World’s First Decorated Christmas Tree

Given the multiplicity of other more obvious attractions within the square, you might be forgiven for missing this ‘sight’ when visiting the Town Hall Square in Riga.

The slightly domed plaque, depicted in my attached picture, is located on the ground between the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia and the House of Blackheads.

According to the plaque, the world’s first decorated Christmas (New Year’s) tree was placed here in 1510 and, so that there is no confusion, this is stated in eight languages.

The story, or perhaps I should say one story, goes that some members of Brotherhood of the Blackheads, an association of unmarried merchants, ship’s owners and captains also active in the civic life of the city, went into the forest (as they did annually) and brought back a fir tree for the Brotherhood’s winter solstice celebrations of 1510. It was customary to burn a log around the solstice and the Brotherhood planned to set this tree alight on the banks of the Daugava River to celebrate this custom, at the city level.

Having hauled the tree back to the river bank the Brotherhood determined that it was too large to burn without endangering surrounding buildings and spectators. Accordingly, members retired to the House of Blackheads to discuss the situation. Deliberations went on until almost dark.

In the meantime local children came across the tree and decorated it with anything and everything that came to hand. Thus the tree was covered in nuts, apples, chains of flowers and dried berries and colourful wool from the children’s mittens, unravelled especially for the occasion.

After the Blackheads had finished their meeting, with no decision as to what to do, one of its members went down to the river bank and saw the beautifully decorated tree, now also covered in a silvery frost, sparkling in the moonlight.

This member summoned his brethren and it was decided the tree would be installed in the city centre and decorated for Christmas. The tree was duly moved to what was then the central market square of the city, now the Town Hall Square. Here it was set upright, as if in the forest, and the Blackheads and townsfolk further added to the decorations already put on the tree by the children.

Thus this tree became the world’s first decorated Christmas tree and started a festive tradition that now spans around the globe.

In keeping with the Blackheads’ solstice traditions, on the last night of festivities the tree was set on fire and burned.

Of course not everyone accepts this story (for instance, neighbouring Estonia claims to have started the tradition in 1441) but let’s not let that get in the way of a good story for Riga right now.

I might add, however, that the no doubt honourable and highly respectable US National Christmas Tree Association, an organisation with which I was unfamiliar prior to carrying out research for this review, supports the view that the world’s first decorated Christmas tree was, in fact, set up in Riga in 1510.

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This blog entry is one of a group (loop) of entries on the Old City area of Riga. I suggest you continue with my next entry – Museum of the Occupation of Latvia (1940 -1991) – or to start the loop at the beginning go to my first entry – SamaraH Hotel Metropole – Riga.

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