the song oh christmas tree was written in the early 15th century.
the song oh christmas tree was written in the early 15th century.
when was the song oh christmas tree written?
early 15th century
o tannenbaum









































"" (; "o fir tree", english: "o christmas tree") is a german christmas song. based on a traditional folk song, it became associated with the traditional christmas tree by the early 20th century and sung as a christmas carol.









































section::::history.









































the modern lyrics were written in 1824, by the leipzig organist, teacher and composer ernst anschütz. a "tannenbaum" is a fir tree. the lyrics do not actually refer to christmas, or describe a decorated christmas tree. instead, they refer to the fir's evergreen quality as a symbol of constancy and faithfulness.
o tannenbaum
several cities in the united states with german connections lay claim to that country's first christmas tree: windsor locks, connecticut, claims that a hessian soldier put up a christmas tree in 1777 while imprisoned at the noden-reed house, while the "first christmas tree in america" is also claimed by easton, pennsylvania, where german settlers purportedly erected a christmas tree in 1816. in his diary, matthew zahm of lancaster, pennsylvania, recorded the use of a christmas tree in 1821, leading lancaster to also lay claim to the first christmas tree in america. other accounts credit charles follen, a german immigrant to boston, for being the first to introduce to america the custom of decorating a christmas tree. august imgard, a german immigrant living in wooster, ohio, is said to be the first to popularize the practice of decorating a tree with candy canes. in 1847, imgard cut a blue spruce tree from a woods outside town, had the wooster village tinsmith construct a star, and placed the tree in his house, decorating it with paper ornaments, gilded nuts and kuchen. german immigrant charles minnigerode accepted a position as a professor of humanities at the college of william & mary in williamsburg, virginia, in 1842, where he taught latin and greek. entering into the social life of the virginia tidewater, minnigerode introduced the german custom of decorating an evergreen tree at christmas at the home of law professor st. george tucker, thereby becoming another of many influences that prompted americans to adopt the practice at about that time. an 1853 article on christmas customs in pennsylvania defines them as mostly "german in origin", including the christmas tree, which is "planted in a flower pot filled with earth, and its branches are covered with presents, chiefly of confectionary, for the younger members of the family." the article distinguishes between customs in different states however, claiming that in new england generally "christmas is not much celebrated", whereas in pennsylvania and new york it is.
christmas tree