NewsPronto

 
Men's Weekly

.

USA Conversation

The Conversation USA

The Conversation USA

The Christmas tree is a tradition older than Christmas

  • Written by Troy Bickham, Professor of History, Texas A&M University
imagePublic Christmas trees, like Rockefeller Center's famous tree, didn't start appearing in the U.S. until the 20th century. Nicholas Hunt/WireImage via Getty Images

Why, every Christmas, do so many people endure the mess of dried pine needles, the risk of a fire hazard and impossibly tangled strings of lights?

Strapping a fir tree to the hood of my...

Read more: The Christmas tree is a tradition older than Christmas

More Articles ...

  1. What social media regulation could look like: Think of pipelines, not utilities
  2. Record low water levels on the Mississippi River in 2022 show how climate change is altering large rivers
  3. Special counsels, like the one leading the Department of Justice's investigation of Trump, are intended to be independent – but they aren't entirely
  4. A tortured and deadly legacy: Kissinger and realpolitik in US foreign policy
  5. Nasal vaccines promise to stop the COVID-19 virus before it gets to the lungs – an immunologist explains how they work
  6. Social media always remembers – which makes moving on from a breakup that much harder
  7. Mpox, AIDS and COVID-19 show the challenges of targeting public health messaging to specific groups without causing stigma
  8. As viral infections skyrocket, masks are still a tried-and-true way to help keep yourself and others safe
  9. The Catholic view on indulgences and how they work today
  10. Why fusion ignition is being hailed as a major breakthrough in fusion – a nuclear physicist explains
  11. Federal Reserve just hiked interest rates for the 7th time this year – so why are mortgage rates coming down?
  12. Arctic Report Card 2022: The Arctic is getting rainier and seasons are shifting, with broad disturbances for people, ecosystems and wildlife
  13. Are snow days about to get buried by remote learning? Not quite -- but it depends on where you live
  14. Timing matters for medications – your circadian rhythm influences how well treatments work and how much they might harm you
  15. That annoying ringing, buzzing and hissing in the ear – a hearing specialist offers tips to turn down the tinnitus
  16. After 50 years, 'liberation theology' is still reshaping Catholicism and politics – but what is it?
  17. Iranian protesters turn to TikTok to get their message past government censors
  18. Congress aims to close off presidential election mischief and fraud with simple and bipartisan solutions
  19. Brittney Griner's case was difficult for US negotiators for one key reason: She was guilty
  20. Fed wants inflation to get down to 2% – but why not target 3%? Or 0%?
  21. Japan's Laughing Buddha Hotei is merging into Santa Claus -- both are roly-poly sacred figures with a bag of gifts
  22. Who were the 3 wise men who visited Jesus?
  23. Local nonprofits play a key role in recovery from disasters – while also having to get back on their own feet
  24. China's loosened COVID-19 policies – following years of aggressive lockdowns and quarantines – have left the country vulnerable
  25. Do accents disappear?
  26. How are books made?
  27. About one-third of the food Americans buy is wasted, hurting the climate and consumers' wallets
  28. Christmas trees can stay fresh for weeks – a well-timed cut and consistent watering are key
  29. Sinema out, Warnock in – Democrats narrowly control the Senate and Republicans the House, but gridlock won't be the biggest problem for the new Congress
  30. What is voluntary sterilization? A health communication expert unpacks how a legacy of forced sterilization shapes doctor-patient conversations today
  31. Near record-high numbers of young people voted during the midterms, signaling a possible shift – or exception – in voting trends
  32. China's new space station opens for business in an increasingly competitive era of space activity
  33. Georgia on the nation's mind: 5 essential reads
  34. Ada Lovelace's skills with language, music and needlepoint contributed to her pioneering work in computing
  35. How do floating wind turbines work? 5 companies just won the first US leases for building them off California's coast
  36. Amid coup, countercoup claims – what really went down in Peru and why?
  37. White teachers often talk about Black students in racially coded ways
  38. China's Belt and Road infrastructure projects could help or hurt oceans and coasts worldwide
  39. Traditional Buddhist teachings exclude LGBTQ people from monastic life, but change is coming slowly
  40. People can have food sensitivities without noticeable symptoms – long-term consumption of food allergens may lead to behavior and mood changes
  41. World Cup's 'middle income trap' – why breaking into soccer's elite is so hard to do (as Morocco might soon find out)
  42. What are Iran's morality police? A scholar of the Middle East explains their history
  43. Toilets spew invisible aerosol plumes with every flush – here's the proof, captured by high-powered lasers
  44. Georgia runoff: Candidate quality meant fewer Republicans turned out for Walker
  45. Mosquitoes are not repelled by vitamins and other oral supplements you might take
  46. Russian troops' poor performance and low morale may worsen during a winter of more discontent
  47. Biden signs marriage equality bill into law – but the Respect for Marriage Act has a few key limitations
  48. Harnessing the brain's immune cells to stave off Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases
  49. Congress codifies marriage equality – but the Respect for Marriage Act has a few key limitations
  50. Asexual Latter-day Saints face an added dilemma: Finding their place in a tradition focused on marriage