What Are The Most Popular Christmas Decorations?

But how did the tradition to use these items originate? Why do all people celebrating Christmas use the same decorations, regardless of the region? What was their purpose originally?

Unfortunately, people rarely wonder about these questions, thinking Christmas decorations are only used for visual appeal.

However, none of the holiday decorations we use these days is a modern invention.

The history of some items from pagan times; others have only appeared a couple of centuries ago. Still, there’s a reason why we use every of today’s popular Christmas decorations.

Due to their connection with paganism, some elements have survived prohibitions, such as garlands or a mistletoe.

Others have undergone significant visual evolution and have become nearly unrecognizable from their original versions.

These days, Christmas decorations have become a form of art or a never-ending competition.

Shopping malls, city streets, parks, houses – everything features breathtakingly beautiful ornaments and is lit up, beaming joy. The look of Christmas ornaments may have changed, but their symbolism hasn’t.

Christmas Lights

Christmas lights are, perhaps, the most popular Christmas decoration in the world. They adorn Christmas trees, doorways, house roofs and can be commonly seen on city streets and in shopping malls.

In other words, Christmas lights are a versatile decoration, but not many know how we started using them.

Christmas lights may seem a modern invention, but that’s a misconception. Historical evidence suggests that the decoration originated in Germany back in the 17th century.

Initially, the purpose of these lights was to illuminate Christmas tree ornaments.

Of course, Christmas lights weren’t initially electric. They started as regular candles.

Only in the late 19th century were candles replaced with glass lanterns, often ball-shaped. The first Christmas tree lit up by electricity dates to 1882 and stood in New York.

The first Christmas lights were too expensive to become popular in masses.

At the time, the $12 asked for the lights was the equivalent of about $80 in today’s money. The lights were produced by General Electric and were available in seven colors, including purple and opal.

Garlands

Along with Christmas lights, garlands are an extremely popular and versatile decoration suitable for indoor and outdoor use. However, garlands have been around for much longer than lights.

The history of garlands stems from the Bible. In Proverbs 4:9, we can see a definition of wisdom be “She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”

But, of course, at the time, garlands weren’t made from tinsel. Instead, they featured flowers, leaves, and other natural materials.

But even before Christianity has established in Europe, garlands were used in Pagan winter solstice festivals.

Usually, these garlands were made from evergreen plants such as holly and mistletoe. Greenery symbolized eternal life and the soon arrival of spring.

Despite mentions in the Bible, garland pagan origin made people in many regions frown upon the decoration until the Victorian Era.

Queen Victoria wanted to decorate the Christmas tree in the palace with garlands as her husband, Prince Albert, was from Germany, where garlands were accepted.

Following her example, the British started using garlands in house decoration, and the tradition has spread worldwide.

Nativity Set

Nativity set isn’t as widely used as Christmas lights or garlands, as this decoration has religious roots and thus is very personal to many.

It’s typically displayed at homes and in churches rather than in shopping malls. The Nativity scene shows Mary, Joseph, and newborn baby Jesus sleeping in a manger.

The first Nativity set was created in the 13th century by Saint Francis of Assi. Initially, the scene didn’t feature human figures, only a full-sized manger, hay, and an ox, and was set in a cave in Greccio, Italy.

We don’t know how exactly the tradition of setting up Nativity scenes has spread. But over time, a full-sized replication of a Biblical episode has evolved into small figurine sets.

Poinsettia and Mistletoe

The tradition to use mistletoe in house decoration for Christmas stems from pagan times.

Celtic Druids believed the plant restores fertility and symbolizes eternal life. Ancient Greeks and Romans thought mistletoe brings good luck.

But how did the tradition to kiss under a mistletoe originate? Historical evidence suggests it relates to English servants who could kiss any woman standing under a mistletoe. Women thought they would get bad luck if they refused.

A Mexican legend influences the association of poinsettia with Christmas. The story narrates about a child who had nothing to bring to church for Christmas.

He picked some weeds growing on the side of the road. After placing the weeds at the altar, he saw them turning into fiery red flowers.

