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Thanks to the longstanding German tradition, most American homes will don a Christmas tree as part of this month’s holiday celebrations. This year though, a Christmas tree can make an even bigger impact than usual. That is because western North Carolina, where so many of our family and friends are still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Helene, is the nation’s second largest producer of live Christmas trees, behind only Oregon. NC has about 940 growers, who grow 53 million Christmas trees on about 33,000 acres in far western NC counties. In 2022, North Carolina Christmas tree growers provided more than 22% of the nation’s live Christmas trees, generating more than $144 million in revenue.

Jennifer Greene, executive director of the North Carolina Christmas Tree Association, emphasized the resiliency of North Carolina’s Christmas tree growers this year, and has encouraged all North Carolinians to consider purchasing a live tree to support these farms, which invest 10 to 15 years of care and attention into the trees you see for sale on lots or at retail stores each November and December. While few Christmas tree growers experienced dramatic crop loss due to the hurricane, nearly all the farms are facing logistical challenges this year due to damaged infrastructure in western NC.

North Carolina’s History with Christmas Trees

North Carolina’s storied position as a Christmas tree leader is thanks to several factors. The Fraser Fir, which comprises 96% of NC Christmas trees, is native to the southwestern Appalachian Mountains, growing naturally on seven of the highest peaks in NC, TN and VA. Named for John Fraser, a Scottish botanist who explored the southern Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina in the late 1700s, the Fraser Fir is especially prized for its resistance to shipping stress and temperature fluctuations. Thanks to its incredible needle retention, strong pliable branches, soft, dark green needles and pleasant aroma, the NC Fraser Fir has won the National Christmas Tree Association’s annual competition a record-setting 16 times, including in both 2023 and 2024. That distinction has resulted in 16 NC Fraser Fir trees being featured as the official White House Christmas tree since 1971.

How Christmas Trees Became a Staple of Christmas

The Christmas tree has both ancient and fairly contemporary roots.

• While there may have been some use of evergreen as a December decoration in ancient Egypt and Rome, it is generally agreed that Germans were the first culture to use trees as part of their Christmas celebrations.
• Here is one account of the 8^th century German missionary Boniface’s use of a fir tree to celebrate the birth of Christ on Christmas Eve. It was used as a means to counter the pagan devotion to the mythological god Thor’s “Thunder Oak.”
• During the American Revolution, Hessian mercenaries, fighting on behalf of the British, brought the Christmas tree tradition to the United States.
• Charles Minnegerode introduced the custom of decorating Christmas trees with strings of popcorn, nuts and lights in Williamsburg, Virginia in 1842.
• By 1900, one in five American families decorated trees during Christmas. The tradition was nearly universal by 1930.

The use of trees at Christmas encompasses a number of important Christian symbols and reminders, including:

• The evergreen as a reminder of Jesus’ own immortality and the promise of eternal life. (John 3:16)
• Strings of lights remind us that Jesus is “the light that shines in the darkness.” (John 1:5)
• Its very shape points heavenward, where Jesus has prepared a place for those who believe in Him. (John 14:1)

Tips For Getting Your Own Christmas Tree This Year

If you opt for a live tree this year, check to be sure your tree originated here in our own North Carolina mountains. Use this website to search for a choose-and-cut farm your family can visit or go here to find a lot closer to home. The North Carolina Christmas Tree Association also offers these helpful tips for getting the most enjoyment out of your tree.

• About 3 to 6 hours before securing your live Christmas tree in a large tree stand, cut a thin disk off the trunk to ensure maximum water absorption.
• Be sure to check your tree’s water level daily, as the rate of water use can differ based on the temperature and humidity.

Although there has never been a recorded fire caused by a Christmas tree, there are some safety guidelines growers want you to know.

• Water your tree daily to prevent it from getting dangerously dry too quickly.
• Be sure that all lights or electronic decorations on your tree are in good condition without worn or frayed wires or connections.
• Keep your tree away from heat sources like fireplaces, radiators or television sets.
• Turn off all tree decorations when you leave the house or go to bed.

Once you have finished enjoying your tree inside, place it in your back yard as a bird feeder or additional shelter for birds. If you have a pond, toss the tree into it to provide excellent refuge and feeding for fish.

If a live tree is not conducive to your home’s décor this year, consider purchasing a smaller live tree or a wreath, garland, or other greenery to decorate your porch and support North Carolina farmers. And whatever live décor or delicious food you enjoy as part of your holiday celebrations, remember to say a prayer of gratitude for the many hands who worked hard for so many months and years to bring it to your home.

Most importantly, let us all remember that the reason we decorate for and celebrate Christmas is Jesus Christ, of whom the angels sang, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11)