Christmas in Sweden is still symbolised by a barrel of ale, or a drinking horn. So the emphasis on food and drink traditions was originally a pagan trait of the Christmas celebration. The Christmas tree is a custom that was imported from Germany in the 1880s. The foremer tradition of giving joke presents, often a log of wood, was replaced during the late-19th century and 20th century by Christmas gifts given out by the Christmas goat ("Julbocken") or, especially later, Santa Claus ("Jultomten"). The Christmas celebrations in Sweden usually starts with the first Advent in the end of November. However Christmas decorations and
A Twisted Christmas singing. Twisted Sister also filmed a studio performance of "Heavy Metal Christmas" for GameTap. Unusually, this video featured frontman Snider without his makeup. Music critic James C. Monger praised the release for the publication AllMusic. Monger remarked that the band's members "filter the beloved Christmas carol" tradition "through the same makeup-smeared sieve" that brought them earlier success. Arguing that Christmas albums "need to either be pretty good, horrifically terrible, or completely original to cause even the jolliest head to turn", he wrote that "Twisted Christmas" "manages to achieve all three" and constitutes a "collection of yuletide classics". A Twisted Christmas