2-982-650 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Christmas Tree - drawn by J. A. Pasquier, 1858. '...the Christmas-tree, although only lately introduced into England, performs one of the most interesting and important parts in the Christmas ceremonies of Germany. Many years ago, while travelling through that country, I had the good fortune to be present at the celebration of Christmas-eve in the family of a physician named Elverdink, who lived at Drusenheim, near Strasbourg...On the eve of Christmas the largest parlour was taken possession of by the young people, who had invited as many of their friends and companions as could be collected to witness the installation of the Christmas-tree...when the Christmas-tree had been properly fixed in the centre of the room, and the little tapers fastened to the boughs lighted, and the glittering toys and flags and streamers of coloured paper with which it was decorated displayed to the best advantage, nothing more remained to be done -the signal was given, and the parents came into the room...treading softly and reverentially, and shading their eyes with their hands, as if dazzled by the unexpected brilliancy of the scene...Then the children clustered around their father and mother, and each presented his little gift with kisses and embraces', From the Christmas supplement to the "Illustrated London News", 1858.