Wreath

Hanging a wreath on a door or a wall is almost as essential to decorating for yuletide as setting up a Christmas tree — and, as it turns out, the two traditions come from the same place.

“The tree gave birth to the wreath,” says Ace Collins, author of Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas.

The custom of bringing evergreens home during the winter began in the 16th century among northern and eastern Europeans — with Germans commonly credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition. During this period, pruning the tree was a part of the preparation process. “Limbs were often cut off in an attempt to make the tree more uniform in shape or to fit into a room,” Collins writes in his book. Instead of throwing the pieces of greenery away, the Europeans wove the excess into wreaths.

Source: Time

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