"The First Christmas Tree" takes readers to 8th-century Germany, where the missionary Winfried — known as Boniface, Apostle of Germany — leads a small band through snow-covered forests on Christmas Eve to confront a pagan ritual beneath a great thunder-oak. When a chieftain's young son is chosen for sacrifice, Winfried intervenes with one fierce stroke — and what follows transforms an ancient clearing into the birthplace of a beloved tradition. Van Dyke's short story blends forest peril, spiritual conviction, and the quiet wonder of a child who hears angels singing behind the tree.

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