Popcorn strings and candles part of tree trimming traditions from the past

Christmas is a time for tradition, but there are some traditions that have fallen away for more modern approaches to the holidays.

This is true of Christmas trees – while many still follow the ancient traditional of bringing evergreens into their homes, the way the trees are decorated has changed.

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Carolyn Blackstock is a teacher-interpreter of merchandise and domestic history at Waterloo Region Museum's Doon Heritage Village and she offered some insight into tree trimming traditions that have faded.

Candles

This is perhaps the most obvious tradition that is rarely seen today, largely because of the safety factor, Blackstock said.

"The typical holder was a little clip that would hold the candle on the tree and you'd have enough candles to light it up, not covered the way we do with electric lights. And of course, you couldn't light them for a long period," she said.

People didn't keep their trees for weeks ahead of Christmas – you wanted a fresh, green tree so it wouldn't catch fire

Despite the risk, the use of candles persisted long after electric and battery-operated lights came to market, Blackstock said.

"So many people loved the look of the candles," Blackstock said, adding she has done it herself once. "There is a certain look that's really hard to get any other way."

Edibles

People might put candy canes on their trees – and not just the usual mint flavour, but there's cherry, eggnog, bacon and even sriracha – but in times gone by, cookies, popcorn and even fruit and nuts would have donned trees.

Cookies would have been baked with a hole in them so they could be strung up with ribbon. That includes Springerle, "a molded cookie that has a picture imprinted on it," Blackstock said.

Apples or nuts would have been placed in baskets and put into the tree, or hung up with ribbon.

One tradition that is less common now, but not completely gone are popcorn strings. Some people liked just popcorn, some would string popcorn with cranberries.

"Everybody's different - every family, every household would do it their own way," she said.

Tabletop, feather trees

One Germanic tradition that held on in Waterloo region longer than other parts of the province was keeping a smaller tree on top of a table.

The tabletop would also be decorated in other ways – a nativity scene and perhaps models of a village.

There were also feather trees people might buy. The trees were made of goose feathers that were dyed green, red, blue or left plain white.

Less is more

Another big difference between trees of the past and trees of today is how much goes on them, Blackstock said.

"People didn't cover their trees in decorations," she said. "It allowed you to really see each individual ornament, and they often carefully chose each ornament rather than buying a set."

Do you have a favourite ornament or way of trimming your tree? Show us. Email us at [email protected] or post it on social media – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – and tag our username, CBCKW891.