Text: Anna Lenskaya ON THE EVE OF A HOLIDAY IN EVERYONE OF US A WELL PASSED FOR JEWELRY AND AN UNEXPECTED STRENGTH FOR REDUNDANCY WAKES UP. WE DECOR THE SPACE AND COLOR FIR-WOOD, SUPPORTING THE OLD TRADITIONS OF THE KIND AND INVITING A HOLIDAY IN THE HOUSE!
Dressed up Christmas trees, as attributes of Christmas, appeared in the first half of the 17th century in Germany. The first decorations followed the Christian tradition. So, the star of Bethlehem served as the top. Apples hung on the branches - symbols of the fruits of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Strengthened candles - symbols of angelic purity. As tradition developed, the Christmas trees began to turn into home symbols of the New Year holiday for children. Decorations became more complicated. Artificial decorations, sweets, apples and nuts began to hang on the Christmas trees. By the way, according to one of the legends, the first glass Christmas decorations appeared in Saxony in the 16th century. That is, much earlier than the first documented installation of a traditional Christmas tree! Another legend connects the appearance of such a tree with a crop failure of apples in Germany in 1848: glassblowers of Thuringia made glass apples, laying the foundation for the production of Christmas toys.
Funny toys and figures
After the revolution, Christmas trees in the Country of Soviets were banned, only after 1935 it was decided to "return the holiday to Soviet children." All traditions were carefully cleared of a religious shade. And this was reflected in the resumption of the production of Christmas tree decorations ... All kinds of figures of people, animals, fruits, vegetables took the place of balls and angels. By the way, it was the variety of color figures on the branches that distinguished Soviet Christmas trees from Western ones, where decorations were multi-colored, but usually of the same shape.
Christmas balls 
The first ornamental decorations for the Christmas trees were balls made by glass-blowers of Lausch in Thuringia. Then the "glass apples", which were very popular among adults and children, began to blow with the same success in Saxony. The legendary rivalry of glassblowers from different parts of the world began ... In the Russian Empire, the glassblowing company in Klin, founded by decree of Menshikov, was considered the oldest in-house jewelry production. But in bulk jewelry was imported for the holidays from Europe or Germany.
Candles and boots
It is believed that the first candles were made in ancient Egypt. More than three thousand years ago. Candles were widely used in the Middle Ages. In the XV century, beeswax was first used. Such candles smoked less and smelled better ... Today, candles have become part of the decor and symbolize the holiday, bringing warmth and comfort to the house!
