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German Christmas traditions - which ones do you like?

I like these .....

  • The Advent Wreath - Der Adventskranz

    Votes: 4 28.6%

  • The Advent Calendar - Der Adventskalender

    Votes: 7 50.0%

  • Christmas markets - Weihnachtsmärkte

    Votes: 4 28.6%

  • Saint Nicholas - Sankt Nikolaus

    Votes: 4 28.6%

  • Santa Claus - Der Weihnachtsmann

    Votes: 5 35.7%

  • Christmas Eve - Heiliger Abend (also Heiligabend)

    Votes: 6 42.9%

  • The Christmas tree - Der Tannenbaum

    Votes: 10 71.4%

  • others

    Votes: 2 14.3%

  • none

    Votes: 3 21.4%
  • Total voters
    14
Our Christmas Tree always had REAL CANDLES.

Electric candles were for rich snobs and fearful weaklings then.
Those were the days ....
 
Christmas Cookies would also be a pleasant subject to think of.
 
OlNate said:
I do enjoy thinking about cookies...lol...
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Do you know Hildabrötle and Springerle?
They are my favourites!

:mothers_d:mothers_d:mothers_d
 
Rumpel said:
Do you know Hildabrötle and Springerle?
They are my favourites!

:mothers_d:mothers_d:mothers_d
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Never tried Springerle, but Hildabrötle...yum. My Oma had a whole array of Christmas cookies, but my favorite were:

almondcrescents-770x513.jpg
 
Rumpel said:
And what do you call these? :)
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To be honest, I have no idea. They are an almond cookie my Oma made, which could could either crunch of let melt on your mouth...never found anything like them since, though all the German ladies had a version of these at our church - none as good as my Oma's, of course. ;)
 
I like American Christmas traditions.
 
OlNate said:
You ever have those dominosteine? OMG. And, of course, Lebkuchen...my mother was an exchange student when she was 18, spent a year with a wonderful family in Germany. Every year after that, until fairly recently, the family she stayed with sent her a tin of Schmidt lebkuchen...which, in my opinion, is the kobe beef of gingerbread. They always came in time for Christmas in the mail, we waited for it every year. They stopped coming when the woman passed away - she was in her 90's, and had been sending them for over 40 years. I went to look at the price to order online, wishing to have it again to share with my son, but ... hehe ... well, the preventative nature of the cost made me fully appreciate the generosity of this family.

Of course, my Oma made the world's best almond crescents at Christmas as well... Good grief, but I miss her cooking and baking!
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Aldi's, December.
 
HK.227 said:
All of them.
Though they have been culturally appropriated by Christendom, they are some of the last remnants of an older, pre-Christian culture. They represent history and tradition that was almost completely annihilated by well-intentioned idiots.
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It is often said that Christianity had "stolen" those traditions.
I prefer to say that Christianity has integrated those traditions and saved them that way.

Just as the "Blessing of the Herbs" on August 15th.
 
Sweden said:
I prefer our pagan Jul
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Jul is just the Swedish and Norwegian and Danish word for Christmas.
There are many different words for Christmas worldwide.
Nothing special about Sweden.

:)
 
And let's not forget:

Authentic German Springerle


Springerle are German anise-flavored cookies that go back at least 700 years in their rich tradition as special gifts during the holidays and other celebrations. Delicately crispy-crunchy and a slightly chewy center, they’re made with simple ingredients and are easy to make but absolutely require that you follow some key steps to achieving the right look, texture and flavor. This authentic Springerle recipe goes back to the Swabia region of Germany where these famous cookies originated.
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Text and picture: Authentic German Springerle - The Daring Gourmet
 
Rumpel said:
Well, I cannot help it. :)
On my part, I have nothing against Sweden. :)
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But I have something against Sweden. Collaborating with Germany in WWII and then, after the war, telling everyone how morally superior superior it had been because it was 'neutral'. Sweden betrayed Denmark and - especially - Norway and has yet to be forgiven.
 
Sweden said:
But I have something against Sweden. Collaborating with Germany in WWII and then, after the war, telling everyone how morally superior superior it had been because it was 'neutral'. Sweden betrayed Denmark and - especially - Norway and has yet to be forgiven.
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a) that was before our time
b) it has got nothing to do with Christmas

c) do you think this thread is the right place for such remarks?

d) better talk about Springerle - see above
 
Rumpel said:
a) that was before our time
b) it has got nothing to do with Christmas

c) do you think this thread is the right place for such remarks?

d) better talk about Springerle - see above
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Not before my time. Germans made me a refugee in 1940 - Paris - and dropped bombs and fired rockets in my direction - London - right up to 1945.

The German troop trains that Sweden allowed unchecked to use the Swedish rail network allowed soldiers on leave to spend a nice cosy German Christmas with their families while others, further East, were engaged in a gigantic act of mass murder.

You said that you have nothing against Sweden, opening the way for me to say that I have.

I quite understand why Germans would much rather talk about biscuits than the history of the 20th century.
 
Rexedgar said:
My paternal grand parents were Berliners. Until Oma passed, she would send walnuts from the tree in the yard, lebkuchen, and the most detailed, wood carved, candle powered carousels, every Christmas.
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I love the candle powered carousels. I have a tin angel chimes one. I've seen pics of some of the wooden ones. I imagine a child could watch one of those for hours.
 
Rexedgar said:
Speaking of fire hazards, I have a fleeting memory of a tree trimmed out with real candles! I’m not remembering the dish you a asked about. We also had the two Xmases. Dad was German and mother was Danish, so we did the major celebration on the evening of the 24th and did stockingS on the 25th.
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The stocking has always been my favorite. My mom said when I was three, they brought me into the kitchen on Christmas morning so I didn't see the tree surrounded with presents, and they gave me my stocking which was hanging on the oven door (closest thing to a fireplace, I guess). I opened the stuff, loved it and said "Good Christmas, thank you!" She said she should have stopped right there--returned everything under the tree, because I was perfectly delighted and satisfied with what I got in my stocking.
 
Sweden said:
I prefer our pagan Jul to the banal mawkish sentimentality of Christmas and as the years pass I like Germany less and less. So put me down as a 'none of the above'.
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I love the Yule Log. That's yours, right?
 
LOL Can anyone tell I love Christmas?
 
MaryP said:
I love the Yule Log. That's yours, right?
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The Jul log Swedish but not exclusively so. One thing we have which is definitely pre-Christian is the Jul Bock; a ram made out of straw. It can be of any size but usually at least 50cm high.. My guess is a good majority of Swedish homes has one, so it is certainly not some rare isolated survival.
 
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