The good Alsatian idea: decorate a Christmas tree for the end of the year
The idea of the decorated Christmas tree dates back to the late 1400s, in the Middle Ages and its first mention is in the archives of Strasbourg (1492) and Saverne (1521).
At the time, it was not a Christmas tree, it was rather a decoration to celebrate the New Year.
The tree is installed in churches but does not yet have its balls, it is decorated with apples because it is the forbidden fruit!
For several centuries, the tree was not placed on the ground but suspended from the ceiling to prevent mice and rats from nibbling on the apples.
In the houses, we do not yet fit the entire tree because it is reserved for Protestant churches and temples, we are content simply to cut a few branches of fir around December 27 to decorate the living room, before the New Year. .
The good German idea: put Christmas trees everywhere
The invention of the fir tree is Alsatian, but from the 19th century, German families had the idea of doing the same thing … in their homes.
The tree is always suspended from the ceiling because it is decorated with apples and the Germans even add small cakes, hung on the branches.
To avoid tempting rats, we still do not put the tree on the ground.
We recap: the Alsatians invented the idea in churches, the Germans bring it into all homes.
The good Moselle idea: the balls!
In 1858, there was a huge drought in the east of the Moselle… no fruit, no apple available to decorate the trees.
The Goetzenbruck glassworks, near Meisenthal in Bitcherland, will then manufacture glass balls to replace apples.
Absolute wonder!
Everyone finds it beautiful and no one will want to go back to real apples.
And from then on, no need to hang the tree from the ceiling!
After the war of 1870 and the annexation of Alsace-Moselle by Germany, many Alsatians and Mosellans will leave their regions and settle everywhere in France and even in the United States, it is them which will make known the tradition of the Christmas tree to the whole world.
Moselle balls, Alsatian trees, German development: the Christmas tree is a great cooperation of good ideas between our countries.