THE GERMAN FAMILY CHRISTMAS

For people who spent their childhood in a Christian German family, Christmas is a time of love, hope and happiness. Christmas means light, songs, prayers and peace.

Much has changed and for many people these days Christmas might be the time for travelling, parties and buying and receiving presents only; but some people will remember that they began to think about Christmas on the 24th of August, St Bartholomew’s day. St Bartholomew is the patron saint of butchers and fishmongers, and one would talk about Christmas dinner with hare/rabbit, carp or goose to remind people of the three elements earth, water and air representing the Holy Trinity. From then onwards, people wrote Christmas poems, songs or plays whenever they found time or had good ideas. On 25th November, St Catherine’s Day, the Christmas Circle begins officially. The next religious feast used to be 4th December when St Barbara was celebrated and people cut twigs off fruit trees and put them into water and in a warm place inside the house, so that they could blossom for Christmas.

6th December is the next important day of the Christmas circle. In some areas children polished their shoes or boots and put them in front of the fire place, so that St Nicholas could fill them with apples, nuts, oranges and ginger-bread biscuits. One could see St Nicholas visiting houses with his helper Ruprecht, who carried a sack and a whip on a chain, for he gave goodies to pious children and whipped the naughty ones.

During the Advent season which lasts for 4 weeks and begins usually on the last Sunday of November one could watch people sitting around their advent-wreath with four candles. They were making lovely decorations for the Christmas tree and their crib. Some houses would have up to 365 figures, one for each day of the year, but most people made groups of three, again reminding all Christians of the Holy Trinity. These groups were made up of Mary, Joseph with the baby Jesus and of three shepherds with 3 sheep each, also of an ox, a donkey with a lamb (being the symbols for pride, stupidity and innocence). One could also find three ducks on a pond.

The Christmas tree had to be a fir tree representing hope and life, in other words, a tree which can blossom and bear fruit at the same time. People baked spekulatius (which means bishop in Latin) and Marzipan which is meant to be Marcus bread, or in Latin “Marci panis”. Another Christmas cake is Lebkuchen – a ginger bread made with seven spices to represent the seven sacraments and the seven days of the week. We all know the German Weihnachts- – or Christmas  –  Stollen which was also made with seven spices and the shape and white sugar on top to represent the swaddling clothes of Baby Jesus. The best known ingredients are nuts and almond kernels which should remind people of the cold stable where Jesus was born with a rough outside and light and sweetness brought into the world. by the Christ Child.

In houses with children, Christmas celebrations started on Christmas Eve. As soon as it was dark the family gathered in their “best room”. By candle-light poems were recited, instruments played, songs sung by everyone in front of the manger. Then the electric light was lit and on the table stood colourful cardboard-plates, filled with nuts, oranges and apples. The apples had to be green and red to remind people of Adam and Eve in Paradise, meaning death and new life, for Christ was born for us. After this excitement, the families had their Christmas dinner with either carp, rabbit, hare or goose as the main course. Vegetables varied from region to region. One might have asparagus, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, carrots, peas, French beans or red cabbage depending on customs and availability.

After such an enjoyable dinner with wine, juice and puddings people got ready for the midnight mass where one could observe many children clutching a toy doll, or teddy which they had just received from Santa (in German das Christkind). Some adults would wear new gloves or scarves and the singing was ringing with happiness.

Christmas Day was celebrated at home, but Boxing Day was the day the families visited each other. It is also a Holy day of obligation in Germany and is called St Stephen’s Day.

New Year’s Day was and is greatly celebrated with lots of house parties or gala balls everywhere.

On 6th January, Germans celebrate the visit and adoration of the Christchild by the three wise men who bring Gold, representing wealth, Frankincense – jewels and diamonds –, and myrrh as ointment to heal wounds.

On 2nd February, 40 days after Christ’s birth, there used to be processions with candle lights to celebrate Candlemas in memory of Mary’s purification, in German called Maria Lichtmess. This concludes the Christian Christmas Circle. People always left up their Christmas decorations, trees and the manger until this day.

Maria Forbes

Maria is a member of the German community in Edinburgh