The Christmas Tree in America
In 1851, the Rev. Heinrich Christian Schwan, a German immigrant and Lutheran pastor, added to Cleveland, Ohio's rich history when he introduced the first lighted Christmas tree in Zion Lutheran church and helped spread the tradition across America. Now, over a century and a half later, Schwan's Tannenbaum, has branched out into numerous variations though its history remains rooted in Germanic tradition.
Rev. Schwan certainly was raised with the idea of a Christmas tree since the tradition was born in Germany by the early Vikings who lived in the area. These people venerated the evergreen as a tree of life because it remained green year round and would adorn the trees with coins and charms. When St. Boniface came to Germany to teach Christianity, he used the three points of the evergreen to symbolize the Trinity. Around the 12th century, European tradition was to hang the tree upside down from the ceiling to symbolize Christianity but it wasn't until the 16th century in Germany that the Christmas tree became a regular symbol and tradition of Christmas.
Rev. Schwan and his wife arrived in Cleveland from Germany in 1851 where Schwan became pastor of the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church. To celebrate the couple's first Cleveland Christmas, Schwan sauntered to the nearby forest where he selected and cut down a fine evergreen and brought it back to his church. Together, they adorned the tree with cookies, colored ribbons, fancy nuts and candles and topped it with a silver star from his childhood. Content and happy, the couple was eager to present it to their German congregation, most of whom were probably familiar with the tradition.
While many in his congregation were pleased, others were shocked, and some newspapers reported the event as idolatrous, heathenish and nonsensical. But Schwan stood by his actions and left the tree standing. However, shortly thereafter, he gave in and took down his tree. The following year, in 1852, Schwan accented his church once again with a tree and, to his surprise, found that he was not alone. Within five years Christmas trees were found all over the country. Now we can’t imagine Christmas without it.