diff --git a/scripts/eressea/e2/init.lua b/scripts/eressea/e2/init.lua
index dd01a06d4..7193a721b 100644
--- a/scripts/eressea/e2/init.lua
+++ b/scripts/eressea/e2/init.lua
@@ -4,9 +4,8 @@ eressea.log.debug("rules for game E2")
 return {
     require('eressea'),
     require('eressea.autoseed'),
-    require('eressea.xmas2004'),
-    require('eressea.xmas2005'),
-    require('eressea.xmas2006'),
+    require('eressea.xmas'),
+    require('eressea.xmasitems'),
     require('eressea.wedding'),
     require('eressea.embassy'),
     require('eressea.eternath'),
diff --git a/scripts/eressea/e3/init.lua b/scripts/eressea/e3/init.lua
index 3132e63f5..9acda1093 100644
--- a/scripts/eressea/e3/init.lua
+++ b/scripts/eressea/e3/init.lua
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ eressea.log.debug("rules for game E3")
 
 return {
     require('eressea'),
-    require('eressea.xmas2009'),
+    require('eressea.xmasitems'),
     require('eressea.markets'),
     require('eressea.frost'),
     require('eressea.ents')
diff --git a/scripts/eressea/xmas2004.lua b/scripts/eressea/xmas2004.lua
deleted file mode 100644
index 79d2b0665..000000000
--- a/scripts/eressea/xmas2004.lua
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,24 +0,0 @@
-function use_snowman(u, amount)
-    if amount>0 and u.region.terrain == "glacier" then
-        local man = unit.create(u.faction, u.region)
-        man.race = "snowman"
-        man.number = amount
-        return amount
-    end
-    return -4
-end
-
-local self = {}
-
-function self.update()
-    if not get_key("xm04") then
-        eressea.log.debug("Es weihnachtet sehr (2004)")
-        set_key("xm04", true)
-        for f in factions() do
-            f:add_item("speedsail", 1)
-            f:add_notice("santa2004")
-        end
-    end
-end
-
-return self
diff --git a/scripts/eressea/xmas2005.lua b/scripts/eressea/xmas2005.lua
deleted file mode 100644
index 9bc0ac723..000000000
--- a/scripts/eressea/xmas2005.lua
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,30 +0,0 @@
-function usepotion_message(u, potion)
-  msg = message.create("usepotion")
-  msg:set_unit("unit", u)
-  msg:set_resource("potion", potion)
-  return msg
-end
-
-function use_stardust(u, amount)
-  local p = u.region:get_resource("peasant")
-  p = math.ceil(1.5 * p)
-  u.region:set_resource("peasant", p)
-  local msg = usepotion_message(u, "stardust")
-  msg:send_region(u.region)
-  return amount
-end
-
-local self = {}
-
-function self.update()
-    if not get_key("xm05") then
-        print("Es weihnachtet sehr (2005)")
-        set_key("xm05", true)
-        for f in factions() do
-            f:add_item("stardust", 1)
-            f:add_notice("santa2005")
-        end
-    end
-end
-
-return self
diff --git a/scripts/eressea/xmas2006.lua b/scripts/eressea/xmas2006.lua
deleted file mode 100644
index 85a8b3d98..000000000
--- a/scripts/eressea/xmas2006.lua
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,53 +0,0 @@
-function use_xmastree(u, amount)
-  u.region:set_key("xm06", true)
