Many of our families and businesses have their Christmas trees beautifully decorated and on display for us to see and enjoy as the symbol of the Christmas season.

The Christmas tree tradition may have come from the Middle Ages, if history is correct, when people in Germany and other European countries placed decorated evergreen trees in their homes or outside their doors during Christmas. Our modern-day Christmas trees may have evolved from these early German traditions that eventually came to the United States.

During the War of Independence in 1776, George Washington and his troops defeated German Hessians who were fighting here. After the war ended, many of these Germans stayed in the United States. The Germans then introduced the USA to their long-standing tradition of the Christmas tree. At that time, the size of the Christmas tree was limited to 8 feet, and the tree ornaments and decorations were mostly dolls and small food items. Many families also used various colors of popcorn as decorations to add beauty and color to the branches.

It is reported that President Benjamin Harrison had the first Christmas tree inside the White House in 1889, when he set up a Christmas tree for his grandchildren. The tree glowed with wax candles, and President Harrison dressed up as Santa Claus.

Here’s a few Christmas groaner jokes for you as we celebrate our wonderful Christmas season.

• Christmas tree ornaments want to be on the Christmas tree so they can all “hang” out with each other.

• What is the favorite subject in school of Santa’s elves? The “Elfabet.”

• What do you call a kid who doesn’t believe in Santa? A rebel without a Claus.

• What is red, white and black and blue? Santa Claus, after he fell out of his sleigh.

I sincerely wish you and all your family and friends a most blessed and joyful Christmas.