There has been a lot of discussion around the size of the Christmas tree in front of the cenotaph in the Old Town area of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Today, Canadians spend the Christmas season elaborately decorating their homes to the delight of many of us. However, historically decorations have not been as grand as they are today. You’d be hard-pressed to find a Christmas tree in most Upper Canadian homes in the early 1800s. German soldiers, such as those in the de Watteville Regiment who arrived here in 1813, are believed to have brought the Christmas tree tradition to Canada during the War of 1812. It is also possible that a few German families in Niagara would have carried the tradition. The Christmas tree was not popular in English society until 1841 when the Royal Family was illustrated gathered around one in the newspaper. Queen Victoria married the German Prince Albert, who put up a Christmas tree in Windsor Castle and coincidentally, they were seen in the homes of all English families from that time on. The first record of a Christmas tree in Ontario was in 1855 when a young George Boulton wrote to his mother about a tree he had seen at a friend’s house. Along with handmade decorations, the trees were also decorated with lit candles, which could of course be very dangerous. By the end of the 19th century, the attitude towards the Christmas holidays and decorations had significantly changed. Simple greenery decorations were now replaced with more extravagant trees, wreaths, poinsettias and even mistletoe. With heritage and traditions in mind, hopefully, residents will calm their frustrations with our modest tree and instead consider donating to the Tommy Holiday Mission. The museum is open from 1 to 5 p.m. daily, so feel free to drop gifts by for the program!

Image credit: Engraving from the Illustrated London News showing Queen Victoria and Prince Albert around the Christmas tree, 1848, England © British Library Board. P.P.7611