When do you put up your Christmas tree? On Christmas Day itself? Or - as common in the USA - already at the beginning of December? And what decorations do you put on your tree?
People have been decorating Christmas trees and placing them in their homes for about 600 years. Sometimes the trees were even hung from the ceiling if there wasn't enough space in the living room!


It all started with apples and nuts, which were hung in the tree for snacking. Even today, there are still some traditional treats on the Christmas tree: In Denmark, the so-called Kræmmerhus is a must. This is a cone-shaped bag that is usually handmade and filled with sweets, nuts or sugar biscuits. In Alsace, tradition-conscious people hang "Bredele" on the Christmas tree - in other words, home-baked biscuits. But be careful: not all of these stars, little men or rocking horses made of dough are edible. Some of these biscuits contain glue and are not baked, but only dried to make them last as long as possible. In Spain, many families hang the Three Kings on the Christmas tree - "Los Reyes Magos", as they are called. There they remain until 6 January, the feast of the Three Kings, which is celebrated with parades and presents. Then the time has come for the chocolate kings. They are taken down from the tree and eaten. In the USA popcorn or cranberry garlands are popular.