CHRISTMAS IN GERMANY - Part 2
24.05.2010 Winter Holidays - Festive Destinations

Numerous Christmas concerts take place in Christmassy decorated churches and concert halls in December.  These vary from classical music to traditional Christmas carols.
 

Churches organise the nativity play for a performance on the 24th December.  I was always a shepherd in the nativity play until one year I asked if I play be Mary, wife of Joseph.  Unfortunately, it never happened as my mother's dresses were too big for me.  Another time I asked if I could be baby Jesus.  On this occasion, I was too big to fit in the crib. 
 
One Christmas carol you hear in every church, every home an on every Christmas market is  'Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!' (Silent Night, Holy Night) which was first heard during Christmas 1818 at the small church of St. Nicholas in Oberndorf (Austria), near Salzburg and the German-Austrian border. The writer of the text, Joseph Mohr, was assistant priest there in 1818.  Today this famous song is translated into so many languages and is known all over the world.
 
The Christmas tree is an important element of German Christmas celebrations for Christmas tree originated in southern Germany.  According to tradition Christmas tree should be decorated on Christmas Eve, but this is no longer the case in many homes.
The father usually keeps the children in a separate room while the mother brings out the Christmas tree from a hidden place and decorates it putting the gifts under the tree.  In the living room you can see beautiful plates laid for each family member and filled with fruits, nuts and sweets.
When the living room has been decorated, a bell is rung as a signal for the children to enter the room. The Christmas story from the Bible is usually read, poems are recited by the children (God help them if they forget the words!) and carols are sung. Then the presents may be opened and the feast can start.
 
The Christmas Eve dinner traditionally comprises of suckling pig, juicy white sausages, pasta or potato salad, "reisbrei" (sweet porridge with cinnamon) and of course numerous many regional dishes.
 
The feasting continues on Christmas Day with a big dinner when relatives are invited to join in.  Traditional Christmas dishes consist of roast goose, turkey, duck.  'Christstollen' (long bread loaves filled with nuts, raisins and dried fruit), 'Lebkuchen' (spice cakes), marzipan, and 'Dresden Stollen; ( a moist, heavy bread filled with fruit) are also favoutites in most German homes.  No wonder that many Germans join a fat-fighters club after Christmas!
 
On 27th. December when the shops and stores open again, they immediately tear down the Christmas decorations and replace them by bottles of champange and wine glasses that serve as  'Silvester' (German word for New Year's Eve), decorations. 
This is the time when Christmas chocolates and biscuits can be bought at half price.  It is often said that unwanted chocolate santas are melted down and made into chocolate Easter bunnies. 
 
And last but not least, those still in the Christmas spirit in mid January can visit the annual Christmas Trade Fair takes place in Frankfurt.  This exhibition shows the Christmas trends for the next Christmas season with free samples for those wishing to start to decorate already in January. 

Happy Holidays!!!

Frohes Weihnachtsfest
Fröhliche Weihnachten
Frohe Weihnachten

Written by Michael