Augustus "August" Imgard (1828-1904) was a German immigrant who has been recognized as an early proponent in popularizing the

Christmas tree A Christmas tree is a decorated tree, usually an evergreen pinophyta, conifer, such as a spruce, pine or fir, associated with the celebration of Christmas. It may also consist of an artificial tree of similar appearance. The custom was deve ...

in the United States. He has also been credited with being the first to decorate it with

candy cane A candy cane is a Walking stick, cane-shaped stick candy often associated with Christmastide as well as Saint Nicholas Day. The canes are traditionally white with red Stripe (pattern), stripes and flavored with peppermint, but the canes also com ...

Biography

August Imgard (born in Wetzlar, Germany, on January 8, 1828) emigrated from Germany to Wooster, Ohio, before he was 20 years old and started a tailoring business. In 1847, Imgard cut a blue spruce tree from a woods outside town, had the village tinsmith construct a star, and placed the tree in his house, decorating it with paper ornaments, gilded nuts and Kuchen. It stood on a slowly revolving platform while a music box played and people came from miles around to view it. Imgard died in 1904, is buried in the Wooster Cemetery, and every year, a large pine tree above his grave is lit with Christmas lights. Although no longer credited as the first to introduce the Christmas tree to America, Imgard is still recognized as an early proponent. The

National Confectioners Association The National Confectioners Association is an American trade organization that promotes chocolate, candy, gum and mints, and the companies that make these treats. NCA lobbies the American government in favor of the confectionery industry, evaluate ...

also recognizes Imgard as the first to put candy canes on a Christmas tree; the canes were white, with no red stripes.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Imgard, August 1828 births 1904 deaths Bavarian emigrants to the United States People from Wooster, Ohio Christmas traditions *https://wiki.wcpl.info/w/File:August_Imgard_photo.jpg