thumb|A Christmas tree crowned with a star tree-topper in [[Little Stanney, Cheshire, in England, UK]]
thumb|A Chrismon tree in the [[chancel of a Lutheran church in Danville with a star tree-topper.]]
A tree-topper or treetopper is a decorative ornament placed on the top (or "crown") of a Christmas tree or Chrismon tree. 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. 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.
Popular culture
Hans Christian Andersen's 1844 short story, "The Fir-Tree", describes the decoration of a Christmas tree in Denmark, including its topper:
The use of a tree-topper is also depicted in Christmas songs, with lines such as "Först en stjärna utav gull" and "So hang a shining star upon the highest bough".
Gallery
<gallery>
File:Topper Angel.jpg|Post-War NOMA plastic, electrified angel tree-topper
File:Božić na Jadranu 003.jpg|Christmas star in Croatia
File:Treetopper.JPG|Homemade Christmas angel
File:Victoria and Albert Christmas Tree.png|"That pretty German toy, a Christmas tree" (1848), The Illustrated London News
</gallery>
See also
- Christmas tree
- Christmas ornament