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Kristin Rosenberg: Norwegian Spruce Branch If the celebration of the birth of Christ were compacted into one year, the tradition of the Christmas Tree would be but days old. Though the exact date of origin is disputed, it is widely recognized that the Christmas Tree is a German invention dating roughly from the 16th or 17th centuries. Early legend has it that the first Christmas tree was cut down by Martin Luther and decorated with candles to represent the star-filled Holy Night in Bethlehem. This beautiful and moving symbol caught on and soon became a tradition, with German immigrants bringing their ways -- including the Christmas Tree as a holiday tradition -- to the New World. In 1856, the first White House Christmas Tree was decorated by U.S. President Franklin Pierce. Once the Christmas Tree found its way into the nation's most prominent home, the moving image rapidly spread, becoming a Christmas tradition in nearly every home across the nation, dazzling all who gazed upon its beauty. France and Great Britain adopted the tradition in the 1840s; Queen Victoria kept a tree at Windsor Castle during the holidays. Today, it is the centerpiece of Christmas celebrations across the nation, and can take on many sizes and shapes: from giant saguaro cactus in sunny, dry Arizona to rich, green fir trees in the snow-frosted New England states. Artwork Copyright © 1979 Unicover Corporation. All Rights Reserved under United States and international copyright laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, transmit, or otherwise exploit the Artwork in any way. Images of the Artwork may be watermarked and/or digitally watermarked. Any sale of the physical original does not include or convey the Copyright or any right comprised in the copyright.
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