Fascinating Trivia About Christmas Decorations (1) The Origin of Christmas Trees: The tradition of Christmas trees originated from Germany in the 16th century. It began as a decorated evergreen tree at home, and Martin Luther, the 16th-century Protestant reformer, is said to have added the first lighted candles to an evergreen tree. (2) Queen Victoria Popularized Christmas Trees: While Christmas trees had been in Britain since the 1830s, it was Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, who popularized the tradition. When a drawing of the royal family celebrating around a decorated Christmas tree was published in 1846, the public followed suit. (3) Electric Christmas Lights: The first known electrically illuminated Christmas tree was the creation of Edward H. Johnson, an associate of inventor Thomas Edison. In 1882, he decorated a Christmas tree in his New York home with 80 red, white, and blue electric incandescent light bulbs. (4) Artificial Christmas Trees: The first artificial Christmas trees were made in Germany in the 19th century and were made of goose feathers that were dyed green. Today's artificial trees can be made from PVC plastic, aluminum, fiber optics, and more. (5) Christmas Tree Toppers: The star or angel atop the Christmas tree can trace its origin to the Christian tradition, symbolizing either the Star of Bethlehem or the angel announcing the birth of Jesus. But in the 1950s, less conventional toppers such as Santa Claus, flags, or bows became popular. (6) World's Largest Floating Christmas Tree: Rio de Janeiro in Brazil held the Guinness World Record for the largest floating Christmas tree. The tree, which was 278.9 feet (85 meters) tall, was first displayed in 1996. (7) Colorful Christmas Baubles: Originally, Christmas baubles were made of glass. In the post-war era, American companies started producing plastic baubles, which were safer and more affordable. The first baubles were made in Lauscha, Germany, by Hans Greiner in the 16th century. (8) Candy Canes: The candy cane is a Christmas decoration and treat with a twist. Originally, they were made to keep children quiet during the long Christmas Mass in the 17th century in Germany. The shepherds' crook shape was used to remind children of the shepherds who visited baby Jesus. (9) Christmas Stockings: The tradition of hanging stockings comes from a Dutch legend. St. Nicholas once threw three bags of gold down the chimney of a poor man, which landed in stockings that were hanging by the fire to dry. (10) Mistletoe Kissing: This tradition originated from ancient Druids who believed mistletoe had mystical powers because it remained green in winter. It was later incorporated into Christmas celebrations, leading to the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe.