“Oh Tannenbaum”

The tradition of the decorated Christmas tree is four hundred years old. In the olden days, the houses were decorated with branches from evergreens. Eventually, the tradition evolved to bringing the whole tree into the living room. By the seventeenth century, they started to decorate the trees using ripe red apples, gingerbread, and silk flowers to make it look like the tree was flowering during the winter. By the nineteenth century, the Christmas tree became the focal point of Christmas festivities over the nativity scene.

Modern Christmas trees are mostly evergreens; fir, spruces or pine. They used to use real candles to light them; however, because of fire dangers, electric lights are used.  Some of their ornaments are heirlooms handed down through the families. Homemade cookies, candies, and chocolate are used as ornaments also.

Christmas Angels (Weihnachtsengel) are among the favorite decorations that originated from the Erzgebirge, the mountains between Saxony and the Czech Republic. They are carved wooden angels in different poses, some playing musical instruments.