A tree-topper or treetopper is a decorative ornament placed on the top (or "crown") of a Christmas tree or Chrismon tree.[1][2] Tree-toppers come in many forms, with the most common being a star (representing the Star of Bethlehem) or an angel (representing the Angel Gabriel), both from the Nativity.[1][3] Additional forms range from a Christian cross, white dove, paper rosette, ribbon bow, Father Christmas or Santa Claus.
Tree-toppers may be made of a wide range of materials. Modern plastic tree-toppers are often electric and, once connected with the tree's lights, offer a gentle glow. Following World War II, various symbols of Christmastide, such as stars, were introduced as electrified tree-toppers. The tradition of using a symbol representing the Star of Bethlehem as a tree-topper, however, dates as early as the 1840s.[1]
- ^ a b c Mandryk, DeeAnn (25 October 2005). Canadian Christmas Traditions. James Lorimer & Company. p. 67. ISBN 978-1-55439-098-4.
The eight-pointed star became a popular manufactured Christmas ornament around the 1840s and many people place a star on the top of their Christmas tree to represent the Star of Bethlehem.
- ^ Storm, Christie (18 December 2010). "O, Chrismon tree". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
- ^ Jones, David Albert (27 October 2011). Angels. Oxford University Press. p. 24. ISBN 978-0-19-161491-0.
The same ambiguity is seen in that most familiar of angels, the angel on top of the Christmas tree. This decoration, popularized in the nineteenth century, recalls the place of the angels in the Christmas story (Luke 2:9–18).
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