Christmas trees
Decorated holiday conifers
Christmas trees are evergreen trees—typically fir, spruce, or pine—decorated and displayed indoors during the Christmas season.
Real trees are cut and placed in stands; artificial versions are reusable.
Families decorate them with lights, ornaments, and tinsel, often placing wrapped gifts beneath: We put up the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving.
The tradition originated in Germany and spread widely in the 19th century.
Decorative embellishments for display
- baublesShowy worthless ornaments
- tinselMetallic decorative strips
- garlandDecorative strand of foliage
- lightsSources of illumination
star · angel · topper · ribbon · glitter · beads · snowflakes · icicles
Cone-bearing evergreen genus
- spruceNeat; also a conifer
- pineCone-bearing evergreen
- balsamFragrant medicinal resin
- noble firOrnamental Pacific conifer
blue spruce · white pine · cedar · cypress · needles · branches · trunk · sap
Winter holiday period
- adventNotable arrival or emergence
- family gatheringRelatives meeting socially
- choosingSelecting from alternatives
- cuttingDividing via sharp edge
lot · farm · watering · takedown · recycling · curbside pickup · childhood memories · generational
Retains foliage year-round
- eternal lifeUnending conscious existence
- hopeDesire for good outcomes
- rebirthSpiritual or physical regeneration
- winter solsticeShortest day, longest night
nativity · star of Bethlehem · religious · secular · pagan origins · Prince Albert
ornaments
Decorative embellishments for display
lights · star · angel · topper · ribbon · glitter · beads · snowflakes · icicles · bells
fir
Cone-bearing evergreen genus
noble fir · blue spruce · white pine · cedar · cypress · needles · branches · trunk · sap · resin
yuletide
Winter holiday period
- adventNotable arrival or emergence
- family gatheringRelatives meeting socially
- choosingSelecting from alternatives
cutting · lot · farm · watering · takedown · recycling · curbside pickup · childhood memories · generational
evergreen
Retains foliage year-round
- eternal lifeUnending conscious existence
- hopeDesire for good outcomes
- rebirthSpiritual or physical regeneration
winter solstice · nativity · star of Bethlehem · religious · secular · pagan origins · Prince Albert
artificial
Made, not natural
tabletop · flocked · white · aluminum · upside-down · full-size · miniature · rotating · fiber optic · pop-up
- Seasonal Motifsautumn, fall, spring flowers, springtime, summer
- Christmas displaysdecorations, lights, ornaments, Santa, Santa Claus
- German traditionsOktoberfest, lederhosen, dirndl, dirndls, beer gardens
- greeting card motifsfloral designs, roses, hearts, butterflies, ribbons
- holiday craftsEaster eggs, Easter baskets, gingerbread houses, wreaths, garlands
- German AmericansGerman Americans, German settlers, German immigration, Ellis Island, Albert Einstein
Christmas treesmenorahs
Jewish ritual candleholders
Easter eggs · jack-o'-lanterns · Easter baskets · Easter lilies · wreaths
Christmas treesold-growth forests
Long-established, uncut woodlands
tree, Christmas, Christmas tree, Christmastide, Christmastime