where did the christmas tree originate

The tradition of Christmas trees has its origins in Germany during the 16th century. The custom of decorating evergreen trees with candles, which was called a "Christmas bush", was first introduced by German Lutherans. The tradition spread to other countries, and in the 1800s, Prince Albert of England introduced the Christmas tree to the United Kingdom. The custom soon became popular in America and other parts of the world. The first artificial Christmas tree was created in 1880, and the tradition of using them instead of live trees gained popularity in the early 20th century.