You do not have permission to edit this page, for the following reasons:

This IP address has been blocked from editing Wikipedia.
This does not affect your ability to read Wikipedia pages.
Most people who see this message have done nothing wrong. Some kinds of blocks restrict editing from specific service providers or telecom companies in response to recent abuse or vandalism, and can sometimes affect other users who are unrelated to that abuse. Review the information below for assistance if you do not believe that you have done anything wrong.

The IP address or range 44.201.0.0/16 has been blocked (disabled) by ‪ST47‬ for the following reason(s):

The IP address that you are currently using has been blocked because it is believed to be a web host provider. To prevent abuse, web hosts may be blocked from editing Wikipedia.
You will not be able to edit Wikipedia using a web host provider because it hides your IP address, much like a proxy or VPN.
We recommend that you attempt to use another connection to edit. For example, if you use a proxy or VPN to connect to the internet, turn it off when editing Wikipedia. If you edit using a mobile connection, try using a Wi-Fi connection, and vice versa. If you are using a corporate internet connection, switch to a different Wi-Fi network. If you have a Wikipedia account, please log in.
If you do not have any other way to edit Wikipedia, you will need to request an IP block exemption.

How to appeal if you are confident that your connection does not use a web host's IP address:
If you are confident that you are not using a web host, you may appeal this block by adding the following text on your talk page: ((unblock|reason=Caught by a web host block but this host or IP is not a web host. My IP address is _______. Place any further information here. ~~~~)). You must fill in the blank with your IP address for this block to be investigated. Your IP address can be determined here. Alternatively, if you wish to keep your IP address private you can use the unblock ticket request system. There are several reasons you might be editing using the IP address of a web host (such as if you are using VPN software or a business network); please use this method of appeal only if you think your IP address is in fact not a web host.

Administrators: The IP block exemption user right should only be applied to allow users to edit using web host in exceptional circumstances, and they should usually be directed to the functionaries team via email. If you intend to give the IPBE user right, a CheckUser needs to take a look at the account. This can be requested most easily at SPI Quick Checkuser Requests. Unblocking an IP or IP range with this template is highly discouraged without at least contacting the blocking administrator.

This block will expire on 23:54, 31 July 2024.

Even when blocked, you will usually still be able to edit your user talk page, as well as email administrators and other editors.

For information on how to proceed, please read the FAQ for blocked users and the guideline on block appeals. The guide to appealing blocks may also be helpful.

Other useful links: Blocking policy · Help:I have been blocked
Your IP address is in a range that has been blocked on all Wikimedia Foundation wikis. The block was made by ‪AntiCompositeNumber‬. The reason given is Open proxy/Webhost: Visit the FAQ if you are affected .
- Start of block: 13:55, 18 August 2022
- Expiry of block: 13:55, 18 April 2025
Your current IP address is 44.201.28.123. The blocked range is 44.201.0.0/16. Please include all above details in any queries you make. If you believe you were blocked by mistake, you can find additional information and instructions in the No open proxies global policy. Otherwise, to discuss the block please post a request for review on Meta-Wiki. You could also send an email to the stewards VRT queue at stewards@wikimedia.org including all above details.

You can view and copy the source of this page:

((Short description|German Christmas decoration))
((ref improve|date=August 2020))
[[File:AWeihnachtspyramide02.JPG|thumb|upright|A Christmas pyramid]]
'''Christmas pyramids''' (((lang-de|Weihnachtspyramide))) are [[Christmas]] decorations that have their roots in the folklore and customs of the [[Ore Mountain]] region of Germany, but which have become popular internationally. They comprise a decorated pyramidal outer frame with candle holders and a central [[carousel]] with a rotor at the top which is driven by warm air from the lit candles. The carousel is decorated with [[nativity scene|nativity]] scenes and other Christmas figures such as angels and wise men, as well as worldly motifs such as mining folk and forest scenes.

== Description ==
It is suggested that the Christmas pyramid is a predecessor of the Christmas tree.<ref>((Cite book |last=Forbes |first=Bruce David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ap8unt4cP54C |title=Christmas: A Candid History |date=2007 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-25104-5 |location=Berkeley |page=49))</ref> These pyramids are not limited to Christmas: in the Ore Mountains there was a custom of dancing around the "St. John's Tree", "a pyramid decked with garlands and flowers", at the summer [[solstice]].<ref>((Cite book |last=Miles |first=Clement A. |url=https://archive.org/details/christmascustoms0000mile/page/269 |title=Christmas Customs and Traditions: Their History and Significance |date=1976 |publisher=Dover Publications |isbn=0-486-23354-5 |location=New York |page=[https://archive.org/details/christmascustoms0000mile/page/269 269]))</ref>
Not actually pyramid-shaped, the Christmas pyramid is a kind of [[carousel]] with several levels, some depicting [[Christianity|Christian]] motifs such as [[angel]]s or [[Nativity scene|manger]] scenes, and others with more secular motifs such as mountain-folk, forests, and other scenes from the everyday life of people in the Ore Mountains. The spinning motion of the pyramids is traditionally achieved with the help of [[candle]]s whose rising heat spins a propeller above.

Generally Christmas pyramids are made of wood and based on four- to eight-sided platforms with a long pole in the middle serving as the [[axle]] to which the entire apparatus tapers above and which supports any further platforms. Inside in a [[glass]] or [[ceramic]] support is a [[driveshaft]] on to which at least one platform is attached. The figures, which stand on the platforms are also traditionally made of wood.

