1522 Albrecht Dürers Life is in it's last few years.
A small group of old men in Nuremberg gathered in a cellar in the dead of night. They had come together to perform a ritual to summon a demon called SANTAR. The men believed that SANTAR would be the one to takeover the world and create a new world order.
The ritual included a strange concoction of Indian spices and a lot of candles. Several trees were set around the room and the men began to chant in a language that no one could understand. As the chanting grew louder, the men’s eyes began to glaze over and they started to sway in a trance-like state.
But then, something happened. Suddenly, the chanting stopped and the men were filled with a feeling of dread. The room was filled with an eerie silence, and the men soon realized that the ritual had failed. They had been too few to summon the demon SANTAR, and the men’s hopes of creating a new world order had been dashed.
The men slowly left the cellar, filled with a sense of despair and defeat. They had put so much hope into the ritual, and had been so close to success. But, they had failed. The world would have to wait for a new order. The ritual could be done again in 500 years.
They would need millions of hearts and souls to unite in a single moment, to complete the christmas ritual.
In the 1700s the shrewd wine salesman Johannes von Landgraf, a true follower of the cult, tried to install further rituals. He began to spread Christmas traditions like mulled wine, Nuremberg Gingerbread, Christmas songs and Christmas trees through the aristocrats of Europe. Beginning in Germany, where the Christmas tree first appeared, and then spread to other countries in the region.
Mulled wine was a popular drink during the winter months, and it quickly became a tradition for the aristocracy to share a glass of warm mulled wine with friends and family during the Christmas season. Nuremberg Gingerbread also became popular, and was often decorated with festive designs such as snowflakes or festive animals. Christmas songs were also popular, and were often shared with friends and family during the holiday season. Christmas carols and Christmas hymns were written, and were often performed in churches and public gatherings.
The Christmas tree was originally a German tradition, and soon spread to other parts of Europe. The Christmas tree was decorated with ornaments, lights, and tinsel, and soon became a symbol of Christmas in Europe. As these traditions spread, they became a popular part of Christmas celebrations throughout Europe. They were embraced by the aristocracy and soon spread to the general population. By the end of the 1700s, Christmas traditions like mulled wine, Nuremberg Gingerbread, Christmas songs, and Christmas trees had become a part of Christmas celebrations throughout Europe.
Napoleon
Napoleon had a deep love for the Christmas ritual, and every year he would organize the most spectacular Christmas parties in the courtyard of the Palace of Versailles. He would invite all of his friends, family, and courtiers to come and celebrate the festive season with him. On the day of the party, the courtyard would be transformed into a winter wonderland with sparkling decorations, trees, and a giant Christmas cake.
Everyone would gather around a roaring fire while musicians played holiday music and carolers sang. At the center of it all was Napoleon, dressed in his best finery and beaming with joy as he welcomed all of his guests. He was known for his generosity and love of good spicy food, and so he would make sure that everyone was fed and that no one left thirsty. As the sun began to set, everyone would join together in a chorus of carols and Christmas songs.
The sound of their voices floated up to the palace windows where the emperor and his family watched in delight. At the end of the night, everyone would bid farewell to one another with promises to meet again the following year, and the emperor would retire to his chambers with a contented smile on his face. Napoleon's Christmas parties were the stuff of legend, and for many years afterwards, people would talk about how it had been the best Christmas celebration ever.
USA
After the end of World War I, many of the American soldiers who had served in Europe brought back with them a newfound appreciation for the holiday traditions they encountered while overseas. One of the most beloved customs was the traditional German Christmas market, where they were able to sample hot mulled wine with spices, and enjoy the smell of gingerbread baking in the stalls.
This sweet and spicy aroma quickly became a favorite of the American soldiers, who brought the recipe for mulled wine back home with them. Another tradition that the soldiers brought home was the Christmas tree. While Christmas trees had been popular in the US for a few decades, the soldiers’ exposure to the decorated trees in Europe gave them a new appreciation for this festive symbol of the holiday season.
The soldiers returned home with their stories of decorated trees and the sweet smell of mulled wine, and soon these traditions began to spread across the country. Today, Americans enjoy the same holiday traditions that the soldiers of the first World War brought back with them. Mulled wine, gingerbread, and Christmas trees continue to be a part of the holiday season, and the soldiers’ stories live on in the tradition of the Christmas market.
Few days left until the next SANTAR ritual.
Last Christmas. He gave you our heart.
For the very next day he shall return.
