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Article #204: Christmas Tree Traditions You May Not Know About

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






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