Despite the many crises that beset the world today, Christmas trees have appeared every year seemingly earlier as a tradition that has withstood wars, climate change, viruses and other threats. Villages and cities, including war-torn areas, manage to display huge, bright and creative Christmas trees to spread the positive spirit of the holiday.
The origins of Christmas trees can be traced back to the use of evergreen trees in Ancient Egypt and Rome to the German tradition of using candle-lit trees that came to America in the 19th century.
We have Germany to thank for the use of Christmas trees as we know them. Sources contain information about the 16th century, when devout Christians brought decorated Christmas trees into their homes.
From the most famous tree in the world” (the title is still open to debate) to the “tallest” and “most beautiful”, from Paris to New York, Hong Kong, Manila and Lisbon – jauns.lv offers you a look at this year’s most magnificent Christmas trees.
US Capitol “People’s Christmas Tree”
US Capitol Christmas Tree. (Photo: Getty Images via AFP)
The tradition of the Capitol Christmas tree, or “People’s Tree”, began in 1964, when the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, John McCormack, placed a live Christmas tree on the Capitol lawn. This Christmas tree lived for three years before being damaged by wind and root damage.
In 1970, the architect of the Capitol asked the US Forest Service to provide a Christmas tree. Since then, a different national forest has been chosen each year to host the People’s Tree, which includes a community engagement campaign to connect with and honor national forests.
Paris Department Store Big Elves
Paris Department Store Christmas tree. (Photo: AFP/Scanpix)
What would Christmas be without a Christmas tree! It has been a tradition since 1976 in the Paris department store Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann. Every winter, a Christmas tree is majestically welcomed in the dome, which will make both young and old dream.
Light and transparency are the main focus of this Christmas tree, and Charles de Vilmorin’s amazing elves dance around the tree like a concert. Discovering Galeries Lafayette’s new Christmas tree every year is a real joy that never gets old.
Christmas tree – a bookshelf in a London station
This 12-meter-tall masterpiece is not just a festive centerpiece, it’s a wonderland inspired by the magical books created by the writers.
The Christmas tree design features a winding staircase and 270 shelves adorned with over 3,800 hand-painted books, including timeless classics such as Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and CS Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Europe’s most magnificent Christmas tree?
Krakow Christmas tree. (Photo: EPA/Scanpix)
Krakow, Poland is amazingly beautiful at any time of the year, but imagine all those beautiful buildings decorated with lights and covered in snow. Krakow’s Christmas markets are recognized as the most beautiful in Europe, and their Christmas tree is the most magnificent in Europe.
The tale of Madrid
Madrid Christmas tree. (Photo: ZUMAPRESS.com)
Christmas is a magical time when cities around the world are filled with lights and decorations, but few places do it as elegantly and glamorously as Madrid. During the festive season, the Spanish capital transforms into a fairy tale, and Christmas lights play an essential role in this metamorphosis.
The symbolic Christmas tree in one of the most iconic places in Madrid, Puerta del Sol becomes the epicenter of Christmas illumination. The decoration of this Christmas tree is impressive and it lights up in the dark, attracting crowds of people who gather to enjoy the festive atmosphere. Puerta del Sol is also famous for its clock that heralds the arrival of the New Year and the traditional countdown to the New Year.
The most famous tree in the world – New York’s Rockefeller Center Christmas tree
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. (Photo: REUTERS/SCANPIX)
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is a large Christmas tree placed annually at Rockefeller Center in Midtown Manhattan, New York, United States. The tree is installed in mid-November and lit in a public ceremony on the Wednesday evening after Thanksgiving. This year was already the 91st Christmas tree lighting.
According to Rockefeller Center Magazine, each year the tree, which is always the North Road Christmas tree, is chosen by the same person: Rockefeller Center head gardener Eric Pauze. This year’s tree weighs about 12 tons, is 24 meters tall and comes from Vestal, New York.
The tree is decorated with 50,000 multi-colored lights and is topped by a 408 kg star with 70 spiers covered with 3 million Swarovski crystals.
The Christmas tree in Kyiv lets you feel the holiday spirit in the war-torn country
Kyiv Christmas tree. (Photo: EPA/Scanpix)
On December 6, crowds gathered in one of Kyiv’s favorite squares to see Ukraine’s main Christmas tree light up, marking Saint Nicholas Day under the new calendar, which celebrates Christmas on December 25.
With Ukrainian troops locked in a 21-month war against Russia, it was the first time many Ukrainians marked the holiday according to a new calendar approved by the country’s main Orthodox church to distance itself from Russian practices.
2023-12-23 03:36:00
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