-- part 1 of 2 in my 2010 christmas mini series
to bring german christmas elements to my life in the united states, i usually can rely on at least two parental packages for the season. (alas, often with shattered hollowed christmas men and crushed home made cookies).
but this year i also asked friend for a favor, to send photos of typical german christmas decorations. luckily, my wish was fulfilled to share with you some Weihnachtsbilder, christmas photos, below.
this is not your commercial run-of-the-mill christmas calendar as opposed to below: above, each little sock is filled with an individual goody.
photo by Emely Martin
photo by emely martin
celebrating "Advent" is another way to count up to the holy night. the four sundays before christmas, one new candle after another is lit for every sunday. people get together to share coffee and cake in the glow of the flames; two more to go on this photo.
photo by Emely Martin
just as in the united states, the christmas tree is the center piece of seasonal decorations inside. but most germans -- unlike in this photo -- do not decorate until the 24th, when during christmas eve the beautiful tree is revealed and gifts from underneath are shared and opened, often around 6pm before a typical simple dinner of potato salad and Wiener sausages.
photo by Emely Martin
snow globes are another favorite. i remember the one i had as a child. it was getting older with the water turning yellow-ish as well as the fake flakes. but i loved how the flakes were not glittery and the thought of the trapped water inside.
photo by Emely Martin
the wings of a wooden christmas pyramid, a staple decoration in german living rooms in december, are set in soft motion to turn the chrismas-y scene below when candles underneath heat the air above.
photo by Emely Martin
the christmas pyramid my parents had displayed the christmas scene in the middle while on the moving ring around it the three kings showed off their gifts -- which as a child i didn't know (nor about the scene in the middle). one of them was a black figure with a mysterious box similar to a butter tray. i simply called him the "butterman". i loved watching him whiz around and remember staring at the pyramid pondering the meaning of the butter box.
photo by Doreen Klepzig
but cribs scenes are not unusual for other germans.
photo by Emely Martin
typical for mining areas, including saxony, are the figures of an angel of light and the miner as a couple. their hands are supposed to hold thin candles. the little house in front of the pair, the Räucherhäuschen, is probably meant to slowly give off incense smoke. often a Räuchermännchen, a smoking man is used for that purpose, too. the plant with the bright red flowers is a Weihnachtsstern, literally meaning christmas star, but known in english as poinsettia. they are as common in germany as they are in the united states. the tiny skiing snowman on the right also begs for a candle to light his way.
photo by Doreen Klepzig
scores of tangerines, Mandarinen in german, spread their fragrance in german homes around christmas time. my dad would always roll them in his hands to make the peel come of easier. he swears his trick worked.
photo by Emely Martin
i don't know how typical this is, but apparently reindeer pillows are favored by some germans, at least by one who is spending part of pre-christmas time, the Vorweihnachtszeit, outside of germany.
photo by Emely Martin
one of my favorite german christmas signs: the Herrenhuter Stern, which my grandparents always assembled for christmas. it's a pain to clip all the spikes of the star together and then attach it to a light bulb but the magic glow repays for all the tricky work. i'm glad one of my friends sent this photo. you can buy them at every christmas market in germany, in all sizes with shades ranging from white to yellow to red.
photo by Emely Martin
outside, santa in the city seems to still be looking for a guiding star. maybe after sun down?
photo by Kay Fochtmann (see more of his photos on his Flickr account keiforce)
meanwhile germans are still lining up for Schmalzgebäck, a fatty fried dough similar to funnel cake or fritters
photo by Kay Fochtmann (see more of his photos on his Flickr account keiforce)
another staple of german christmas markets -- gingerbread hearts, Lebkuchenherzen, with sugary dedications: for your birthday, greetings from leipzig, i love you, merry christmas, forever yours...
photo by Kay Fochtmann (see more of his photos on his Flickr account keiforce)
not only good to wash down Schmalzgebäck or Lebkuchenherzen but to enjoy on its own, Glühwein or mulled wine in english is a frequent must on german christmas markets. you can huddle around a hot mug while your feet are freezing. it's easiest to buy a ready-made bottle of the spicy sweet red wine but mulling spices for apple cider, honey and a red wine do the trick to reproduce it in the united states.
that concludes this short excursion into the known and unknown of german christmas decorations to leave you to enjoy your own mulled wine on both sides of the atlantic:
Frohe Weihnachten -- Merry Christmas!
part 2: u.s. christmas on the lawn -- a taste of decoration
ps: there are at least two more christmas utensils i can think of: the nutcracker and an arch of light, called Schwippbogen, which is put on the window sill. both of which my family would use. they didn't make it into this essay as i didn't have photos of them.
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