The First Christmas Tree: A Story of the Forest: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
The First Christmas Tree: A Story of the Forest: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.
The First Christmas Tree: A Story of the Forest is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Van Dyke, Henry (1852–1933).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"The First Christmas Tree: A Story of the Forest" by Henry Van Dyke is a fictional narrative written in the late 19th century. This book blends elements of historical and religious storytelling, likely focusing on the early Christianization of the Germanic tribes during the time of Boniface, who is depicted as a key character. It explores themes of faith, sacrifice, and the significance of the Christmas tree within the context of a significant cultural transition. The narrative follows Winfried, also known as Boniface, a missionary from England, who embarks on a perilous journey through the forests of Germany to convert pagan tribes to Christianity. Alongside a young prince named Gregor, Winfried confronts a barbaric tradition of sacrifice at the Thunder-Oak, a sacred site for the worship of Thor. With courage and faith, he interrupts a ritual meant to sacrifice a child, attempting to replace the old pagan beliefs with the message of Christ. The pivotal moment occurs when he persuades the people to abandon their old ways and instead, embrace the fir tree as a symbol of new life and hope in Christ. The story ultimately showcases the triumph of faith over fear and the birth of a new tradition that we now associate with Christmas.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The First Christmas Tree: A Story of the Forest
- Author credits: Van Dyke, Henry (1852–1933)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Christmas stories
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Historical Novels
- Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore
- Category: Novels
- Category: Religion/Spirituality
- Christmas
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.
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