First Christmas Tree in Year 1510 - Riga Latvia Was Not Luther's Tree
When searching for the historical beginning of the first Christmas tree, one must go very deep into the past. Just like Santa Claus one finds that the first Christmas tree was combination of many different facts, legends and customs all starting in the Baltic countries and what is now Northern Germany. The first documented use of an evergreen tree in a Christmas celebration was in Riga, Latvia, in the year 1510 according to many sources.
(PRWEB) December 21, 2004 -- Twas the week before Christmas with Santa’s
elves making ready his sleigh; so let us set the First Christmas Tree legend
straight, once and for all. Many sources credit the first Christmas Tree to
Martin Luther’s walk in the forest near Riga Latvia in the year
1510.
According to Mike Johnson, General Manager of Patricia Tourist
Office in Riga Latvia, when searching for the historical beginning of the first
Christmas tree, one must go very deep into the past. Just like Santa Claus one
finds that the first Christmas tree was combination of many different facts,
legends and customs all starting in the Baltic countries and what is now
Northern Germany. But, there is some interesting intrigue in this history.
According to the organization Christmas Archives International UK. http://www.christmasarchives.com
In an email to
Patricia Tourist Office dated Thursday, January 17, 2002, 5:51:37 PM, Maria
Countess Maria Hubert von Staufer from Christmas Archives International UK
wrote: "I hope that you do not mind me telling you this, but as Riga is very
important in the History of the Christmas Tree, I thought it best to tell you so
that you will not have erroneous information."
The Riga tree reference
and the Martin Luther Tree reference are two different references. The Martin
Luther Tree was not the Riga Tree. In fact, little is known about the original
Riga tree other than the fact that it was attended by men wearing black hats,
and that after a ceremony, they burn the tree. This was a mixture of pagan and
Christian custom, as were very many of the customs in Central Europe. The Martin
Luther Tree was several decades later.
Latvia is a reborn destination
after 50 difficult years under Soviet Occupation. It is a must stop in your
visit to the Baltic countries.
http://www.latviatourism.info/why/
No charge, photo
usage license is granted for News press publication by Patricia Tourist Office,
Riga. All other photo usage require advance written approval.
http://www.latviaphoto.com/license/hrp.html
Photos of
Riga Latvia Christmas Tree and Christmas Market at Internet directory: http://latviaphoto.com/firstchristmastree/
http://latviaphoto.com/firstchristmastree/black_heads_house_christmas_tree_400x275.jpg
http://latviaphoto.com/firstchristmastree/black_heads_house_christmas_tree_1516x1024wm.jpg
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/12/prweb190380.htm