The modern Christmas tree tradition is most strongly associated with Germany, where decorating evergreen trees for Christmas became widespread among Christian families in the 16th century.

Origins in Central Europe

Historians point to Central Europe, especially German-speaking regions and nearby Baltic areas (in today’s Estonia and Latvia), as the birthplace of the Christmas tree custom. Records show decorated trees used by German Protestants and communities in Livonia during the 1400s–1500s, which then spread through German society.

Why Germany Gets Credit

While cities like Tallinn (Estonia) and Riga (Latvia) claim some of the earliest documented Christmas trees, the tradition of bringing a decorated evergreen into the home for Christmas developed and standardized in German lands. Because German culture spread this practice to countries such as Britain, France, and the United States, Germany is usually named as the country that “invented” the Christmas tree tradition in its recognizable modern form.