Christmas pyramids: a 300 year old tradition
Long before the decorated fir tree became standard, German households displayed a "Weihnachtspyramide" — a wooden, tiered structure decorated with candles, figurines and greenery, its blades spinning gently from the rising heat of the flames.
Pyramids date back to at least the early 1700s, in mining regions of Germany where evergreens were scarce in winter and wood was cheap and plentiful. Families built increasingly elaborate versions over generations, some standing several feet tall.
The tradition never fully disappeared — you'll still find beautifully carved Christmas pyramids sold in German Christmas markets today, often alongside the trees that eventually overtook them.
