Changes

==Modern Developments==

Credit for spreading the idea of a Christmas tree as a way to decorate the home during Christmas likely originates with Queen Victoria of Britain and German settlers who began to migrate to North America. Queen Victoria married a German husband, Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, who had in his traditions the use of Christmas trees during Christmas. Victoria herself was of German origin and had Christmas trees in her home as she grew up. After she was married, Queen Victoria began to circulate images of her family celebrating Christmas, with the Christmas tree shown, helping to make the imagery popular among the British public (Figure 2). As the royal family in Britain had a public role as symbols of the country, people began to mimic their practices. This included Christmas trees, where wealthier classes and up and coming classes began to decorate their homes with Christmas trees in response to the royal family's use of the trees. Soon charities even were established that provided poorer children with access to seeing or having Christmas trees. Thus, many classes soon began adopting Christmas trees and also associating Christmas with children and gift giving, which derived from the Norse tradition used in Germany. As Victoria's children married into other European royal families, this also helped spread the use of Christmas trees.<ref>For more on Victoria and the spread of the Christmas tree tradition, see: Rappaport, H. (2003). <i>Queen Victoria: a biographical companion</i>. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, pg. 91.</ref>

Initially, Christmas trees were decorated with apples, sweets and sometimes other ornaments. The round shapes of apples, in particular, were continued as glass and later plastic balls were used to decorate trees. In Germany, glass making industries began to specialize in colorful round and other types of decorations that were applied to trees, which then spread in popularity in other regions. The origin of tree-toppers or decorations at the top of the tree likely originates from the Victorian period, when the Queen and her family decorated their tree with an angel and later traditions began to use stars.<ref>For more on Christmas tree decorations and their change, see: Brenner, R. (1985). <i>Christmas past: a collectors’ guide to its history and decorations</i>. West Chester, Pa: Schiffer Pub.</ref>

==Summary==