The woven heart is a traditional decoration on the Danish Christmas tree. It is said that the original julehjerte was crafted by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen.   The oldest preserved heart dates back to 1860 and is on exhibit at the HC Andersen museum in Odense, Denmark.  The hearts are made from two pieces of colored paper or felt woven together in a simple checkerboard pattern.  Over time, hearts have been designed with more complex and intricate cuttings. The hearts are used as ornaments and because they can open as small baskets, are often filled with candy.