German Christmas Pyramids

I've been enjoying clicking on all the posts linked for Metamorphosis Monday...so many great Before and Afters! If you haven't had a chance to check them all out, just scroll on down...lots of great inspiration awaits!


German Christmas Pyramids:

Have you ever seen those tall, multi-tiered Christmas pieces with the little figures on each level? Often there are candles surrounding them and and they spin around and around. I've seen them over the years and knew they were usually made in Germany...but that was about the extent of what I knew. It turns out they are actually called German Christmas Pyramids. Cornelia who lives in Switzerland and whose tablescapes I have shared here on BNOTP from time to time, has a wonderful collection of the Christmas Pyramids. She generously sent pics so I could share them with you! :)

Picture from Wikipedia

A little history about German Christmas Pyramids: These beautiful hand-crafted pieces date all the way back to the 16th Century, to the Erzgebirge area of Germany. The Erzgebirge is actually a mountain range and it was a huge area for mining. The miners in that area created the first Christmas Pyramids.


Over the centuries, the Christmas pyramids were built more solidly and more elaborate...much like the ones you'll find today. They are even making them electrically powered now, though the traditional pieces were all powered by the heat from the candles that encircled the pieces. Most Christmas Pyramids tell the story of the nativity, level by level, making them very popular decorations for the Christmas season. You can find them for sale at the ChristKindl-Markt online. I also found some for pretty reasonable prices on good ole eBay.


I'm going to just hush, now and just let you tour Cornelia's wonderful collection of German Christmas Pyramids, along with some of her other Christmas collectibles. Enjoy!































All the figures in the next few photos are handcarved and handpainted. They are all made in Eastern Germany, the former German Democratic Republic.

























Additional Information: Cornelia said the guys with open mouths are actually hand-carved wooden incense burners. (Räuchermännchen). She said, you put a scented pastille inside them and light it and it fills the room with a lovely smell. She added that these collectibles are all from the Erzgebirge which is in the east of Germany, former German Democratic Republic.




More of the Räuchermännchen that "smoke"...







Thanks Cornelia for sharing your beautiful collection of German Christmas Pyramids and Räuchermännchen with us!