OH CHRISTMAS TREE, OH CHRISTMAS TREE

It’s the most popular symbol of the Christmas season. I’m talking about the Christmas tree, of course.

Did you know that Riga in Latvia is the home of the first Christmas tree? Legend says that it was first erected over 500 years ago, and was decorated with paper flowers and burnt on the bonfire after the ceremony.

This tree was standing on the exact spot where the first recorded evergreen tree used in a New Year/Christmas celebration was put up: in front of the House of the Blackheads at the Town Hall Square in Riga. Of course, if the city is known as the home of the first Christmas tree, then it’s only appropriate that the holidays come early to the city, too. We took this photo during the first week of September.

Some countries celebrate the Christmas season way past New Year’s Day and the Epiphany. The ribbon-adorned tree in the capital of Andorra, for instance, was still up during the last week of January.

In the German city of Cologne, you will find the biggest Christmas market right in front of the Cathedral, and under the tallest natural Christmas tree in the region.

The tree also supports the market’s grand canopy of lights.
Finally, here’s a picture of the floating Christmas tree in Leiden, Netherlands. Yes, it was floating because that’s a (frozen) canal right there.

Hope you enjoyed this post!