France - Red Apple
Hundreds of years ago, foods such as fruits, candies and nuts were used to decorate Christmas trees in France. In particular, the French often hung red apples on the tree because red apples symbolize the fruit of wisdom - the forbidden fruit that Adam and Eve ate in the Garden of Eden.
However, according to legend, in 1858, a severe drought ruined the harvest, leaving people without apples and other fruit to decorate their trees with. So a glass craftsman in the village of Lorraine created fruit-shaped ornaments out of glass to replace real fruit. These glass ornaments are still popular today.
Ukraine - Spiders and cobwebs
One of the most unusual Christmas tree decorations in the world is the one in Ukraine using spiders and cobwebs. This decoration originates from a famous folk tale: Once upon a time, a family was so poor that they couldn’t afford Christmas decorations. So a spider helped them decorate their tree with cobwebs, and the next morning, the cobwebs turned into gold and silver, lifting the family out of poverty. Today, spider and cobweb decorations are still hung on trees across Ukraine in the hope of bringing similar luck.
America - Popcorn
In the 1950s and 1960s, many families in the United States decorated their Christmas trees with popcorn because the trees were outdoors and people often left food on the trees for birds and other wildlife. This decoration was so popular that people still hang popcorn on the trees even though today the trees are indoors.
Australia - Seashells
In Australia, Christmas is celebrated in the summer so decorations are less associated with winter. Instead of using ice and snow decorations, Australians often hang seashells on their Christmas trees. Each shell has a different style, can be real or made of plastic, glass and decorated beautifully.
Finland - Geometric ornaments
In Finland, people have been using geometric ornaments for centuries. Traditionally, they were made from barley straw and hung above the dining table from Christmas to midsummer to ensure a good harvest. This custom is still popular in Finland today and people use geometric ornaments in a variety of materials and colors.
Denmark - Paper Heart
It is a tradition in Denmark to fold red and white paper into hearts to hang on Christmas trees. These classic decorations are called “julehjerte” in Danish. One of the first people to decorate a tree with paper hearts was the famous writer Hans Christian Andersen. Those paper hearts are now on display at his museum in the Danish city of Odense.
Iceland - Yule Lads
In Iceland, people believe in a legend that children are visited by 13 Yule Lads, not Santa Claus. During the 13 days before Christmas, children will place a shoe by their bedroom window and a Yule Lad will leave a gift in it, such as candy, toys, or rotten potatoes, for naughty children. People also hang these 13 Yule Lads on Christmas trees throughout Iceland.
Germany - Candle
Germany has many famous Christmas decoration traditions, among which placing burning candles on the Christmas tree is one of the most popular. According to legend, the theologian and monk Martin Luther came up with this decoration in the 16th century because he wanted to create an image of a starry Christmas night sky. Nowadays, Germans often use electronic candles for safety reasons.
Netherlands - Kerstkransjes Cookies
During Christmas, the Dutch hang kerstkransjes cookies on their Christmas tree. These are round cookies that come in a variety of flavors, including butter, almond, chocolate, etc., and are tied to the branches with a red ribbon. At Christmas, people enjoy these delicious cookies and leave a red ribbon on the tree.
Japan - Origami Bird
Christmas is not an official holiday in Japan; in fact, many people consider it a normal working day. However, people who celebrate Christmas in Japan still decorate their homes lavishly for the holiday. Nowadays, there are many stores in Japan that sell Christmas decorations, but many years ago, it was not easy to buy Christmas decorations in Japan. So people decided to fold origami birds themselves and hang them on their Christmas trees.
