Being able to smell incense before you buy one has always been the best way to figure out which scent is right for your home. This can only be done if there is a store nearby that sells them. With the global marketplace shifting to predominately online sales, you no longer have the luxury of smelling before buying. For this reason, you need to have some kind of reference to what they smell like before you decide on purchasing them.

Myrrh is said to give off a slightly earthy aroma with a hint of black licorice. Frankincense is considered a more woodsy smell with a warm balsamic scent added into the mix. Frankincense and myrrh may be the most popular choices, but both can have a variety of scents depending on the quality of the product.

The biggest variant being their levels of sweetness. It would seem the cheaper the incense, the sweeter the smell. Since there are many different grades to both incense, it is important to get one of higher quality, and higher quality usually means higher cost. Being informed about the descriptions and ingredients will help you find the best quality, but nothings beats trial and error. 

Other incense that many people enjoy around the Christmas include fruits, berries and honeysuckle. Most incense use the term “berry” to describe a general smell, not any specific type like blue berry or raspberry. Apple is the favorite of all the fruits, but apricot is a close second. Some people even like to mix incense together. One common combination is pairing myrrh with molasses and hazelnut. 

What you may not know about incense is that they are constructed from tree resin. These aromas are created from the tree’s sap. If you like the smell of a certain tree in your area, learn what kind of tree it is and figure out what scent it produces. Then you can purchase that incense and have the smell filling up your house all year long.

To help make these plain white candy sticks more appealing, red roses were first added. In time, no one knows just when, stripes were added in the early 20th century. Many Christians believe the red stripes included on the candy cane are for the trinity because there are three distinctive ones. Others believe the white is the purity of Jesus and the red is the blood he shed for all of us on the cross.

The candy cane was very popular all across Europe but was not brought to America until a German immigrant did so in 1847. He decorated his Christmas Tree with them at his home in Ohio that year. The popularity of them grew fast after that but was restricted due to that they had to be made by hand. 

In the 1920’s a candy maker in Chicago decided to make a machine that would produce candy canes. It is the Bunte brothers that filled the patent for this machine. The only problem was that each candy stick still had to be bent by hand. This procedure caused over 20% breakage of what was produced, but no other way was thought of for almost 40 years.

It was a priest in 1957 that came up with the idea of twisting the candy stick before attempting to bend it. The machine to do the twisting and bending was patented by Gregory Harding Keller who was an ordained Roman Catholic priest.

In the literature that is still available the first mentioning of a candy cane was in the year 1866. At that time it was not associated with Christmas. It is believed that the very first time a candy cane was placed on a Christmas tree was the year of 1882. 

Like many things in the past, the truth of what actually happened has been lost to time. There are records mostly of the claims but to be sure of the candy cane origins you would have to have lived back then.

Another decorative piece that separates the German Christmas from what is set out in other countries is the number and type of figurines a visitor to a home will see. This will include the wondrous nutcrackers and smokers that are also hand crafted just like the German Christmas Pyramid. There are nutcrackers and smokers for almost every profession and likeness a family will have in their household. This way everyone can be represented and joined together for this joyous season.

Part of the preparation for a German Christmas is making sure all of the displays are cleaned and the usable parts are in fresh supply. For many the most important supply is the appropriate Christmas Pyramid candles. This is the power source that turns the Christmas Pyramid and brings to life this wondrous and amazing story of just how our Lord was brought into this world. The fan blades should also be checked to make sure they are in proper working order.

Many families that celebrate the birth of Jesus in a German fashion change the theme each year. This is done by having different scenes of figurines set up on display. This can include the use of different German smokers in which incense will be lite to fill the air with the correct scent. An appropriate supply of incense should also be on hand for the holiday season. This is not something you would want to run out of when the family is gathered together and they usually cannot be found at the local convenient store.

What sets apart most homes is the assortment of German nutcrackers that are on display. Yes the children need to be reminded each year they are not to be used to crack the nuts and are for display purposes only anymore. While this was not always true, using them today will scratch the finish of them and the bygone kingly faces of the past will not be so evident once the finish is gone.

Preparing your home for a traditional German style Christmas is easy if you know where to get your supplies. The best part is there is no wrong way to set up the decorations you have. It is a personal thing and family tradition that counts at this wondrous time of the year.

