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German Christmas Traditions |
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German Christmas traditions are a little different from the rest of the world. Christmas is celebrated with so much enthusiasm and vigor in Germany that according to a famous legend the rivers turn into wine during these days. The splendor of the occasion of Christmas in Germany is so great that not even the rivers but even the animals start taking
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to each other, the mountains open up to reveal the most precious gems of all and church bells could be heard ringing from the bottom of the sea.
According to the German Christmas traditions the celebration of the Christmas initiates from 6th December only. This day has been given the name of St. Nicholas Day. In fact the time from 1st December to 24th December is known as Adventszeit, which symbolizes the time before Christmas. During this time you can find wreaths hanging in all the houses along with four candles. According to one of the German Christmas tradition these candles are lit on every Sunday, till the time of Christmas Eve.
The day of 6th December is preserved for children to place a shoe or a boot by the fireplace. It is a common notion that on the night of 6th December, St Nicholas pays a visit to every house and carries a book of sins along with him in which all the misdeeds of the children are written. If the children have been good for the entire year then St Nicholas fills the shoe or the boot with delicious edibles but if the children have not been good then the shoe gets filled up with twigs.
According to one more German Christmas traditions a messenger is sent by baby Christ with a message on the Christmas Eve. This angel is called by the name of Christkind. He is an angel in white robes who is believed to look just like Christ. Another German Christmas tradition is of huge meals for commemorating the Christmas Eve. There is an interesting tradition associated with the Christmas Eve meals called as 'Dickbauch' according to which every one has to eat well on the Christmas Eve. Those who don't eat well in these meals are believed to be haunted by the demons during the night.
The custom of lighting and trimming the Christmas tree dates back to the period of pre-Christian Germany during which the tree used to symbolize the Garden of Eve. Gradually this German Christmas tradition of decorating the Christmas trees with cookies, fruits, lights and candles evolved. The Christmas trees have been rightly called as 'The Pretty German Toy".
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