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Curiously model trains became associated with Chritmas, especially in America. We are not entirely sure why this occurred. We know it occurred in America, but we think it also occured in Britain, Gernany and other European countries as well. It seems a strange juktaposition. Christmas is associated with peace abd traquility. Perhaps the greatest Christmas carol is 'Silent Night'. Yet the noisy, dirty, powerful locomotive became in the 2oth century a Christmas staple. What appears to have happened is that department stores wanted to attract customers and once self propelled model train were developed, they were ideal for adding interest to static store windows meant to attract the inteest of children. Thus major department stors began creating such displays. We know this occurred in America. We are less sure about other countries. Model train sets were fairly expensve, thus they became Chritmas gifts. The most surprising thing is that famiies began setting uo model trains to go around the Christmast tree right there with the creche and baby Jesus. The tracks were laid in a circular formation around the tree. Te tracks hjad to be layd out somewehre and in most homes it md sence to do it around the Christmas tree and not elsewhere where it would get stumbled over. We know tyhis wa common in America durfing the 20th century. It is less common tidy bcuse fa fewer boys have model train sets. . And we see it in Gernany as well. We are less sure about other countries. We assume this was probably done to please the kids and gradually became a Christmas tradition.
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