Christmas pyramids take various forms from intricately carved miniature houses with pitched roofs, to large multi-level structures that simply serve as a display for the carved figures. In many cities in the Ore Mountains there are large Christmas pyramids on the Market Square at the [[Christmas market]] or in other locations associated with Christmas hustle and bustle.

Most of the pyramids demonstrate nativity scenes. They include the story of Jesus Christ being born, of shepherds and wise men visiting the child, and of angels rejoicing in heaven. The nativity scene often is placed on the longest shelf at the bottom of the pyramid, while a pine cone or a star would crown the top.

== History of the Christmas pyramid ==
[[File:Duesseldorf christmas fair 04.jpg|thumb|upright|An example at the Christmas market in [[Düsseldorf]]]]
Christmas pyramids were originally hung from the ceiling of German families' houses. The custom spread across Europe, mainly to Italy and England and was brought to America by German immigrants in the 18th century.

The origins of the Christmas pyramids date back to the [[Middle Ages]]. In this period it was traditional in southern and western Europe to bring evergreen branches, for example [[buxus|boxwood]], into the home and hang them in order to ward off moroseness in the dark and cold winter months. In northern and eastern Europe traditional candles were used to achieve this goal. The Christmas pyramid would eventually unify these two traditions and become a symbol of Christmas celebrations. The forerunner of the pyramid was a construction known as a ((Lang|de|Lichtergestelle)) (literally: 'light stand') which were very popular in the 18th century. They were constructions made of four poles, decorated with evergreen boughs, tied together at the top and lit with candles.  In the large cities, the [[Christmas tree]], now recognizable all over the world, gradually replaced the ((Lang|de|Lichtergestelle)), but in the mountains, the people did not see a simple tree bedecked with lights; rather they were reminded of the [[capstan (nautical)|capstans]], which were commonly used in the mines of the Ore Mountains. To the pyramid shape was added to the spinning motion of the capstan and the earliest Christmas pyramids were born.

The name ''Christmas pyramid'' came about because the [[Napoleonic campaign in Egypt]] at the end of the 18th century brought pictures of the pyramids back to Europe and eventually to the Ore Mountains, where they reminded the people of the mining capstans and also of the Christmas constructions.

[[File:Mainz-Weihnachtspyramide.JPG|thumb|upright|A pyramid at the Christmas market in [[Mainz]]]]
An important breakthrough in the popularity of the Christmas pyramid came around 1830 with the discovery of [[kerosene]]. Previously, people had used relatively expensive candles or [[rapeseed oil]]. As the means to light and spin the pyramids became much cheaper, the tradition spread. Now such pyramids can be found in numerous styles and sizes all over Germany as well as in many parts of the United States.

== See also ==
((Portal|Christianity|Germany))
* [[Angel chimes]]
* [[Wooden toymaking in the Ore Mountains]]

==References==
((reflist))

((clear))

==External links==
((commons category-inline|Christmas pyramids))
((Christmas))

[[Category:Christmas in Germany]]
[[Category:Christmas decorations]]
[[Category:Culture of the Ore Mountains]]

Pages transcluded onto the current version of this page (help):

Christmas pyramid (edit)
Template:Ambox (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Christmas (view source) (semi-protected)
Template:Cite book (view source) (protected)
Template:Clear (view source) (protected)
Template:Commons category-inline (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Find sources mainspace (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Hlist/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Template:Icon (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:If empty (view source) (protected)
Template:Lang (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Lang-de (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Longitem (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Main other (view source) (protected)
Template:More citations needed (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Navbox (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Pagetype (view source) (protected)
Template:Portal (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Ref improve (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Reflist (view source) (protected)
Template:Reflist/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Template:SDcat (view source) (protected)
Template:Short description (view source) (protected)
Template:Short description/lowercasecheck (view source) (protected)
Template:Sister-inline (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:White (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Arguments (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/blacklist (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/config (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/data (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/shared (view source) (protected)
Module:Check for unknown parameters (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1 (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/COinS (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Date validation (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Identifiers (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Whitelist (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Module:Commons link (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Disambiguation/templates (view source) (protected)
Module:Exponential search (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Find sources (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Find sources/config (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Find sources/links (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Find sources/templates/Find sources mainspace (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Icon (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Icon/data (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:If empty (view source) (protected)
Module:Lang (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Lang/ISO 639 synonyms (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Lang/data (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Language/data/iana languages (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Language/data/iana regions (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Language/data/iana scripts (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Language/data/iana suppressed scripts (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Language/data/iana variants (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Message box (view source) (protected)
Module:Message box/ambox.css (view source) (protected)
Module:Message box/configuration (view source) (protected)
Module:Namespace detect/config (view source) (protected)
Module:Namespace detect/data (view source) (protected)
Module:Navbar (view source) (protected)
Module:Navbar/configuration (view source) (protected)
Module:Navbar/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Module:Navbox (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Navbox/configuration (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Navbox/styles.css (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Pagetype (view source) (protected)
Module:Pagetype/config (view source) (protected)
Module:Pagetype/disambiguation (view source) (protected)
Module:Pagetype/setindex (view source) (protected)
Module:Pagetype/softredirect (view source) (protected)
Module:Portal (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Portal/images/c (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Portal/images/g (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Portal/styles.css (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:SDcat (view source) (protected)
Module:String (view source) (protected)
Module:TableTools (view source) (protected)
Module:Unicode data (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Unicode data/scripts (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Unsubst (view source) (protected)
Module:Wikitext Parsing (view source) (protected)
Module:Yesno (view source) (protected)

Return to Christmas pyramid.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_pyramid"