ornament shop
Christmas ornaments
 

All About Ornaments

Christmas Recipes & Crafts
Christmas Articles
Christmas Web Logos
Christmas Ornaments

Animal Ornaments

Sea Glass Ornaments
Agate Slice Ornaments
Wildlife Animal Ornaments
Horse Ornament
Bear Ornaments
Bird Ornaments
Buffalo Ornaments
Camel Ornaments
Cat Ornaments
Cheetah Ornaments
Chipmunk Ornaments
Deer Ornaments
Dolphin Ornaments
Donkey Ornaments
Eagle Ornaments
Elephant Ornaments
Flamingo Ornaments
Fox Ornaments
Frog Ornaments
Giraffe Ornaments
Goat Ornaments
Gorilla Ornaments
Koala Ornaments
Lemur Ornaments
Leopard Ornaments
Lion Ornaments
Lizard Ornaments
Manatee Ornaments
Meerkat Ornaments
Monkey Ornaments
Moose Ornaments
Otter Ornaments
Owl Ornaments
Panda Ornaments
Parrot Ornaments
Peacock Ornaments
Prairie Dog Ornaments
Rabbit Ornaments
Raccoon Ornaments
Rhino Ornaments
Seal Ornaments
Sea Lion Ornaments
Shark Ornaments
Skunk Ornaments
Sloth Ornaments
Squirrels Ornaments
Swan Ornaments
Tiger Ornaments
Turtle Ornaments
Whale Ornaments
Wild Dog Ornaments
Wolf Ornaments
Zebra Ornaments
More Horse Ornaments

Miscellaneous Ornaments

Angel Ornaments
Butterfly Ornaments
Centaur Ornaments
Chess Ornaments
Dragon Ornaments
Elf Ornaments
Egyptian Ornaments
Fae Ornaments
Fairy Ornaments
Lighthouse Ornaments
Mermaid Ornaments
Merman Ornaments
Native American
Pegasus Ornaments
Pixie Ornaments
Puzzle Ornaments
Satyr Ornaments
Travel Ornaments
Unicorn Ornaments
Romantic Ornaments
Environmental Ornaments
UFO & Alien Ornaments
Dragon Ornaments
Religious Ornaments
Sunset Ornaments

Sports Ornaments

Water Sport Ornaments
Golf
Sailing
Fishing
Martial Arts
Kitesurfing
Motocross
Parasailing
Scuba Diving
Soccer
Snowboarding
Surfing
Wakeboarding
Windsurfing
Race Car Driving
Boxing
More Golf
Tennis
Skating
Bowling
Camping
Kayaking

Miscellaneous

Sponsor Website
Valentine Gifts
Party Invitations
Need Gift Idea

ornaments

 

Christmas Pyramids: A 300 year old Tradition

Before the grand Tannenbaum, there was the Weinachts pyramide, or lightstock. This holiday tradition can be traced to Dresden, the largest city in the Erzibirge region of Germany, where in 1168 AD silver and tin were discovered. Hundreds of miners flocked to the Ore Mountains to make their fortunes. But foreign competition and warfare resulted in many miners losing their jobs. To compensate, many took up woodcarving, incorporating mining symbols and religious elements into their designs. Thus a reputation for intricate woodwork was established in the region.

In the middle ages Christians began associating the evergreen with Christmas, borrowing the symbol from the pagan winter solstice celebration. Bringing trees into their homes, villagers hung fruit and cookies from the branches to symbolize the fruits of redemption. At the same time, woodcarvers in the Erzebirge region fashioned the first lightstock, a pyramid-shaped stand made from 2-5 wooden rods and 3 shelves holding candles and Christmas-related figurines. Eventually someone thought to attach a pinwheel to the top of the central rod. The heat from the candles rose, rotating the pinwheel and the shelves. Small lightstocks (average pyramids stand about 50 cm) were placed beside Christmas trees in some homes, although many poor woodcarvers could not afford trees, and thus the lightstock came to be known as the “poor man’s Christmas tree.” Unlike the glass ornaments of Lausche, the lightstock was not originally made to satisfy customer demand, but was established first as a genuine folk tradition. Other seasonal objects fashioned by the woodcarvers of the Erzibirge region include schwiboggen, an arch-shaped candle holder that lights the windows during Advent; rauchermann, a wooden ornament shaped like a smoking man with a hollowed out mouth where incense is burned; and the popular nutcracker, inspired by the storybook on which Tchaikovsky’s ballet is based.

Originally the candle-lit pyramid was a symbol for light, a prayer for the miners to return safely home from the danger of the mines. As it became associated with Christmas, the candles on the lightstock came to represent Christ, who is the light of the world.

Lightstocks gained popularity in Dresden and the surrounding villages, and multi-storied pyramids began appearing in town markets, as villagers competed for the best town pyramid. Lightstock shelves were filled with scenes illustrating their village’s history, the story of Christmas, or other holiday themes. This tradition continues on today, and the world’s tallest pyramid stands in the Striezelmarkt in Dresden.

The Christmas tree tradition was not accepted by Americans until much later, brought by Hessian soldiers fighting in the Revolutionary War and later by German immigrants. But it is said that in 1747 in a church colony in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, German settlers displayed wooden pyramids covered with evergreen branches and decorated with candles.

Lightstocks are available today in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and are the continuation of a tradition over 300 years old.

About the Author:
Emma Snow is a creator at for Ornament Shop http://www.ornament-shop.net and Craft Kits http://www.craft-kits.net leading portals for crafts and ornaments.

 

Stunning Handmade Ornaments
Sea Glass OrnamentsHandmade Genuine Sea Glass Ornaments Wire Wrapped and - Made to Order
Agate Slice Ornaments
Hand Wire Wrapped Agate Slice Ornaments - Made to Order




 

© Copyright 2005-2020 DR Management