Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Some Germans would rather spend Christmas with a tree than with their families, a new poll shows. The survey in Thursday's Focus weekly news magazine found 75 percent of Germans could not contemplate Christmas without their beloved "Tannenbaum," the traditional tree many cover lavishly with candles, lights and decorations. But only 65 percent said spending time with relatives was also essential for a good Christmas. Singing carols was the next most vital ingredient, with 57 percent saying they could not do without them, while 42 percent said Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without presents. The modern tradition of the Christmas tree originated in Germany. Three percent of the 1,014 people polled about attitudes to Christmas wanted to skip the whole thing. Just in time to slot in a Christmas piece, the usual wacko style. Have yourself a merry little Christmas.