Christmas Greetings, Can anyone direct me to a website or other documentation of how the people of Schleswig celebrated Christmas? Did they have predominately German cultural practices or Danish?  My family, who were Lutheran, settled initially in Western Iowa.  My Great Aunts and Uncles told of how they were not allowed to see the Christmas tree or the gifts below it until Christmas morning. In fact I do not believe that the tree was even put up until Christmas eve. They had real candles that they lit on the branches too. I assume they went to mass that morning but am not sure as religion and faith were not talked of any more than politics. My Grandpa was a baker and so I assume there were lots of baked goodies to be enjoyed.  My Dad was rather particular as to how the whole tree decorating happened too. I am wondering if this was a result of the depression era or if it has roots in his heritage. (Rasch, Pieper, Thomsen, Thomssen, Lorensen, Evers, Trede, Thiedemann, Hitscher) John Rasch(Rootsweb Family Trees: Bartley2007 // Schleswig towns: Kiesbyfeld, Lindaukamp, Kius, Boren / USA: Davenport, IA; - Scott Co. IA; - Minden, IA; Denver, Co; - Herrick, SD; - Greeley, NE; - Milwaukee, WI Merry ChristmasJohn "...which He prepared..." Ephesians 2