1. Lots of our holiday traditions today were born in the 19th century.
For instance, “A Visit From St. Nicholas” was published in 1823, and “A Christmas Carol” in 1843.
2. Thomas Nast’s drawings of jolly Santa Claus debuted in 1862.
3. In 1841, Queen Victoria’s husband, Albert, introduced Britain to the Teutonic tannenbaum—the Christmas tree.
4. President Franklin Pierce had one erected at the White House in 1856.
5. By the 1870s trees were being sold at Washington Square Park and ornaments at Macy’s.
Source: Smithsonianmag.com