# People didn't ever really put candles on Xmas trees, did they? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 24, 2002, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-didnt-ever-really-put-candles-on-xmas-trees-did-they/144637 "2002-12-24T00:48:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-didnt-ever-really-put-candles-on-xmas-trees-did-they/144637/1 "2002-12-24T00:48:06Z")
We’ve all seen the drawings of old time, pre-Edison Christmas trees covered with little lit candles instead of electric lights. But come on, did anyone ever **really** do this? It just seems like it would be 100% guaranteed to set the tree on fire. Is this just artists’ embellishment, or does anyone’s great-grand-whatever really remember seeing these? ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-didnt-ever-really-put-candles-on-xmas-trees-did-they/144637/2 "2002-12-24T00:54:02Z")
Apparantly they did… > [@](#): > > The first decorated tree was at Riga in Latvia, in 1510. In the early 16th century, Martin Luther is said to have decorated a small Christmas Tree with candles, to show his children how the stars twinkled through the dark night. > [@](#): > > Decorations were still of a ‘home-made’ variety. Young Ladies spent hours at Christmas Crafts, quilling snowflakes and stars, sewing little pouches for secret gifts and paper baskets with sugared almonds in them. Small bead decorations, fine drawn out silver tinsel came from Germany together with beautiful Angels to sit at the top of the tree. Candles were often placed into wooden hoops for safety. [http://www.christmasarchives.com/trees.html](http://www.christmasarchives.com/trees.html) ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-didnt-ever-really-put-candles-on-xmas-trees-did-they/144637/3 "2002-12-24T01:21:09Z")
They still do, some places. For example, in Germany, it’s traditional to decorate the tree with candles on Christmas Eve. (Well, actually, the _Kristkindl_ does it. 😉 ) But the trick is that you _get_ your tree on Christmas Eve, too, so it’s fresh. I wouldn’t recommend unleashing the _Kristkindl_ on the week-old, partially dried out _Tannenbaum_ in your living room. ---
**Author:** ![XJETGIRLX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9fc29f/32.png) [@XJETGIRLX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XJETGIRLX)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-didnt-ever-really-put-candles-on-xmas-trees-did-they/144637/4 "2002-12-24T01:22:15Z")
I lived in Germany for 4 years when I was younger, and there they still do (or did at the time). Traditional German Christmases include candles on the trees (bucket of water is always handily nearby for both tree and candles) and a Christmas morning walk up the mountain for all the villagers to meet St. Nicholaus in his sleigh. ---
**Author:** ![happyheathen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5e925/32.png) [@happyheathen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happyheathen)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-didnt-ever-really-put-candles-on-xmas-trees-did-they/144637/5 "2002-12-24T02:50:50Z")
Does [this](http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33830&item=2150945195) answer your question? My brother used to do this when the kids were small and easily impressed (and unaware of the danger) ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-didnt-ever-really-put-candles-on-xmas-trees-did-they/144637/6 "2002-12-24T03:09:04Z")
That’s how the house on the way to Nanna’s burnt down, oh, 15 Christmases ago. > [@](#): > > **I wouldn’t recommend unleashing the _Kristkindl_ on the week-old, partially dried out Tannenbaum in your living room.** Lest it become Krist-kindling? ---
**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-didnt-ever-really-put-candles-on-xmas-trees-did-they/144637/7 "2002-12-24T03:43:24Z")
Candles in trees? Pfah. In Sweden, the young girl standing in for [St. Lucia](http://www.christmasmagazine.com/english/spirit/xmas_sweden02.asp) walks in a procession with candles in her hair. ---
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-didnt-ever-really-put-candles-on-xmas-trees-did-they/144637/8 "2002-12-24T07:48:46Z")
Just the other day, my mom was telling me about when she was little - and Christmas tree lights had big hot glass bulbs that were constantly cracking, shorting out, and making the tree smell of hot rubber. I thought that was scary, but candles?? ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-didnt-ever-really-put-candles-on-xmas-trees-did-they/144637/9 "2002-12-24T08:05:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Papermache Prince \* > \*\*Candles in trees? Pfah. In Sweden, the young girl standing in for [St. Lucia](http://www.christmasmagazine.com/english/spirit/xmas_sweden02.asp) walks in a procession with candles in her hair. \*\* In spite of the photo on that sight, I’ve never seen a young Lucia with real candles in her hair. It’s been replaced by a battery-powered construction which is far safer. The kids accompanying her will also frequently hold battery-powered candles, especially if they are very young. There are still a few nostalgics here in Norway who will put real candles on a Christmas tree - and get the tree on December 23, and light it only on Christmas Eve. However, most people wouldn’t dream of doing it any more - if you like the look, you can buy strings of “candle” lights to duplicate it without setting the house on fire. Mind you, December is by far the worst month for house fires in this country, in large part because people use so many candles _elsewhere…_ ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-didnt-ever-really-put-candles-on-xmas-trees-did-they/144637/10 "2002-12-24T09:22:52Z")
