Christmas Trees, Xmas Trees

A Christmas tree, which is also known as Yule tree, holiday tree or Tannenbaum (German: fir tree) is one of the most popular traditions associated with the celebration of Christmas. It is normally an evergreen coniferous tree that is brought into a home or used in the open, and is decorated with Christmas lights and colorful Christmas ornaments during the days around Christmas. An angel or star is often placed at the top of the tree, representing the host of angels or the Star of Bethlehem from the Nativity story.

Both setting up and taking down a Christmas tree are done on specific dates. In Europe, when the practice of setting up evergreen trees originated in pagan times, the practice was associated with the Winter Solstice, around December 21. Tree decoration was later adopted into Christian practice after the Church set December 25 as the birth of Christ, thereby supplanting the pagan celebration of the solstice. Traditionally, Christmas trees were not brought in and decorated until Christmas Eve (24 December), and then removed the day after twelfth night (6 January); to have a tree up before or after these dates was even considered bad luck.

Types of Christmas Trees

The most commonly used species are fir (Abies), which have the benefit of not shedding their needles when they dry out, as well as retaining good foliage colour and scent; but species in other genera are also used.

In northern Europe most commonly used are:

* Silver Fir Abies alba (the original species)
* Nordmann Fir Abies nordmanniana (as in the photo)
* Noble Fir Abies procera
* Norway Spruce Picea abies (generally the cheapest)
* Serbian Spruce Picea omorika
* Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris
* Stone Pine Pinus pinea (as small table-top trees)
* Swiss Pine Pinus cembra

In North America, Central America and South America most commonly used are:

* Balsam Fir Abies balsamea
* Fraser Fir Abies fraseri
* Grand Fir Abies grandis
* Guatemalan Fir Abies guatemalensis
* Noble Fir Abies procera
* Red Fir Abies magnifica
* Coast Douglas-fir Pseudotsuga menziesii
* Jeffrey Pine Pinus jeffreyi
* Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris
* Stone Pine Pinus pinea (as small table-top trees)
* Norfolk Island pine Araucaria heterophylla