A picture book that I read in my childhood (early to mid 1990s) from a book that could have been written in 1960s to early 1990s. The main characters (2 to 3 sisters as I remember) fed wildlife (birds and also a few deer, there might have been squirrels as well) apples and nuts and seed in the snow outside of their house. I believe the sky was darkened as if it were night. The setting was fairly Germanic or Nordic. The house where the characters lived was either a log cabin or a Tudor style home. I believe a few of the animals looked in through a window in the house prior to getting their food. Outside the home there were a few evergreen trees. Set before Industrial Revolution.
I cannot remember for sure if this was a Christmas story or if it was only winter, but I lean towards believing the inside of the house was decked with garlands. I am pretty sure it is in English, but it could be in German as well.