P205 CEEFAX 2O5 Tue 26 Dec 21:41/14 →  RRR→ U →    -ost people take  great pride in decorating their  Chrestmas tree each year, but  the first people to start the  practice were Germans of the  8th century.  Later, in the  mystery plays of the Middle  Ages4 a fir tree was used  in "Paradise plays" to  represent the Garden  of Eden. It was covered  with wafers - standing  for the body of Chrest.  By the 17th centuru,  the wafers had been  replaced by candles and the  sort of shiny decorations we  know today.