Christmas in Germany

Christmas in Germany by Barbara Doran-Rogel

Christmas in Germany is rich in tradition. As nature’s colours fade in November and the skies turn grey, it’s time for the Light Fest. The countdown begins. This is far removed from the cries of the Temples of Glitter. It’s more about quiet contemplation and using what nature provides. There are so many forests scattered throughout Germany. The therapeutic value of taking a walk in nature is well known. You’ll be in awe as you look with an artist’s eye at the beauty of nature, even in winter. You might encounter a shy deer and its family on your forest walk. If you’re quiet you’ll hear a cacophony of sounds, perhaps the rustling of feathers. And if you look up, you might spot an owl on a branch staring at you with unblinking eyes. Nature’s jewellery is abundant, even in winter. You’ll find berries, acorns missing their caps, pine cones, holly, ivy and even some mistletoe, if you’re lucky. Check to make sure that what you take isn’t under protection. The other day I found some exquisite little pink flowered-branches. I didn’t take them because they’d have died within hours and they looked so gorgeous where they were. You can use nature’s jewellery to decorate your home and it won’t cost you a penny. Once back home, the scent of simmering cinnamon and orange will add to the Christmas ambiance. Light a candle and put on your favourite Christmas music and you’ll be in the swing of it. Grey skies no longer have power over your moods.

It’s the season for light and sparkly things and children’s eyes grow wide with glee as the anticipation rises. In Germany, people begin preparing their Adventskranz (wreath) at the end of November. If you decide to follow this tradition, you can let your imagination guide you. Whereas some people prefer the traditional red and green colour scheme, anything goes. The Adventskranz is usually a focal point on the table. In the days approaching Christmas, people enjoy the ritual of lighting the candles and sitting together to drink coffee and try the Weihnactsgebäck (Christmas cookies).

The 6th December sees most families celebrating St. Nikolaus Tag. Children leave their shoes outside the door and they are miraculously filled with sweets or a gift the next morning. The story goes that a poor man who had three daughters and no money to pay for their wedding was desperate. St. Nikolaus heard of his plight and dropped some gold coins down his chimney. They fell into the girls’ boots, which were laid out to dry. Hence the boots or stockings.

St. Nikolaus is not to be confused with Santa Claus or Father Christmas (der Weihnachtsman), who first appeared on the scene in his current form as a cheerful, chubby man with red coat, rosy cheeks and white beard in the 1920’s Coca Cola ads.

The original St. Nikolaus was reported to have been the Bishop of Myra, who lived in former Asia Minor, now Turkey. He was renowned for his good deeds and for his kindness to all people, particularly children. In some rural areas, St. Nikolaus comes to schools, asking the children if they’ve been good or bad. He sometimes comes with his sidekick, Knecht Ruprecht, a more sinister character, who gives the child a mild warning to behave, a lump of coal, or a rod to symbolise a beating. I don’t think this is common any more. You can see how all these traditions got mixed up. It largely depends on the region you’re from.

The next big event is Advent. On the first Sunday of Advent, the first candle is lit. On the second Sunday, the second candle is lit and then on the fourth Sunday all four candles are alight. The shops are busy enticing us with new colour trends each year. It is not in their best interests if we go to the forest and turn our backs on consumerism. And let’s face it, we all have enough baubles and shiny things to last forever. But then there’s the other side of things. When we support the shops, we support each other; we keep jobs in place. I have already spent about 60€ on various decorations. Four candles, several irresistible glass decorations, moss and a Christmas rose (Christrose). I am not immune to the cunning wiles of the marketing gurus. As I write, I can also see that silver candle-holder stag I bought last year. How could I resist. It was in a sale after all.

I have a silver tray I sometimes use as the base for my advent candle arrangement. The candles look lovely when lit, as the light reflects on the surface of the tray. I take greenery from the garden and add some sparkling things. And of course, I have to have an amaryllis. Make sure, when you light your candles, that you don’t leave them unattended. Before you roll your eyes to heaven, I almost burned my office to a cinder one year. And I was old enough to know better. A lovely colleague had given me an Advents Wreath for my desk. One day, I went out for a few minutes and left the candle burning. A spark must have ignited the dried greenery. Puff. Just like that!

By now, you should be getting into the spirit of Christmas. And even if you are not a Christian, it does break up the dull, winter months. I can smell the cloves and cinnamon as I write.

