The First Christmas Tree: A Story of the Forest

"The First Christmas Tree: A Story of the Forest" by Henry Van Dyke is a story set in a time when an English missionary named Winfried, later known as Boniface, and a young royalty named Gregor venture into the depths of Germany to spread Christianity to pagan tribes. In the strange forests, they come face to face with a terrifying ritual about to happen at the Thunder-Oak, a place of devotion to Thor, where a child is about to be sacrificed. Boniface, filled with courage and driven by his faith, steps in to stop the sacrifice, aiming to bring about the old ways and introduce the teachings of Christ, changing their ways with the hope of the fir tree as a symbol of new beginnings and faith. The book shows how faith overcomes fear and how a new tradition is born, which we now know as Christmas.