Decorating your home with a beautifully decorated and lit Christmas tree is a beloved holiday tradition, but how this tradition originated is still debated today.
One of the countries that claims to be home to the world's first Christmas tree is Latvia.
Riga, Latvia is claimed to be home to the world's first Christmas tree. (St. Petersburg)
How to say “Merry Christmas” to friends around the world in 10 languages
Several sources, including the National Christmas Tree Association, point out that the first written record of a decorated Christmas tree is from Riga, Latvia.
It is said that men from the Brotherhood of Blackheads, an association of unmarried merchants and foreign traders, decorated the tree with artificial roses.
They took the tree to market, danced around it, and then set it on fire in 1510, according to the National Christmas Tree Association.
A plaque with the inscription “The first New Year's tree in Riga in 1510” in eight languages is currently on display in Latvia.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt sold Christmas trees to local residents on his property in the 1930s.
Christmas trees appear in Riga every year, and it is said that this is where the first Christmas tree stood.
Tallinn, Estonia, disputes the idea that Latvia is home to the first tree and claims the title for itself.
Several sources, including Visit Tallinn, point out that the Brotherhood of Blackheads brought the tree to Tallinn's city square in 1441, but this was before the tree was installed in Latvia .
The winter months in Tallinn, Estonia are full of festive events, including Christmas markets where you can buy unique gifts. (Focus/Toomas Tuul/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Like Riga, Tallinn also puts up a Christmas tree in the main square every year during the holiday season.
German Christmas trees were decorated with apples instead of ornaments on “Adam and Eve Day” in the 1600s.
Both European cities offer holiday activities throughout the winter, including Christmas markets, festive decorations, and lively performances. Tourists will find plenty to explore during the holiday season, provided they don't mind the cold.
The cold climate produces a lot of snow in both Latvia and Estonia. So a white Christmas is definitely a possibility.
While the topic of where the first Christmas trees officially came from can cause some festive feuds, it's less controversial where the tradition of decorating trees inside the home began.
According to the National Christmas Tree Association, the tradition of bringing a Christmas tree into homes is believed to have originated in Germany in the 1600s.
At the time, apples, pieces of red paper and gold-plated nuts were all popular decorations to add to Christmas trees, officials said.
The tradition of decorating the Christmas tree with twinkling lights and various ornaments creates cherished moments for families. (St. Petersburg)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
According to History.com, the Christmas tree tradition began to gain traction in the United States in the 1800s.
It wasn't until 1901 that the country's first Christmas tree farm opened. WV McGalliard opened the country's first Christmas tree farm in New Jersey and was responsible for planting 25,000 Norway spruces, according to the National Christmas Tree Association.
There are currently approximately 15,000 Christmas tree farms across the United States.
Many families find holiday fun in going to a Christmas tree farm each year and choosing a tree to be the centerpiece of their December home celebration.