-  local msg = message.create("usepotion")
-  msg:set_unit("unit", u)
-  msg:set_resource("potion", "xmastree")
-  msg:send_region(u.region)
-  return amount
-end
-
-local self = {}
-
-function self.update()
-  local turn = get_turn()
-  local season = get_season(turn)
-  if season == "calendar::winter" then
-    eressea.log.debug("it is " .. season .. ", the christmas trees do their magic")
-    local msg = message.create("xmastree_effect")
-    for r in regions() do
-      if r:get_key("xm06") then
-        trees = r:get_resource("tree")
-        if trees*0.1>=1 then
-          r:set_resource("tree", trees * 1.1)
-          msg:send_region(r)
-        end
-        if clear then
-        end
-      end
-    end
-  else
-    local prevseason = get_season(turn-1)
-    if prevseason == "calendar::winter" then
-      -- we celebrate knut and kick out the trees.
-      for r in regions() do
-        if r:get_key("xm06") then
-          r:set_key("xm06", false)
-        end
-      end
-    end
-  end
-end
-
-function self.init()
-    if not get_key("xm06") then
-        print("Es weihnachtet sehr (2006)")
-        set_key("xm06", true)
-        for f in factions() do
-            f:add_item("xmastree", 1)
-            f:add_notice("santa2006")
-        end
-    end
-end
-
-return self
diff --git a/scripts/eressea/xmas2009.lua b/scripts/eressea/xmas2009.lua
deleted file mode 100644
index 64bcd7762..000000000
--- a/scripts/eressea/xmas2009.lua
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,30 +0,0 @@
-function use_xmastree(u, amount)
-    if u.region.herb~=nil then
-        -- TODO: else?
-        local trees = u.region:get_resource("tree")
-        u.region:set_resource("tree", 10+trees)
-        local msg = message.create("usepotion")
-        msg:set_unit("unit", u)
-        msg:set_resource("potion", "xmastree")
-        msg:send_region(u.region)
-        return amount
-    end
-    return 0
-end
-
-local xmas = {}
-
-function xmas.update()
-    if not get_key("xm09") then
-        print("Es weihnachtet sehr (2009)")
-        set_key("xm09", true)
-        for f in factions() do
-            f:add_item("xmastree", 1)
-            local msg = message.create("msg_event")
-            msg:set_string("string", translate("santa2006"))
-            msg:send_faction(f)
-        end
-    end
-end
-
-return xmas
diff --git a/scripts/eressea/xmasitems.lua b/scripts/eressea/xmasitems.lua
index c39b648ca..bce82f7e4 100644
--- a/scripts/eressea/xmasitems.lua
+++ b/scripts/eressea/xmasitems.lua
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ function use_snowglobe(u, amount, token)
             local trans = transform[r.terrain]
             if trans then
                 r.terrain = trans
+                return 1
             else
                 -- message "invalid terrain"
             end
@@ -32,9 +33,8 @@ function use_snowglobe(u, amount, token)
         end
     else
         -- message "need to specify direction"
-        return -1
     end
-    return 1
+    return -1
 end
 
