Traditionally, the Christmas tree was not put up until 24th December, Christmas Eve, and it was taken down on 6th January, 12th Night. The Germans used to put their tree up on Christmas Eve and take it down on 1st January, once the New Year celebrations were over. However, modern commercialism dictates that a lot of trees now go up as early as the first or second week in December. This has been made possible by the fact that a lot of people use artificial trees - to bring a real fir or pine tree indoors that early would result in falling needles and half bare branches by Christmas Day.

The history of the Christmas tree certainly has its roots in Pagan traditions. The Norse pagans and Celtic Druids worshipped evergreens as manifestations of deity because they were eternal and did not die, but stayed green when all other trees and plants in nature were dead and bare in winter.

Scandinavian Pagans were thought to have started the trend of bringing decorated trees indoors in order to attract the native fairy folk and tree elementals into their homes to join in the celebrations. Germanic Pagan tribes are said to have been the first to place candles on the trees, while the Romans at Saturnalia, their midwinter festival, exchanged evergreen branches as a sign of good luck.

The first Christmas tree is said to have been brought to England by Prince Albert in the 1840s and a picture of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their children in front of a decorated Christmas tree appeared in the London Illustrated News. The fashion soon caught on and the Christmas tree became one of the main symbols of English Victorian Christmas. The way we decorate our Christmas trees nowadays owes a lot to the Victorians - we have copied their designs and decorations and when we think Christmas, it is basically a Victorian Christmas we think about. Prince Albert used to distribute large quantities of Christmas trees to schools and army barracks for the festive season.

It is said that the first Christmas trees in the United States were introduced by German settlers who brought the custom from their homeland. Nowadays it is customary for cities and councils to put up large trees for all to enjoy. Many of these are tied to specific events and are given as commemorative gifts, such as the Christmas tree that is given annually by the city of Oslo to the city of London as a token of appreciation for the British support of Norwegian resistance during the Second World War.

In the 1850s the Thuringian Christmas Markets in Germany began to sell fancy glass shaped garlands and gilt angels. By the 1860s the English Christmas trees would be hung with small gifts, although most gifts were still put inter the tree. By the 1890s the Victorians had managed to go completely over the top - the Christmas tree would stretch from floor to ceiling and be festooned in toys, tinsel and garlands, great fun for the children.

Marion runs a website about planning for the perfect Christmas. There are helpful tips for gift shopping, cooking baking and entertaining, as well as some information on the history of Christmas.