How did the tradition of Christmas trees appear in our country?

The beautiful and magical tradition of Christmas trees has come into our life thanks to the royal family.

HOW IT WAS?

In Russia, the tradition of decorating their homes for Christmas with an evergreen tree began in 1817.

It was then that the young and cheerful beauty, the German princess Charlotte (in baptism the Grand Duchess Alexandra Fedorovna), the future empress and wife of Emperor Nicholas I, missing her native home and German customs, made a cheerful holiday for the first time in her new homeland.

She wanted to give one more reason for joy to her family and new subjects. It was then that for the first time in Russia, they put and dressed up a beautiful Christmas tree, gave gifts.

And although the holiday was very short (it began at eight o’clock, and at nine the guests had already left), everyone liked it, including Nikolai Pavlovich, who was then only twenty-first year old. And they began to arrange the Christmas tree annually.

Under Nicholas I, the Christmas tree in the Winter Palace became a strong tradition. Gradually, this custom spreads first among the aristocracy of St. Petersburg, and then among the townspeople.

As a rule, on Christmas Eve, after Christmas Eve, the Empress Alexandra Fedorovna arranged a Christmas tree for her children, and the whole retinue was invited to this family holiday. At the same time, each of the family members had their own tree, next to which stood a table for cooked gifts. And since there were many children and nephews, up to a dozen small Christmas trees were put in the ceremonial halls of the Winter Palace.

It should be noted that children's gifts looked rather modest. As a rule, these were various toys and sweets with obligatory “confections”. The memoirists recorded that Nicholas I personally visited the shops, choosing Christmas gifts for each of his loved ones.

From the Internet.