From metal to plastic, the evolution of the artificial Christmas tree has been colorful and exciting, spanning the seasons and the holidays where each incarnation of the artificial tree has been honed and trimmed to become more realistic and festive. Below chronicles the evolution of the artificial Christmas tree, from its humble, festive origins to its current full state of glory.
1747- The German Moravian Church in Pennsylvania makes the first version of the artificial Christmas tree that was made of wood, and pyramid shaped. It was illuminated by candles.
1880s- Germany makes more artificial Christmas tree incarnations, made of metal wire and strung with the green-dyed feathers of geese, swans and ostriches. It was a form of protest of the deforestation of the woods in Germany at the time.
1930-The Addis Brush Company creates an artificial Christmas tree made of the same materials as their main product, toilet brushes. They were animal hair brushes, made from the same machinery as their toilet brushes, and dyed green. This version of the artificial Christmas tree became popular as they could hold heavier ornaments and were less flammable than the feather type ones, and were exported all over the country and to Great Britain.
1950-The Addis Silver Pine tree was patented, and was designed to have a light source with different colored gels revolving under it to shine different colors throughout the tree.
1958- The first artificial Christmas tree made of aluminum is produced in Chicago.
1965-1970s- This decade is the height of aluminum artificial tree popularity. These trees were largely produced in Wisconsin, until their decline in the 1970s, as the negative portrayal of the tree in the movie “A Charlie Brown Christmas” lessened its popularity.
1970s to 1980s- When PVC came into the artificial tree picture. Most of the artificial Christmas tree selections of this time were made from PVC, but weren’t so realistic.
1990s- PVC trees look more realistic, as the technology of production gets better. It is here also that production begins to move to China.
1998- A fiber optic artificial tree is patented by David Gutshall, a tree that is made entirely of light.
2001-2007- Artificial Christmas tree sales move from 7.3 million to 17.4 million. Advancing technology creates the injection mold process for artificial trees, whereby a mold is made of a live tree species, and the mold is injected with polyethylene (PE). PE is a flexible and durable plastic, which allows artificial Christmas trees made of PE to last for years longer than their PVC cousins.
The artificial Christmas tree is gaining ground on the natural tree, and who can blame people for choosing them? The convenience, ease, price and beauty of these artificial trees truly make for good holidays with the family.
