Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 107. Chapters: Christmas in Germany, German folklore, Christmas tree, Wild Hunt, Saint Boniface, Poltergeist, Easter Bunny, Pied Piper of Hamelin, Silent Night, Baron Münchhausen, Kobold, Christmas Oratorio, Oktoberfest, Straw bear, Walpurgis Night, Town Musicians of Bremen, Christmas market, Till Eulenspiegel, Perchta, Advent calendar, Klaus Störtebeker, Lorelei, Stollen, O Tannenbaum, Striezelmarkt, Weihnachten, Es ist ein Ros entsprungen, Advent wreath, Götz von Berlichingen, Christmas ornament, Moss people, List of literary accounts of the Pied Piper, Iron John, Rübezahl, Pre-Christian Alpine traditions, Friar Rush, Christmas pyramid, Christmas in Nazi Germany, Lebkuchen, Mathias Kneißl, Polterabend, O du fröhliche, Ihr Kinderlein kommet, Hödekin, Weisse Frauen, Knecht Ruprecht, Guggenmusik, Klabautermann, Christkindlesmarkt, Nuremberg, King Goldemar, Drude, Tinsel, Kling Glöckchen, Nachzehrer, Philipp von Hutten, Heinzelmännchen, Mouse Tower, Fat Thursday, Springerle, Das Kloster, Matthias Klostermayr, Schlitz Christmas Candle, Krampus, Red Jews, Lasst uns froh und munter sein, Roast goose, Pfeffernüsse, Der Überlinger Hänsele, Christmas Market, Stuttgart, Belsnickel, Schwibbogen, The Smith of Kochel, Räuchermann, Erdhenne, Petermännchen, Christian Friedrich Heinecken, Eierpunsch, Alle Jahre wieder, Freischutz, Vanillekipferl, Weihnachtsmärchen, Dominostein, Rumtopf, Hinzelmann, Spritzgebäck, Schultüte, Peter Klaus, Bremer Klaben, Bethmännchen, Deutsche Sagen, Princess Ilse. Excerpt: The Christmas tree, also known as a Yule tree, is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century. The Christmas tree is traditionally brought into the home and decorated with Christmas lights (originally candles), ornaments, garlands, tinsel, and candy canes during the days around Christmas. An angel or star is placed at the top of the tree, representing the host of angels or the Star of Bethlehem from the Nativity. Legend associates the first Christmas tree with St. Boniface and the German town of Geismar. Sometime in Boniface's lifetime (c. 672-754) he is said to have cut down the sacred tree of Thor in Geismar, replacing it with a fir tree which has been said to have been the first Christmas tree. The word Tannenbaum, a German word for "fir tree", can be understood to be a "Christmas tree" although the literal meaning of "Christmas tree" is encapsulated in the word "Weihnachtsbaum." The custom of erecting a Christmas tree can be historically traced to 15th century Livonia (present-day Estonia and Latvia) and 16th century Northern Germany. According to the first documented uses of a Christmas tree in Estonia, in 1441, 1442, and 1514 the Brotherhood of Blackheads erected a tree for the holidays in their brotherhood house in Reval (now Tallinn). At the last night of the celebrations leading up to the holidays, the tree was taken to the Town Hall Square where the members of the brotherhood danced around it. In 1584, the pastor and chronicler Balthasar Russow wrote of an established tradition of setting up a decorated spruce at the market square where the young men ¿went with a flock of maidens and women, first sang and danced there and then set the tree aflame¿. In that period, the guilds started erecting Christmas trees in front of their guildhal...