Xmas Trees

Looking at all the Xmas trees for sale it made me wonder, how did this tradition come about. I did a quick check on wikipedia and came away more confused, as they offered a number of possible theories such as evergreen trees being symbolic to German pagans and much later the decorated tree being adopted by European royalty. What folk lore is there in your countries that tell of the Xmas tree? Or maybe you don't have a Xmas tree but something else. What are your traditions?

Pearlies Harvest Festival

Tomorrow the Pearly community celebrates their annual harvest festival.  A very colourful event steeped in tradition. Expect colourful costumes and maybe a Morris dance or two. 
 Details of the event are on their website.

Korean Wedding

 Dancers and drummers perform before the bride and groom arrive for a traditional Korean wedding in a ritual dates back to Confucian times and values.  The couple meet each other for the first time at the wedding ceremony and the bride can dress in royal clothing and for one truly be a princess.

It is a lengthy ceremony with a lot of bowing, hand washing and gift giving.   One of the gifts is wooden geese, given by the groom to his mother-in-law. The symbolism in this gift is that geese mate for life so hopefully so will this marriage.