Last month I wrote about St. Martin’s Day, which we celebrated as children in Germany. Today I will be writing about the holidays season and St. Nikolaus.
The first of advent which is always on a Sunday starts the official Christmas season in Germany. At home everyone had an Aventskranz (advent wreath).
We would light the first candle on the first day of advent and the rest of the candles the following three Sundays. Children received an Advendskalender (advent calendar) on December 1st. The calendar had 24 little doors with hidden chocolates. Each day you had to find the door with the corresponding number and open it.
The calendar would have different characters from Christmas or from fairy tales. My Mother would take me to the store and I could choose one.
On of the most exciting days in December for us children was St. Nikolaus Day which is always on December 6th.
The night before, on December 5th, we put our slippers outside of our room and the next morning they were filled with chocolates, nuts and mandarins and small toys. If we had not behaved, St. Nikolaus would leave behind only twigs. In school we would recite poems and sing songs.
When I grew up I believed in the Christkind, roughly translated the christ child, which has nothing to with Jesus. She was more like an imaginary angel which would bring the gifts on Christmas.
When we had beautiful sunsets with red skies my Mother would tell me that this was a sign that the Christkind was baking. Every evening until Christmas I would look outside and wait for the sky to turn red again.
In the city where I grew up, we would go and look at all the Christmas displays in the store windows.
At the Christmas market we bought roasted nuts and chestnuts.
On Christmas eve my Mother shut the living room door and the magic happened while I was sleeping. The Christmas tree went up, be decorated and the Christkind brought the gifts. The next morning, bright and early, I was allowed back into the room filled with lots of presents under the tree.
The Christmas season in Germany goes through January 6th and ends with Epiphany or Three Kings Day. Children from our church dressed up as kings, roamed through the apartment houses, sang and asked for donations.
I have wonderful memories of the Christmas season in Germany. My Mother always kept the tree up way past the 6th of January.
How did you spend the holiday season in your childhood? Please leave a comment below.
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