Weihnachten

Christmas Eve - Heiliger Abend (also Heiligabend)

December 24th begins as a regular workday. But by 2:00 pm, often even

earlier, businesses close in preparation for the holiday celebration, a large part

of which occurs on Christmas Eve in Germany. The traditional evening meal

includes carp and potato salad. Families sing Christmas carols together and

may read the story of Christ's birth aloud. Family members exchange gifts;

children are typically the focal point of the gift exchange. The tradition of

opening gifts on Heiliger Abend (rather than on December 6th in honor of

St. Nicholas) was started by Martin Luther in the 16th century in favor of a

celebration that honored Christ rather than a Catholic saint.

On Christmas Eve, German families - whether Protestant or Catholic

and even those who are not regular church-goers - often attend mass

or a church service. While the mass traditionally takes place at midnight,

in recent times the services have moved into the earlier evening hours.

Christmas Day(s) - der erste und zweite Weihnachtstag

Both December 25 and 26 are legal holidays in Germany and are

known as the First and Second Christmas Day respectively. What

originally started out as a church celebration of Christ's birth has

gradually become a family celebration. Businesses are closed, and

time is spent visiting with extended family. Goose is the traditional

fare on the First Christmas Day, or perhaps rabbit or a roast. These

are accompanied by traditional German fare such as apple and

sausage stuffing, red cabbage, and potato dumplings. The second

Christmas day is usually a quieter time, a day for peaceful contemplation.

Christmas markets - Weihnachtsmärkte

When the Advent season opens, Christmas markets also crop

up in nearly every German town, large or small. The town squares,

normally dark early in winter months, are lit up and buzzing with

activity during this time. Townspeople gather together, listen to

brass band music, drink beer or hot mulled wine (Glühwein) or

apple cider, and enjoy the hearty traditional fare of the region.

Vendors peddle baked goods, including gingerbread hearts,

sugar-roasted almonds, crepes, cookies, stollen, cotton candy

and other sweets. Christmas tree decorations, seasonal items, and

handcrafted articles, such as wooden toys and hand-blown glass

ornaments, are also sold.

Christmas markets date back to at least the 14th century and were

one of the many markets held throughout the year. It was here that

people bought everything they needed for the Christmas celebration:

baking moulds, decorations, candles, and toys for the children. In

fact, until well into the 20th century, the Weihnachstmärkte were

the only place for people to buy such seasonal items.

Markets differ from place to place; each has its own regional imprint.

The market at Aachen, for instance, is known for its gingerbread

men (Aachner Printen). The regions around the Erzgebirge

mountain range are famous for their handmade wooden crafts.

Augsburg has a life-sized Advent calendar and opens the holiday

season with its famous "Angel Play." At the Frankfurt Christmas

Market, visitors will find Quetschenmännchen (little prune

men) and Brenten (almond cookies). The most famous Christmas

market is the Nürnberger Christkindlesmarkt, which is known

its gold foil angels and locally produced gingerbread cakes. At least

375 years old, it is one of the oldest, and with over 200 vendors

participating each year, it is also one of the largest

Weihnachtsmärktein Germany.

The first appearance of a Christmas tree

- Tannenbaum -was recorded in 1605 in

Strasburg, and the record said that "...people

set up Christmas trees in their rooms...".

Another record of that time coming from

Ammerschweier,said that "... no burgher shall

have for Christmas more than one bush of

more than eight shoes' length...". The decorations

hung on a tree of that time were "roses cut of

many-colored paper, apples, wafers, gilt, sugar". However

the Christmas tree tradition dates back to the middle of the

16th century when the first of "Tannenbaum" ballads appeared

in printing. By the 19th century the tradition spread across

Germany and abroad. It was due to the royal Germans that

the custom of decorating a tree for Christmas crossed German

borders, and reached the United States.