To have the wonderful song by Bing Crosby of “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas” to have any meaning, Christmas will have to be celebrated when snow is on the ground or in July. In the past many English citizens that moved to Australia celebrated Christmas in July. Today Christmas is celebrated in many Australian comminutes in both December and August. The reason July is no longer used is to be respectful of other religions and groups in the local areas that have other holidays in July. 

The very first mention of “Christmas in July” was from an opera back in 1892. This opera has children practicing their Christmas songs in July.

In the year 1933 the girls attending summer camp in North Caroline celebrated Christmas in July and had a Christmas tree and presents. This was at Camp Keystone. There was even a comedy movie made back in 1940 called “Christmas in July”.

Today in the northern hemisphere, Christmas in July is used by a large number of advertisers. This is just another reason to draw customers into their stores. In many places it has caught on because the celebration of this festive event is always enjoyed. It is not an official holiday anywhere in the north but many television stations run the Christmas movies at this time of year and there are also many families that exchange gifts. It is a way for many to think about the colder months during the extremely hot conditions that exist in the summer months. Sometime just thinking about winter cools people off. 

Other months that Christmas is celebrated around the world include April and September. Both of those are in Australia. What is consistent no matter what time of year Christmas is being celebrated is all of the wonderful desserts that are prepared for the annual feast. This includes the wondrous gingerbread houses and those delicious plum puddings. Most places also include a traditional Christmas tree and German Christmas Pyramid today. The giving of gifts is also done in which the children love. Who does not love receiving a gift from a loved one in the middle of the year?

The largest operational German Nutcracker is also located in the museum at Neuhausen, Germany. It stands 19 feet and 3 inches high or 5.87 meters. It is so large it is said even a coconut can be cracked by it.

This museum also has the world’s smallest nutcracker. It stands a mere 0.19 inches or 4.9 mm high. The museum has its roots from the family Loschner in that town. They have a passion for nutcrackers and German music boxes. It all started with the father, Jurgen. Today this museum is managed by his son Uwe keeping it in the family.

In the outdoor section of this museum is the world’s largest music box. The music plate is almost 15 feet in diameter with figurines up to 7 feet tall. The overall weight of the music plate is over 1,200 pounds and the figurines can weigh up to 220 pounds. 

They do have nutcrackers from all over the world in their collection, but most of them are from old mining families who have workshops located in the Ore Mountains in German. This is the location the very first Nutcrackers were made. That tradition is still going strong today. 

The largest Nutcracker in the Middle East is located in the world’s most luxurious hotel named Burj Al Arab. It stands 15 feet tall or 4.57 meters. It is the largest of its kind in the Arab world. This is on display to help attract wealthy Christians to the Muslim section of the world. This is the only 7 star hotel in the world and is located in Dubai which is one of the United Arab Emirates. As part of their holiday celebration to attract tourists to this area of the world, they have a festival that runs each year from November 30th to December 30th. At their escalators in the lobby during this time will also be two other giant nutcrackers. They even serve up nutcracker shaped delicacies to help bring the festive mood to life.

Yes most of the ones described above are for decoration purposes. There are also many that are fully functional in the fact that they can actually crack nuts just like the ones most people decorate their homes with during the Christmas season in the German tradition. 

The Nutcrackers was originally from Germany and only Germans used them in the past. Today with the global market place, the nutcracker is a welcome gift or decoration anywhere in the world.

It is traditional today for bunnies to represent the wonders of spring time. The blossoming of flowers and the beauty they enrich the world with. The bunnies being soft little furry animals just fit perfectly in that scenario.
A large number of the German bunnies also have an Easter Egg either attached to them or in the scene. The egg represents the birth of a new year and the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. They are a subtle way of showing you know the true meaning of Easter.

The Germans make a wide assortment of spring time bunnies out of wood. They are similar in their makeup as the other figurines that are used on the German Christmas Pyramids. Each bunny is handcrafted of real wood and hand painted so each one is a unique work of art all to itself. 

There are bunnies you can own that are families, mothers with small children, musicians playing instruments to name a few. There is also a wide selection of bunnies sitting on top of Easter Eggs which will always get the mood of cheer in any room they are located in. 

