Candles for Christmas Tree- Explanation, Tradition, Significance
I grew up spending Christmas with my great-grandmother, she always had candles on her tree. They were in little holders that clipped to the branches. The whole family, aunts, uncles, and cousins would go to her house for tea on Christmas Day. The Christmas tree with candles is in the center of the room and only when the candles burned down could we stop and open our presents.
I inherited this tradition from her – in a safe way. I hope this custom will never be lost, so I present this article and wish to spread what I learned from my great-grandmother.
What are the candles on the Christmas tree?
When I talk about Christmas tree candles, I mean candles that are clipped to the tree, not candles in the shape of a Christmas tree or some kind of candle that smells like a real tree. Perhaps you are downright puzzled by the notion of using real candles. But it’s true. People did it regularly up until the 1920’s to 1950’s.
Part of the difference is that people of that era were very familiar with household candles. In the winter, many people lit a dozen candles every morning and evening. They had an experiential and intuitive understanding of the proper clearances for open flame.
Also note, they didn’t put dozens of candles all over the tree as we do lights. It was much fewer.
I understand that there are concerns about the potential fire hazard of using real candles on your Christmas tree, so I share some tips at the end of the article.
What is the history of the candles on the Christmas tree?
The first person to put candles on a Christmas tree is widely believed to be the 16th-century Protestant reformer Martin Luther. He was walking home then was struck by the beauty of twinkling stars shining in the moonlight among the evergreens. To recreate the scene for his family, he placed a tree in his room and decorated lighted candles on its branches.
Then, Moravian Christians began to illuminate Christmas trees with candles. By the beginning of the 17th century, in Germany, people placed a big candle at the top of the Christmas tree to represent the Star of Bethlehem.
In 1747, the Moravian Germans of Pennsylvania had a community tree in the shape of a wooden pyramid decorated with candles.
In 1848, The Illustrated London News ran a story detailing the Christmas tree at Windsor Castle, adorned with lighted candles, and showed the main Christmas tree surrounded by Queen Victoria and other members of the royal family on the cover. In those days, Queen Victoria was a fashion icon, so everything she did became fashionable. The candle-lit Christmas tree gained traction in the Western world after a photo of the Queen and her family posing in front of the decorated tree was printed! Over the next decade, the tradition gradually spread widely among upper-middle-class families.
In 1882, Edison’s friend and partner, Edward H. Johnson, assembled the first string of electric Christmas tree lights. Cause Christmas lights were too expensive, electric Christmas lights did not become the main alternative to candles until 1930. In the mid-1950s these lights were adopted by the average household. But most people still keep the tradition of placing real candles on the Christmas tree.
Why do we put candles on a Christmas tree?
Initially, people put candles on the Christmas tree only to illuminate the tree and make the beautiful decorations on the tree more visible.
As Christianity spread, candles gradually took on their symbolic meaning, for them, the lit candle represented the Star of Bethlehem, which guided the Magi to the stable where Jesus was born. Candles also represented Jesus Christ as the “Light of the World”.
Today, people put candles on their Christmas trees to create a warm, inviting atmosphere that electric lights can’t match.
Is it safe to put candles on a Christmas tree?
It is fairly safe if you’re careful the tree and not place candles directly under another branch. When I was growing up, my great-grandmother had real candles in the tree. I’ve never experienced a fire, but I know that fires do happen if we don’t follow the rules. For those concerned with fire hazards:
- The candles are only lit up when the whole family is gathered around the tree on Christmas Eve, usually before dancing/singing around it. Never without supervision.
- The candles are held in place with clips and holders so they don’t tip over.
- We will fill a bucket of water beforehand, just in case.
- Positioning is important. You don’t want to put a candle directly under another branch.
- Tree decorations are usually lower-profile than others, so less risk of decoration catching fire.
- It looks great when you turn off all the electric lights! There’s nothing better than real candles.
My experience on how to use candles on a Christmas tree safely
Now, if you are interested in this tradition. Here are some safety rules that I learned from my great-grandmother.
- Stable placement: Ensure that candles are placed in strong holders and securely fastened to branches and away from flammable decorations.
- Attended lighting: never leave a lit candle unattended. Light candles only when you and your family can enjoy them together and blow them out before leaving the room. Don’t keep candles lit 24/7 like Christmas lights.
- Proper spacing: Keep enough space between candles to prevent heat buildup that could ignite nearby decorations or the tree itself.
- Fire-resistant decorations: Choose to place fire-resistant or non-flammable decorations near your candles. This simple change can greatly reduce the risk of fire.
- Use fresh trees: If using real trees, make sure they are fresh and well-watered. Dry trees can be a fire hazard, while well-maintained and well-watered trees are less likely to catch fire.
- By following these safety tips, you can still participate in this charming tradition without compromising safety.
so many details to keep in mind if you ever do want to do live candles. Please be very very careful and look into it. Safety is always Paramount especially if you have kids around as well. Be careful to make sure that they understand that they are not toys.
Final Thoughts
Safe use of real Christmas tree candles requires care and constant attention, and if that is not possible, an alternative may be this candle-shaped electric light, which maintains a balance between preserving tradition and safety. Ultimately, the appeal of Christmas tree candles lies in their ability to evoke warmth, nostalgia and joy. That’s all I wanted to share, feel free to point out any questions in the comments.