 function use_snowman(u, amount)
diff --git a/scripts/tests/e2/e2features.lua b/scripts/tests/e2/e2features.lua
index 92906667b..8505bfd39 100644
--- a/scripts/tests/e2/e2features.lua
+++ b/scripts/tests/e2/e2features.lua
@@ -201,18 +201,6 @@ function test_no_uruk()
   assert_equal(f1.race, "orc")
 end
 
-function disable_test_snowglobe()
-    local r1 = region.create(0, 0, "glacier")
-    local r2 = region.create(1, 0, "ocean")
-    local f = faction.create("noreply@eressea.de", "human", "de")
-    local u = unit.create(f, r1, 1)
-    u:add_item("snowglobe", 1)
-    u:clear_orders()
-    u:add_order("BENUTZEN 1 Schneekugel Ost")
-    process_orders()
-    assert_equal("glacier", r2.terrain)
-end
-
 function test_snowman()
     local r = region.create(0, 0, "glacier")
     local f = faction.create("noreply@eressea.de", "human", "de")
diff --git a/scripts/tests/e2/init.lua b/scripts/tests/e2/init.lua
index 45f0cfec5..cd6cf640a 100644
--- a/scripts/tests/e2/init.lua
+++ b/scripts/tests/e2/init.lua
@@ -11,3 +11,4 @@ require 'tests.common'
 require 'tests.storage'
 require 'tests.magicbag'
 require 'tests.process'
+require 'tests.xmas'
diff --git a/scripts/tests/xmas.lua b/scripts/tests/xmas.lua
index 07df8dde8..8c6acb895 100644
--- a/scripts/tests/xmas.lua
+++ b/scripts/tests/xmas.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,47 @@
+require "lunit"
+
+module("tests.xmas", package.seeall, lunit.testcase )
+
+function setup()
+    eressea.free_game()
+    eressea.settings.set("nmr.timeout", "0")
+    eressea.settings.set("rules.grow.formula", "0")
+end
+
+function test_snowglobe_fail()
+    local r1 = region.create(0, 0, "glacier")
+    local r2 = region.create(1, 0, "ocean")
+    local f = faction.create("snowglobe1@eressea.de", "human", "de")
+    local u = unit.create(f, r1, 1)
+    u:add_item("snowglobe", 1)
+    u:clear_orders()
+    u:add_order("BENUTZEN 1 Schneekugel Ost")
+    unit.create(f, r2, 1) -- unit in target region => fail
+    process_orders()
+    assert_equal('ocean', r2.terrain)
+end
+
+function test_snowglobe()
+    local r1 = region.create(0, 0, "glacier")
+    local r2 = region.create(1, 0, "ocean")
+    local f = faction.create("snowglobe2@eressea.de", "human", "de")
+    local u = unit.create(f, r1, 1)
+    local have = 6
+    u:add_item("snowglobe", have)
+    local xform = { ocean = "glacier", glacier = "glacier", firewall = "volcano", volcano = "mountain", desert = "plain", plain = "plain" }
+    u:clear_orders()
+    u:add_order("BENUTZEN 1 Schneekugel Ost")
+    for k, v in pairs(xform) do
+        r2.terrain = k
+        process_orders()
+        assert_equal(v, r2.terrain)
+        if k~=v then have=have - 1 end
+        assert_equal(have, u:get_item("snowglobe"))
+    end
+end
+
 local function use_tree(terrain)
-    local r = region.create(0,0, terrain)
+    local r = region.create(0, 0, terrain)
     local f = faction.create("noreply@eressea.de", "human", "de")
     local u1 = unit.create(f, r, 5)
     r:set_resource("tree", 0)
diff --git a/src/laws.c b/src/laws.c
index 5c6d5a46e..121b9d814 100755
--- a/src/laws.c
+++ b/src/laws.c
@@ -784,19 +784,14 @@ void demographics(void)
     }
 
     for (r = regions; r; r = r->next) {
-        ++r->age;                   /* also oceans. no idea why we didn't always do that */
+        ++r->age; /* also oceans. no idea why we didn't always do that */
         live(r);
 
         if (!fval(r->terrain, SEA_REGION)) {
             /* die Nachfrage nach Produkten steigt. */
             struct demand *dmd;
             if (r->land) {
-                static int plant_rules = -1;
-
-                if (plant_rules < 0) {
-                    plant_rules =
-                        get_param_int(global.parameters, "rules.grow.formula", 0);
-                }
+                int plant_rules = get_param_int(global.parameters, "rules.grow.formula", 2);
                 for (dmd = r->land->demands; dmd; dmd = dmd->next) {
                     if (dmd->value > 0 && dmd->value < MAXDEMAND) {
                         float rise = DMRISE;
@@ -822,11 +817,11 @@ void demographics(void)
                     }
                 }
                 horses(r);
-                if (plant_rules == 0) { /* E1 */
+                if (plant_rules == 2) { /* E2 */
                     growing_trees(r, current_season, last_weeks_season);
                     growing_herbs(r, current_season, last_weeks_season);
                 }
-                else {                /* E3 */
+                else if (plant_rules==1) { /* E3 */
                     growing_trees_e3(r, current_season, last_weeks_season);
                 }
             }