For those of you that love to spend time in the park with your family, there are wondrous sets of bunnies that can represent this for you. This includes children bunnies playing on a teeter totter and families sitting on a park bench together along with many just walking and enjoying life. 

As for the many bunny musicians, almost every wood, string and horn instrument is being played by a cute little bunny. There are enough varieties of them playing different musical instruments that you could have an orchestra of them set up in your home if you so desire. 

For the home makers there are bunnies taking care of their families like cooking or just stirring a pot of food. There are both male and female bunnies raking around their home and doing gardening. Yes this is ironic because most people have to take steps to keep real bunnies out of their gardens. The children bunnies are the ones I think are the cutest. They are riding their scooters, pulling wagons or attending school. Because the use of bunnies in the spring time involves the use of your imagination, there are also bunnies caring for newly born chicks from the Easter Eggs. 

No matter what your preference, if it is bunnies and flowers, bunnies and music or just bunnies representing the people in your life, they can all be properly displayed as fine art from the German woodworks. Just the sight of these bunnies on display will lighten the hearts and moods of all that gaze upon them.

For accumulated dust on your pyramid it is recommended that a fine feather duster be used to remove the accumulation. This way the particles can be removed and the finish on your pyramid will not be scratched or damaged in any fashion. Another method of removing these fine particles is the use of a new small paint brush. It will require more time to clean your Christmas pyramid, but the final result will have it looking like new.

The reason for a clean and new paint brush is so there is no possibility of any type of solvent that could be transferred to the pyramid. In no manner what so ever would you want to damage the finish of your Christmas pyramid when you are cleaning it. 

Some German pyramids get more than dust on them over the Christmas holiday. If just dusting yours off will not clean it, then the use of water and a damp cloth or brush can be used. By no means should any cleaning material containing vinegar or ammonia be used. Both of those ingredients can be found in the many all purpose cleaners and window cleaners on the market. While they are mild solvents, they will take some of luster and shine of your pyramid away each time they are used. 

The German Candle used with the German Christmas Pyramid may leave wax puddles that have to be cleaned up. You can minimize this clean up by using glass drip catchers that fit just over the candle, and can be removed to clean up any wax drips. If by some chance you did not choose to purchase them and use the glass drip catchers, then care should be taken when removing the spilled wax. Remember the wax went on hot and is adhering to the finish. If you scrape at the wax too hard, you might scratch the finish or pull the finish off. 

If you used a candle that was not made to be used with the German Christmas Pyramid, and was not the proper size for your pyramid, the flame might have been to high, and the air that reached the paddles too hot. The heat can scorch the paddles and then they will have to be cleaned or replaced. You may want to use a small grit sandpaper and lightly rub the affected paddle to try to sand down the darkened wood a bit. ChristKindl-Markt has many replacement pyramid paddles and fan assemblies if your paddles is too damaged to have light sanding make it look good.

The proper cleaning of your German Christmas Pyramid should be done with care and patience. You will be rewarded with a work of art that you will be proud to show your friends and family.

The modern day Christmas pyramid took its form in the 19th century. This is because the silver and tin in the mines of eastern Germany were running out and the miners decided to take up wood carving. Before that time there was another form of Christmas pyramid. This was a simpler design of 4 wooden poles joined together with fir tree branches attached to it. The first in this form appeared back in the 11th century. An example of this traditional style of Christmas pyramid can be seen at ChristKindl-Markt.com item PYD085X075.

While Christmas pyramids were very popular in Germany and other parts of Europe, most others in the world were unaware of their existences. This changed with the opening of the German Christmas markets that began in the 15th century. These are large open markets that specialized in hand crafted works of art people could purchase for their homes to help them decorate for this wondrous time of the year.

The traditional German Christmas Pyramid has between 4 and 8 different levels. Each level is decorated differently. The layers have a purpose other than just be decorative. Each of them is a separate part of the nativity story that is told at this time of year celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. The larger the Christmas Pyramid is, the more details can be placed on the levels, but the story remains the same. It comes directly from the Holy Bible.

In the 18th century, the German immigrants coming to America brought with them their German Christmas Pyramids. This is how the pyramid made it across the ocean and now has a firm foundation in the homes across America. 

