How Christmas trees took root

Six months after staggering through college, and confused as to my future prospects, I took a working post in southern Sweden. 

Arriving in mid-winter, I was startled by the hearty embraces of the host family, moose steaks, pack-ice, and ultimately by how readily the Swedes would rise up as a body and prance lightly hand-in-hand around any Christmas tree booming out discordant, lilting song.

The fairytale castle where I worked was owned by the Baron Von S — a mercurial character who had inherited the title unexpectedly on the tragic death of his elder brother.