E2BN Gallery

Another legend tells how the tradition of bringing a tree inside was started in Germany by Martin Luther, a monk and church reformer. He was returning home one wintry night in 1535, when he saw the stars twinkling in the sky through the tree branches. Luther was amazed by the sight and, when he arrived home, he was eager to tell his family about it. To help them understand, he went to the woods and cut down a small fir tree. He brought it indoors and decorated it with candles, which represented the stars he had seen.