I just read a post by Rita & Brian about Christmas in Finland. Like Rita I spend my Christmas away from my family. I was born and raised in Germany. I'm beyond the point where I get homesick if I see a box of German Chocolate Cake in the bakery section (us Germans don't even know what German Chocolate Cake is, no kidding!). However, I do get very homesick in the winters. I live in Florida. Go figure!
When I was a child in Germany, the holiday season started with St. Martin's Day. St. Martin was a roman solider who later became a monk. According to the legend he cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm, to save the him from freezing to death. That very night he dreamed that Jesus was wearing the cloak Martin had given away, and he heard Jesus say to the angels: "Here is Martin, the Roman soldier who is not baptised; he has clothed me."The day is celebrated on Nov 11. Children go from house to house with paper lanterns singing songs about St. Martin, asking for treats. The last stop is always the church were children gather to receive chocolate covered gingerbread from St. Martin sitting on his horse wearing half his cloak. My lanterns were always handmade with help from my Mom.
Then on Dec 6, it's St. Nikolaus Day. St. Nikolaus (Nicholas of Myra) is what you call Santa Claus. He was a turkish Bishop known to secretly give gifts to those in need. In Germany, St. Nikolaus brings candy, nuts and fruits to children that have been "good" throughout the year. St. Nikolaus has a big book in which he reads about all the good and bad things children have done. St. Nikolaus always smelled like my grandma.
On Dec 24 it's Christmas Day. Germans call it "Holy Evening". Gifts are delivered by The Christ Child, not Santa. He already has his day! The Christ Child (Christkind) is actually Jesus. There is no story about how the gifts are delivered, they just magically appear. We were never allowed to be in the living room in the afternoons on Holy Evening. Then out of nowhere we'd hear a bell ring, which meant The Christ Child had delivered the gifts. Usually, this happened around 5 pm when it would get dark outside. The Christ Child didn't only deliver gifts but also lit the Christmas Tree. Shortly before midnight, we would walk through the deep snow to midnight mass at church. "Stille Nacht" or "Silent Night" was always sung. I watch the performance of this song in the "Silent Night" chapel in Austria via live webcam every year. Here's the link, you are in for a special treat: http://www.stillenacht.info/de/webcam/stille-nacht.asp Mass starts at 11am EST US time, performance of the song at around 12pm EST, with mass lasting approx. 1 hour.
Dec 25 is the 1. Christmas Day, Dec 26 is the 2. Christmas Day in Germany. They are national holidays. Btw, there's no such thing as a German Christmas Pickle hidden in the tree. If you have a pickle ornament, you've been had!
I'm 40 years old and I still believe in The Christ Child and Santa because I want to! Every year on Christmas Eve I wonder if I could maybe catch a glimpse of The Christ Child or Santa on Christmas Day. I don't think I'll ever give up. "At one time most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Though I've grown old, the bell still rings for me as it does for all who truly believe." ~ The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
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