree became a symbol of status, as wealthier families could afford large trees occupying an entire room. Even in early 1900s, Christmas trees with Oriental or Egyptian themes became very popular in England. However, with Queen Victoria's death in 1901, Britain entered mourning and so did its beautiful Christmas trees (Hewitt, 2007, pp. 14-18).
In conclusion, the modern Christmas tree is a product of the progressive evolution of a German tradition brought to the British court at the beginning of the 19th century by foreign nobility. The longing for their customs and the desire to show them to their children and subjects were the origin of its spread. The appearance of the Christmas tree had great significance in family celebrations, creating an atmosphere of hope and festivity as one year ends and another begins with new opportunities.
Bibliography
Fawcett, M. G. (1895). Life of Her Majesty Queen Victoria. Roberts Brothers.
Hewitt, J. (2007). The Christmas Tree. Lulu Distribution.
Hubert, M. (1999). The Great British Christmas. Sutton Publishing.
Queen Victoria. (1912). The Girlhood of Queen Victoria: A Selection from Her Majesty's Diaries between the Years 1832 and 1840. Volume 1. Albemarle Street.
Watkins, J. (1819). Memoirs of Her Most Excellent Majesty Sophia-Charlotte, Queen of Great Britain: From Authentic Documents. Henry Colburn. Weintraub, S. (1997). Uncrowned King: The Life of Prince Albert. Free Press.
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