When did the Christmas Tree Started to be Used in Mexico?

The Christmas Tree is a typical decorative element of the December holidays today, but it has come a long way from Scandinavia to come to occupy a prominent role in homes around the world, without fear of being wrong, during Christmas, including Mexico. But how did it get here?

          What is the Origin of the Christmas Tree?

Before the arrival of Christianity in Scandinavia, its inhabitants practiced a religion that today we call Nordic paganism and that had a significant number of gods. Among them was Frey, god of the sun and fertility, who was celebrated at the beginning of the boreal winter by decorating a non-evergreen tree, such as a pine or a fir. Curiously, the symbolism of this tree is similar to that of the Mayan ceiba: the tree itself represents the world, the tip symbolizes the abode of the gods and the roots the underworld.

As happened in many parts of the world, when the Scandinavian peoples were Christianized they did not get rid of all their traditions, but rather modified their meaning. Thus, the Christmas Tree began to be a symbol of the birth of Jesus.

          How did this Tradition Spread Throughout the World?

It is likely that the first Christmas Tree as we know it today originated in Germany, where it was first placed in 1605 with the purpose of giving a warm touch to Christmas, during which there was extremely cold weather, marking the beginning of its expansion. In Finland it appeared in 1800, while in England it did so in 1829. The Christmas Tree first appeared in Windsor Castle in 1841, introduced by Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, who was Saxon

          It Arrived in Mexico in a Similar Way

In December 1864, the emperors of Mexico Maximilian of Habsburg, of Austrian origin, and his Belgian wife Charlotte were responsible for introducing the first Christmas tree in Mexico with the intention of creating a European Christmas atmosphere in their residence: Chapultepec Castle. Although it had already been declared the Tree of Christ by the Catholic Church years before, no one in Mexico had seen anything like it. Little by little it gained popularity and soon it was already adorning the end-of-year celebrations of the Mexican aristocracy.

With the death of Maximilian, the tradition was almost lost, but in 1878 General Miguel Negrete put one in his house, influenced by his trips to Europe and the United States, reviving and popularizing the beautiful custom.

It is worth mentioning that coniferous forests abound in the Mexican highlands, the origin of all natural Christmas Trees in Mexico.