| There are hundreds of Christmas traditions handed | | | | with candles and bright ornaments. |
| down from generation to generation, from culture to | | | | The first outdoor Christmas tree decorated with |
| culture. Traditions like the Christmas tree in the living | | | | electric lights was in the market square in the town of |
| room the Christmas wreath on the door, the mistletoe | | | | Pietarsaari, Finland in 1905. |
| hanging from the chandelier, gifts underneath the tree, | | | | Norwegians decorate their trees on Christmas Eve |
| stockings hanging above the fireplace and cookies left | | | | and then join hands and sing carols while walking |
| out for good ole St. Nick. The Christmas tree is the | | | | around it. The tree is usually decorated by the parents |
| most popular tradition across all cultures. | | | | while the children wait anxiously outside the room. |
| During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in | | | | After the tree is decorated a Norwegian ritual known |
| Austria and Germany the tops of evergreens were | | | | as "circling the Christmas tree" is performed. The |
| cut off and hung upside down in a corner of the living | | | | family joins hands around the tree and then walks |
| room. They would then decorate these evergreens | | | | around it singing Christmas carols. After this they |
| with apples, nuts and strips of red paper. The fir tree | | | | exchange gifts. |
| decorated with apples represented the tree of | | | | Even in warm climates at Christmas the tradition of |
| knowledge in the Garden of Eden. Today, the | | | | decorating trees exists. In Australia, Christmas is in the |
| Christmas tree or Tannenbaum in Germany is | | | | middle of the summer. Many Australians decorate |
| traditionally decorated secretly by the mother with | | | | Christmas bushes which are native plants with little red |
| lights, tinsel and ornaments. The rest of the family see | | | | flowered leaves. In Brazil, pine trees are decorated |
| it on Christmas Eve with cookies, nuts and gifts under | | | | with little pieces of cotton to represent falling snow. |
| its branches. | | | | Christmas trees in Sweden are decorated with stars, |
| Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert brought the | | | | sunbursts and snowflakes made from straw. Spain |
| first Christmas tree to Windsor Castle in 1834 which | | | | has a fun tradition of playing a game called Catalonia in |
| started its popularity in England. This popularity crossed | | | | which a tree trunk is filled with goodies and the children |
| over to the United States and by 1850 it had become | | | | hit the trunk, like the piñata is hit in Mexico, trying |
| very fashionable in the eastern states. | | | | to knock out goodies like hazelnuts, almonds, toffee |
| Christmas trees are imported into Greenland because | | | | and other treats. |
| there aren't any trees there; They decorate their trees | | | | |