Early Christmas trees in Salzburg, Austria. I woke up in early October to a sound of great cheering as a group of builders were putting a decorated Fir tree on top of a building that they had just completed. Why are they celebrating Christmas so early? I was told that the tree has nothing to do with Christmas, but it is an ancient ritual of “completion” of a building in Salzburg. Some traditions hoist the tree once the highest point has been reached in the construction of a building. Once the roof is completed and there have been no casualties