Christmas is big deal in Germany, but even more so in Saxony's Ore Mountains. Locals ring in the festive season by setting up large Christmas pyramids. They have become an instantly recognizable symbol of this region in southeastern Germany.

A common miners' greeting translates to "keep hold of what's good." Christmas illuminations today still reflect the yearning of those working underground for light. From the first Sunday of Advent until January 6, candles and candle arches decorate many windows.

The region is famous for its Christmas decorations, most of which are made of wood and carved by hand in small workshops. Holiday decorations lean heavily on the mining motif. Some Christmas pyramids, for example, show a horse-driven apparatus used to bring stone and ore from the mine to the surface.

When the first mining crisis struck in 1650, the local population turned to wood carving to earn a living. Eventually, this became a tradition. The village of Seiffen is known for its large number of wooden toy makers and workshops, making it among the most visited tourist destination in the state of Saxony during the Christmas season.

"The smoking men" are very much part of the Ore Mountain Christmas lineup. These locally crafted incense holders are dispatched around the world, and can be filled with incense smelling of pine, honey, cinnamon or frankincense.

Anyone who wants to know more about the tradition of wood carving should head to Burg Scharfenstein. The medieval castle towers above the village of the same name, and houses one of the most important collections of traditional Ore Mountain wood carving art. Christmas is also celebrated in the castle compound with a romantic festival.

The Mettenschicht is an old German mining custom in the Ore Mountains. It's the name given to the last shift worked before Christmas, which ends early with a celebration and meal. Many exhibition mines offer a Mettenschicht as a Christmas celebration with elements of mining tradition including a miners' meal, music and a guided tour of the mine.

The discovery of silver nearby in the late 15th century marked the start of Annaberg-Buchholz's heyday. Nowadays, the late Gothic architecture of St. Anne's Church and the market square with the town hall and magnificent town houses testify to that. In 2019, UNESCO declared the Ore Mountain region and its mining traditions a World Heritage Site.

The annual Saxon Miners' Association parade in Annaberg-Buchholz is the highlight of the Christmas season in the Ore Mountains. Some 1,000 miners from Saxony and other German mining regions parade through the streets, festively clad in traditional costumes. There are 30 parades and processions in the run-up to Christmas, the last taking place on the fourth Sunday of Advent.

At 1,214 meters (3,982 feet) above sea level, Fichtelberg is the highest point in the Ore Mountains. That makes it ideal for extended hikes, skiing and tobogganing. After all, who doesn't want to burn a few calories after all that scrumptious Christmas food?