The practice of decorating a home with pine boughs predates the more modern idea of the Christmas tree by centuries. By the 1600s, the Protestant population of Germany embraced the idea of bringing a tree into the home and decorating it, setting in motion the development of a grand Western tradition that has spread beyond Europe and North America, and fuels an entire industry of tree farms and the manufacture of artificial trees. If you’re celebrating Christmas today, we wish you a merry one.
Happy holidays!
Today in History
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Brown bears, Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska
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National Umbrella Day
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The most Instagrammable bird?
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World Book Day
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National Hummingbird Day
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International Chameleon Day
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National Go Birding Day
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The Wave at Coyote Buttes
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A winter’s holiday ends
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Watch your step
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Super sandy Sweet 16
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Sonoma Coast State Park, California
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Château de Sully-sur-Loire, Center-Val de Loire, France
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Manatee Appreciation Day
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Gazing down on planet Earth
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An Alpine fairy-tale castle
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Prague, Czech Republic
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Here there be dragons
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Can you see the family resemblance?
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Jan van Eyckplein in Bruges, Belgium
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A species no longer at risk
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Flag Day
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Diamond Beach, Iceland
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Great cormorants
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My my, it s Syttende Mai
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St. Patricks Day
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Happy Boxing Day!
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A Latino art exhibition in Denver
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Santorini, Greece
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Dunluce Castle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland