Maddie James
The Victorian era saw the introduction and revival of many Christmas traditions that we still celebrate today. One of these traditions was the Christmas tree, which was popularized by Prince Albert, the German-born husband of Queen Victoria. The Victorians decorated their Christmas trees with candles, sweet treats, fruits, nuts, and cakes hung from the branches by ribbons. Candles were expensive at the time, so only wealthier families could afford them. However, by the mid-19th century, cheaper candles and greater wealth made candles a standard part of the festive season for middle-class families. The candles were usually mounted on holders with a dish of thin foil to catch any hot wax. Today, candles can still be used to decorate Christmas trees, although they are often unlit due to fire hazards.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Candle holders | Dish of thin foil to catch hot wax |
| Candle type | Wax tapers |
| Other decorations | Sweet treats, fruit, nuts, cakes, gingerbread, coloured baubles |
| Fire safety | Branches above the candle trimmed back |
| Country of origin | Germany |
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What You'll Learn
Wealthier German Protestants could afford candles
Candles were mounted on holders with a dish of thin foil to catch any hot wax before it dripped and caused problems. The branches above the candle had to be carefully trimmed back to prevent the tree from catching fire.
The Christmas tree was introduced to England by Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, who was born in Germany. The Illustrated London News published an image of the royal family decorating their Christmas tree in 1848, and soon Christmas trees became popular across the country.
The Victorians decorated their trees with sweet treats, fruit, nuts, and cakes hung from the branches by ribbons. They also gilded fruits and nuts with gold leaf or gold paint.
Today, some people still prefer to use real candles and vintage candle holders on their Christmas trees, finding the elegant, natural look of candles more appealing than LED lights.
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Candles were mounted on holders with foil to catch wax
The Victorian Christmas tree was decorated with candles, sweet treats, fruit, nuts, and cakes hung from the branches by ribbons. The candles were usually mounted on holders with a dish of thin foil to catch any hot wax before it dripped and caused problems.
Candles were expensive at the time, so only wealthier German Protestants could afford them. It was not until the mid-19th century that cheaper candles and greater wealth combined to make candles on the tree a standard part of the festive season for middle-class families. By the 1860s, it was usual to have more than one candle, with some trees having a dozen or more lit on Christmas Day.
The first use of electric lights instead of candles came in 1882 as part of a marketing publicity stunt by the Edison Electric Light Company in New York. However, due to the high cost of electric light bulbs, fairy lights did not become popular until the 1930s when prices dropped.
Today, candles on Christmas trees are considered a fire hazard and are not recommended to be lit. However, candle-like fairy lights are available as a safer alternative to create a Victorian-style Christmas tree.
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Candles were a fire hazard
The highly flammable nature of resin-rich Christmas trees meant that the risk of fire was ever-present. As the tree dried out over the festive season, the danger increased. It is no surprise, then, that candles were expensive objects, and for many years, only wealthier German Protestants could afford them.
By the mid-19th century, cheaper candles and greater wealth meant that candles became a standard part of the festive season for middle-class families. By the 1860s, it was usual to have more than one candle, with some trees having a dozen or more lit on Christmas Day.
The first use of electric lights on a Christmas tree came in 1882, but candles remained in use, gradually slipping under the radar as electric tree lights became popular in the 1920s and 1930s. Today, if candles are used to decorate trees, they are unlit due to the fire hazard.
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Candles were replaced by electric lights in 1882
The Victorian Christmas tree was decorated with candles, sweet treats, fruits, nuts, and cakes hung from the branches by ribbons. Candles were expensive at the time, so only wealthier German Protestants could afford them. However, by the mid-19th century, cheaper candles and greater wealth made candles a standard part of the festive season for middle-class families.
The first use of electric lights instead of candles came in 1882 as part of a marketing publicity stunt by the Edison Electric Light Company in New York. The cost of electric light bulbs meant that these fairy lights did not become popular until the 1930s when prices came down.
The Victorian Christmas tree was introduced to England by Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, who was born in Germany. In 1848, the Illustrated London News published an image of the royal family decorating their Christmas tree, after which Christmas trees became popular across the country.
The Christmas tree was already a regular feature in Germany, and many other Christmas traditions celebrated there were popularised by Prince Albert, including the Christmas tree. The inclusion of a roast turkey at the end of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, published in 1843, also helped cement the tradition of a meaty feast at Christmas dinner tables.
The Victorians decorated their Christmas trees with gingerbread, coloured baubles, and candles. They also had a fondness for glitter and gold, frosting the tips of holly and ivy leaves with crystals, and using gold leaf to gild fruits and nuts.
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Candles were part of a tree's decorations
Candles were a standard part of Christmas tree decorations in the mid-19th century. The Christmas tree itself was introduced to England by Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, who was German. After an image of the royal family decorating their Christmas tree was published in 1848, it soon became a popular addition to homes across the country.
Candles were expensive at the time, so only wealthier families could afford them. However, by the mid-19th century, cheaper candles became available, and greater wealth meant that candles became a standard part of the festive season for middle-class families. By the 1860s, it was common to have more than one candle, with some trees having a dozen or more lit on Christmas Day.
The candles were usually mounted on holders with a dish of thin foil to catch any hot wax before it dripped. To prevent fires, the branches above the candles had to be carefully trimmed back.
The Victorians decorated their Christmas trees with sweet treats, fruit, nuts, and cakes hung from the branches by ribbons. They also gilded fruits and nuts with gold leaf or gold paint, creating a glittering, golden effect.
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Frequently asked questions
The Victorians used candle holders, which often had a dish of thin foil to catch any hot wax before it dripped.
Yes, candles posed a fire risk, particularly as the tree dried out. Branches above the candle had to be carefully trimmed back.
Candles were expensive, so for many years only wealthier families could afford them. By the mid-19th century, cheaper candles and greater wealth meant that candles became more common.
No, it is widely thought that the Protestant reformer Martin Luther was the first to add a lit candle to a Christmas tree in around 1525. The Victorians did, however, popularise the tradition.