While the power to turn the German Christmas Carousel Pyramid has always been rising warm air, its source has changed over the centuries. The first ones were powered by the winds in the Ore Mountains. Then came the use of expensive candles, but that saw limited use for economic reasons. In the early 19th century the use of inexpensive kerosene began and the popularity of the Christmas pyramid exploded across Europe. Today with the price of paraffin candles being low, they are again the preferred choice for supplying the warm air power for the German Christmas pyramids in the homes where they are found.

The origins of the German Pyramid date centuries back to the 1500s. In the early years the idea came about from the windmills that were used in the mines around the Erzgebirge Mountains. Here the wind mills were used to pump water. Around Christmas time many of the local folk would place evergreen branches on them to make them fit the seasons.

By the 1800’s the Christmas pyramid was a common site not only in the Erzgebirge Mountains but all across Germany. Because the winds of the mountains were not present in other parts of the nation, candles were substituted so the fan at the top would turn. 

The use of evergreen branches was eventually replaced by paddles. The many Christian symbols used to help the followers of Christ to celebrate his birthday were added to make a Nativity scene. This include nativity scenes along with German carolers soon became popular. Some of the Christmas pyramids tell the story of Jesus birth. This is the purpose of the many different levels they now contain. 

The original German pyramids used in the Christmas celebrations were small enough to be taken into the residences home. In time many towns embarked on the projects for a construction of large German pyramid to help the town celebrate this joyous occasion. Today it is not unheard of for some outdoor pyramids to stand 6 meters tall or about 20 feet high. 

The reason for the name to be given this structure as a pyramid is that they are named after the famous ones in Egypt. This came about because of Napoleon’s attempt to conquer that nation. Many of the solders came back and saw the resemblance to what was being used around Christmas. By that time the German Pyramid was used over most of Europe. 

Candles were the second source of energy used to propel the fan positioned at the top of the pyramid after the use of mountain winds was no longer deemed to be reliable, but then came a third which helped to spark and even wider use of this Christmas decoration. This was the use of Kerosene lanterns to create the heat that would circulate the air. Candles back in the 1800 and 1900 were expensive but kerosene was relatively cheap. This supplied the power to turn the many different levels the German pyramids have grown into.

While today most of the Christmas pyramids are still referred to as German Christmas pyramids, their enjoyment and use can be found around the world where ever there is a Christian community. This can be elaborate structures or the simple one with 4 poles and tree branches attached to them. It is the celebration of Jesus birth that is important at this time of year.

What one thing must a German Christmas have is different from each family. For some it is the smell emanating from the German Smokers at this time of year. For other families it is the sight of the German Nutcrackers that is important. 

The one thing that is the most consistent at a German Christmas celebration is the presence of a German Christmas Pyramid. The reason for the many German homes that celebrate this festive holiday in the German traditional way is because the pyramid that has only one purpose. That is to focus on the story of what occurred over 2000 years ago when our Lord Jesus Christ was born. 

The levels of the German pyramid also have a commonality amongst the different versions. The one level all the way up to the 4 level German Christmas Pyramid all have the baby Jesus in a manger with Mary and Joseph watching over him with amazement. No matter how many levels the pyramid has this is the first and most important scene. With the addition of each pyramid level, more detail about what the others were doing at that time can be visually displayed but it is the first level that really matters. The upper levels of the German Christmas Pyramid are also important. 

Depending on just what type of pyramid you have or where you got it from will determine what is displayed on them. For many there are shepherds on a level tending to their flocks. There should also be a level with the 3 wise men that heard about Jesus and followed the star to the place of his birth. Others have a level of carolers singing the joy and announcement of the birth of Jesus Christ to all that can hear them. 

The arrangement of the figurines on each of the levels can be added to the German Christmas Pyramid. Most families add to the scenes each year with a new figurine or two so that more details about this wondrous birth can be visually shown. The greater the number of figurines that are present also help the elders in remembering all the details of the story when Jesus was born. This is only a product of age and not importance of the details of the miracle birth. 

The leading difference between a Christian home celebrating Christmas and a Christian home celebrating this holiday in a German fashion is then the presence of the wondrous German Christmas pyramid. The pyramid is the center piece during this celebration where all family members are gathered so the story of just how our Savior was born can be told. Without the presence of the pyramid, it would be a celebration but not in a German tradition.