Indeed, the plant was first found in Mexico and is named after Paul Poinsett. He wasn’t a botanic but rather the first Unites States Ambassador to Mexico.

He used to appear on television shows promoting the flower and started selling them as a Christmas decoration.

Wreaths

Wreaths are an ancient decoration. They were favored by the Romans, who hung wreaths on doors as a symbol of victory and their societal status.

Roman women also wore wreaths on their heads to show pride or as a decoration for special events. To this day, Olympic athletes are given laurel wreaths.

Christmas wreaths have nothing to do with victory or pride, though. Instead, evergreen plants used for such wreaths, like pine, spruce, or holly, symbolize immortality, and circular shape represents Christ’s love.

Traditionally, Christmas wreaths feature four candles embodying the four Sundays of Advent.

Pagans also used wreaths in winter solstice festivals, and they also featured four candles. But their candles symbolized nature spirits: earth, wind, fire, and water.

Today, Christmas wreaths can be made from any material: tinsel, wood, pine, metal, or paper. The most common Christmas wreath decorations include bows, berries, and pinecones.

Candles

Candles are involved in many Christmas traditions and are versatile decorations.

For example, they were used to illuminate Christmas tree ornaments before the invention of electricity. But the tradition to light up candles for Christmas also has religious origins.

One of the first documented mentions of Christmas candles stems from the Middle Ages.

Then, a large candle symbolized the star of Bethlehem or Jesus, as he’s commonly called The Light of The World. The same symbolism could have served as the start of the Advent Crown tradition.

The four Advent candles are being lit up during the four Sundays before Christmas. Traditionally, three of the candles were purple, symbolizing prayer, penance, and sacrifice.

More specifically, the first candle stands for hope and is called Prophecy Candle. The second candle stands for faith, and the third for peace – it’s called the Angel’s Candle.

One of the Advent candles is traditionally pink. It represents the joy of Christmas and is lit up on the third Sunday of Advent.

Christmas Tree Ornaments

Christmas tree ornaments can be found in nearly any home in the US, Europe, Asia, and Russia. The first Christmas tree decorations appeared in Germany in the 16th century. But they looked nothing like the modern version.

Originally, Christmas trees featured candles, apples, berries, nuts, and other nature’s gifts. Such ornaments were used until the Victorian Era.

But Queen Victoria had a creative mind and has decorated a Christmas tree in the palace with bows, small toys, intricate cakes, and hand-blown glass ornaments.

These days, you can find Christmas tree ornaments of any design imaginable. Glass, metal, or plastic, hand-crafted or factory-made, plain or richly embellished.

Baubles are the most common type, but there are also Christmas character-shaped figurines, bows, icicles, and endless other variations.

Holiday Figures

Figures of Christmas characters, such as Santa, reindeers, or snowmen, are popular today. You’ve likely seen life-sized or small figures made from clay, plush, metal, or wood. But their origin isn’t clear.

Such figures may have been inspired by the Nativity scene when a life-sized manger and two animals were displayed as a holiday symbol.

Figures of Santa Claus and other characters also have symbolic meaning, representing Christmas joy.

Porcelain Christmas figurines have been around for longer than large figures. Porcelain art has existed in China since the seventh century, but the Chinese didn’t celebrate Christmas.

The technique came to Europe in the 16th century, and the first porcelain Christmas figurines date to the same period.

Ribbons

Ribbons are widely utilized in Christmas tree decoration and gift packing. The applications are unlimited.

This narrow fabric comes in nearly any texture, color, and size imaginable, printed or plain, silky or velvet. But how did the story of this useful material start?

Unlike many other Christmas decorations, ribbons don’t have a religious origin. Until the Middle Ages, fabrics were rarely used for visual appeal.

Instead, it had primarily practical purposes. The silk used for the first ribbons was available only from merchants who traveled to eastern countries.

But in the early 19th century, the development of clothing manufacturing encouraged people to use fabric for decoration.

Ribbons were used only in clothing at that time, but in the early 20th century, people came up with an idea to use ribbons for gift packing.