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History

Feather Christmas trees were first created in Germany in the 1880s¹² or 1890s³ and are regarded as one of the first types of artificial Christmas trees.⁴⁵ These first artificial trees were, in part, a response to growing environmental concerns in the late 19th century concerning deforestation associated with the harvest of Christmas trees in Germany.⁶ The tradition of feather Christmas trees was brought to the United States by German immigrants in places such as Pennsylvania and Texas.⁷⁸

Feather Christmas trees became popular during the early 20th century,⁹ and were sold by department stores in the United States.¹⁰ Benefits touted for feather trees included the elimination of a trip to the tree lot and the lack of shed needles.¹¹ Today, feather Christmas trees are valued as a collectible antique.¹² One 90-centimeter (36-inch) German tree sold at auction in 2008 for $230.¹³

Design

Feather trees were initially made of green-dyed goose feathers which were attached to wire branches.¹⁴ The feathers were split and then secured with wire to form the branches.¹⁵ These wire branches were then wrapped around a central dowel which acted as the trunk.¹⁶ The branches were widely spaced to keep the candles from starting a fire, which allowed ample space for ornamentation.¹⁷ Feather Christmas trees ranged widely in size, from a small 5-centimeter (2-inch) tree to a large 2.5-meter (98-inch) tree sold in department stores during the 1920s.¹⁸ Often, the tree branches were tipped with artificial red berries which acted as candle holders.¹⁹

Further reading

• Crews, Barbara. "Feather Christmas Trees: Pictures, Prices and Patents Archived 2008-10-22 at the Wayback Machine", about.com, accessed March 28, 2009.
• Mueller, Thomas G. "Grandpa Salomon's German Christmas Tree", Germans From Russian Heritage Collection, North Dakota State University Libraries, updated December 18, 2008, accessed March 28, 2009.

External links

• "Country Mitten Feather Tree", (Image of 1930s Feather tree), Better Homes and Gardens, accessed March 28, 2009.
• "Joanne Hobbs Creates Goose Feather Christmas Trees at Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea", (Press release), Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea, via Kentucky.gov, November 25, 2008, accessed March 28, 2009.

References

1. Leiser, Amy. "The Pennsylvania Christmas Tree[permanent dead link‍]", Monroe County Historical Association, December 2005, accessed March 28, 2009. http://www.monroehistorical.org/articles/files/ea0ac5d12455fc7a3935b3c345311d4c-34.html ↩

2. John, J. A Christmas Compendium, (Google Books), Continuum International Publishing Group, 2005, p. 129, (ISBN 0826487491). https://books.google.com/books?id=yBP8a2jJ9A4C&dq=feather+christmas+trees+germany&pg=PA129 ↩

3. Marling, Karal Ann. Merry Christmas!: Celebrating America's Greatest Holiday, (Google Books), Harvard University Press, 2000, pp. 58–62, (ISBN 0674003187). https://books.google.com/books?id=EUc13_ourtYC&dq=feather+christmas+trees+germany&pg=PA58 ↩

4. John, J. A Christmas Compendium, (Google Books), Continuum International Publishing Group, 2005, p. 129, (ISBN 0826487491). https://books.google.com/books?id=yBP8a2jJ9A4C&dq=feather+christmas+trees+germany&pg=PA129 ↩

5. Silverthorne, Elizabeth. Christmas in Texas, (Google Books), Texas A&M University Press, 1994, p. 62, (ISBN 0890965781). https://books.google.com/books?id=9G-58ECNgTUC&dq=feather+christmas+trees+germany&pg=PA62 ↩

6. John, J. A Christmas Compendium, (Google Books), Continuum International Publishing Group, 2005, p. 129, (ISBN 0826487491). https://books.google.com/books?id=yBP8a2jJ9A4C&dq=feather+christmas+trees+germany&pg=PA129 ↩

7. Leiser, Amy. "The Pennsylvania Christmas Tree[permanent dead link‍]", Monroe County Historical Association, December 2005, accessed March 28, 2009. http://www.monroehistorical.org/articles/files/ea0ac5d12455fc7a3935b3c345311d4c-34.html ↩

8. Silverthorne, Elizabeth. Christmas in Texas, (Google Books), Texas A&M University Press, 1994, p. 62, (ISBN 0890965781). https://books.google.com/books?id=9G-58ECNgTUC&dq=feather+christmas+trees+germany&pg=PA62 ↩

9. John, J. A Christmas Compendium, (Google Books), Continuum International Publishing Group, 2005, p. 129, (ISBN 0826487491). https://books.google.com/books?id=yBP8a2jJ9A4C&dq=feather+christmas+trees+germany&pg=PA129 ↩

10. Silverthorne, Elizabeth. Christmas in Texas, (Google Books), Texas A&M University Press, 1994, p. 62, (ISBN 0890965781). https://books.google.com/books?id=9G-58ECNgTUC&dq=feather+christmas+trees+germany&pg=PA62 ↩

11. Marling, Karal Ann. Merry Christmas!: Celebrating America's Greatest Holiday, (Google Books), Harvard University Press, 2000, pp. 58–62, (ISBN 0674003187). https://books.google.com/books?id=EUc13_ourtYC&dq=feather+christmas+trees+germany&pg=PA58 ↩

12. Silverthorne, Elizabeth. Christmas in Texas, (Google Books), Texas A&M University Press, 1994, p. 62, (ISBN 0890965781). https://books.google.com/books?id=9G-58ECNgTUC&dq=feather+christmas+trees+germany&pg=PA62 ↩

13. Wiggins, Pamela. "Feather Christmas Tree Archived 2009-06-06 at the Wayback Machine", about.com, accessed March 28, 2009. http://antiques.about.com/od/holidaycollectiblespgs/ig/Christmas-Collectibles-Values/Early-German-Feather-Tree.htm ↩

14. Marling, Karal Ann. Merry Christmas!: Celebrating America's Greatest Holiday, (Google Books), Harvard University Press, 2000, pp. 58–62, (ISBN 0674003187). https://books.google.com/books?id=EUc13_ourtYC&dq=feather+christmas+trees+germany&pg=PA58 ↩

15. Leiser, Amy. "The Pennsylvania Christmas Tree[permanent dead link‍]", Monroe County Historical Association, December 2005, accessed March 28, 2009. http://www.monroehistorical.org/articles/files/ea0ac5d12455fc7a3935b3c345311d4c-34.html ↩

16. Marling, Karal Ann. Merry Christmas!: Celebrating America's Greatest Holiday, (Google Books), Harvard University Press, 2000, pp. 58–62, (ISBN 0674003187). https://books.google.com/books?id=EUc13_ourtYC&dq=feather+christmas+trees+germany&pg=PA58 ↩

17. Marling, Karal Ann. Merry Christmas!: Celebrating America's Greatest Holiday, (Google Books), Harvard University Press, 2000, pp. 58–62, (ISBN 0674003187). https://books.google.com/books?id=EUc13_ourtYC&dq=feather+christmas+trees+germany&pg=PA58 ↩

18. Silverthorne, Elizabeth. Christmas in Texas, (Google Books), Texas A&M University Press, 1994, p. 62, (ISBN 0890965781). https://books.google.com/books?id=9G-58ECNgTUC&dq=feather+christmas+trees+germany&pg=PA62 ↩

19. Marling, Karal Ann. Merry Christmas!: Celebrating America's Greatest Holiday, (Google Books), Harvard University Press, 2000, pp. 58–62, (ISBN 0674003187). https://books.google.com/books?id=EUc13_ourtYC&dq=feather+christmas+trees+germany&pg=PA58 ↩