I have seen Lucia’s with candles in their hair, both here in the US and in Sweden. As far as age goes, I would say the girls were about 17-18, does that qualify as young? The girls with real candles walk very slowly and carefully, both on and off the stage. Beautiful sight, and beautiful sounds. ---
**Author:** ![GSV\_Consolation\_of\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f1d935/32.png) [@GSV\_Consolation\_of\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GSV_Consolation_of_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-didnt-ever-really-put-candles-on-xmas-trees-did-they/144637/11 "2002-12-24T10:14:46Z")
They do this in the Czech Republic too. It really freaked me out when I saw it, but they were very careful. and they were only lit for a few minutes while the special song (name escapes me) was sung. I don’t think you can even buy the special holders for them here in the UK, I’ve never seen them but then I’ve never looked either so YMMV. Velice Vánoce and a happy New Year to everyone by the way. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-didnt-ever-really-put-candles-on-xmas-trees-did-they/144637/12 "2002-12-24T11:34:51Z")
A danish friend of mine suggested to me that real candles were fairly common in Denmark. A combination of fresh trees, caution, and experience kept the practice safe. She also said that real candles are much more beautiful on a tree than our electric lights, and I believe her. ---
**Author:** ![auRa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@auRa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auRa)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-didnt-ever-really-put-candles-on-xmas-trees-did-they/144637/13 "2002-12-24T12:35:14Z")
My grandparents used to have live candles on their Christmas tree when I was very small. Then my parents started having lots of little boys. 🙂 Now my grandfather uses electric lights. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-didnt-ever-really-put-candles-on-xmas-trees-did-they/144637/14 "2002-12-24T12:43:19Z")
The entire family is wearing St. Lucia candle-hats during the Christmas dinner scene in the film comedy [_The Ref_](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0110955) (1994). This caused my German girlfriend to crack up, since she knew that normally only young girls wear such things. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-didnt-ever-really-put-candles-on-xmas-trees-did-they/144637/15 "2002-12-24T15:45:50Z")
I bought some used candles on strings for the tree this year. Only this time they are electrical 🙂 Im sure they got the idea from using real ones before. ---
**Author:** ![Quitesane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/8dc957/32.png) [@Quitesane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quitesane)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-didnt-ever-really-put-candles-on-xmas-trees-did-they/144637/16 "2002-12-24T16:08:04Z")
> [@](#): > > A danish friend of mine suggested to me that real candles were fairly common in Denmark. A combination of fresh trees, caution, and experience kept the practice safe. She also said that real candles are much more beautiful on a tree than our electric lights, and I believe her. I’m from Denmark and we plan to have real candles on our real tree tonight. Electric lights just wouldn’t be the same. But, yeah, it does cause the occasional fire 😮 Merry Christmas 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-didnt-ever-really-put-candles-on-xmas-trees-did-they/144637/17 "2002-12-24T16:20:32Z")
My uncle married a German woman. The first Christmas they spent together, he thought she was crazy when she put candles on the tree. (They don’t do it anymore, though.) ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-didnt-ever-really-put-candles-on-xmas-trees-did-they/144637/18 "2002-12-24T16:49:30Z")
Yeah, it always struck me as ‘Suicide by Tree’, too. Good God, what was the annual body count? ---
**Author:** ![RedDawgEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@RedDawgEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedDawgEsq)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-didnt-ever-really-put-candles-on-xmas-trees-did-they/144637/19 "2002-12-24T17:07:39Z")
Somewhere in my vast unorganized collection of “stuff” is a glass plate photographic negative which shows a Christmas tree with \*\*BURNING[/b/] candles attached. I have no information as to the exact vintage or location of the setting, nor of how long it remained after the picture was taken. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-didnt-ever-really-put-candles-on-xmas-trees-did-they/144637/20 "2002-12-24T17:35:44Z")
Some friends of ours in a burb W of Chicago did candles on their tree every year. In their minds, it was a celebration of their German ethnicity. It was quite a hassle - candles lasted only very briefly, and had to be watched carefully. Haven’t seen them for 8 years or so. Think I would have heard, tho, if they perished in a blazing inferno. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-didnt-ever-really-put-candles-on-xmas-trees-did-they/144637.md?page=2)