But let me return to Christmas in Germany and how it might differ from where you come from. Germans are great bakers and many German women pride themselves on their cakes. But Christmas is a special time, and you’ll find even the most reluctant bakers buying ground hazelnuts, marzipan, walnuts, dried fruit etc. The isles are packed with everything you could imagine. There are kits for making the traditional Gingerbread House. Children love seeing it all come together and decorating it with different coloured sweets. The base of the house is usually made with Lebkuchen (spiced teacake, like those hearts you see at the Oktoberfest), or a Stollen (see recipe on next page).

Most families also make their own selection of favourite cookies. Some of the most popular are Nußecken (nut wedges), Mandelhörnchen (almond crescents), melt-in-your-mouth coconut biscuits, but there are many more. Again, children love helping out with the more basic cookie dough and decorating with different coloured icing and sprinklers. One of my favourites is chocolate covered marzipan pralines topped with a walnut. My mother-in-law used to make them every year. Sadly, she’s no longer with us. Agnes made the most delicious baked goods and I have fond memories of sitting in her kitchen, drinking tea and trying her little almond crescents or chocolate pralines. I’ve made these and given them as gifts too. They look impressive but are easy to make and they taste delicious. (see recipe below).

Speculatius are another kind of spiced biscuits. You can buy them in most supermarkets, including Aldi and Lidl and I’m sure they must sell them abroad too. If you want to go the extra mile, you can make them yourself. But who has the time!! I’ve seen traditional wooden speculatius moulds and spices in specialty shops. Sometimes you can buy the moulds at the Christmas markets too. Germany is famous for its bakeries and they also sell little bags of cookies for a few Euro. It is also customary to present tins of biscuits to friends, relatives and neighbours. Stollen is a sweet cake made with nuts, dried fruit and marzipan and covered with powdered sugar. (see recipe link below).

How times have changed in most German homes. When I first came here, my husband’s family lit real candles on the tree. The scent of pine and green from the forest filled the whole room. And the candles were lit by a friend or neighbour to surprise the children when they returned from mass. They thought the Christkind (the Christ child) had miraculously lit the candles.

Then we have the famous Christmas markets, which are no longer exclusive to Germany. A couple of years ago, I saw a documentary about a German woman who has a Christmas market in Chicago. I’ve even rented one of those little huts and sold my hand-made goods one year. I’ll try anything once, just for the experience. Some businesses make most of their yearly sales during the Christmas markets.

A trip to the Christmas market is always a fun experience. There’s Glühwein (mulled wine), Bratwurst, pancakes, candied almonds, roasted chestnuts and all sorts of delicious foods and drink stands at every corner. If you’re looking for gifts, it’s better to go in the morning when it’s not too busy and you can actually look at the goods on display. You’ll find wonderful paper crafts, boxes, pens and other wood turning gifts, woollen wear, beeswax candles, honey, soaps, jewellery, leatherwear and delicate glass ornaments from the Erzgebirge (near the Czech Republic). I usually buy some gifts at the market before stopping off for a mulled wine and something to eat. It’s hard to avoid when you’re surrounded by all those enticing aromas. The downside of the annual Christmas Market is the amount of buses and tourists in town, making parking even more difficult. Because we live near the Dutch border, we have many visitors from The Netherlands. But it’s an even exchange because a lot of locals travel to the Netherlands to shop throughout the year.

Christmas Eve in Germany plays an equally important role as Christmas Day. On Christmas Eve, Germans have their Bescherung where they exchange gifts and have a less formal meal in the evening. It is common to have something simple like Bratwurst and Kartoffelsalad (potato salad) on Christmas Eve. Some families prefer the meat-free variety and salmon or carp is popular, with the more opulent meal served and prepared on Christmas Day.

I come from a tradition where roast turkey with sage and onion stuffing, roast ham, gravy, mashed and roast potatoes and a colourful array of veg is the standard Christmas fare. In Germany, depending on the region, roast goose with dumplings and red cabbage is very popular. I still make my turkey dinner though, and add Yorkshire pudding, especially when my mother comes to visit.

No matter where you are in the world, I hope you enjoy this Christmas season and take time for a walk in the woods. Perhaps you’ll be tempted to try one or both of the recipes below.

Chocolate Marzipan Pralines

You can buy the marzipan ready-made. I made it from scratch years ago at school but it took ages. Roll it out to form little praline shapes. In the meantime, melt the dark or light chocolate in a water bath. Use a form to prong the marzipan into the hot chocolate, making sure to let the excess chocolate drip off. Place on a mesh tray to cool off. (You can buy special long-handled confectionary forks and fine-mesh wire trays if you’re planning on making a lot of pralines). Before the chocolate has completely dried, top with half a fresh walnut or a candied orange segment, or whatever takes your fancy. The walnut will stick to the not-quite-dry chocolate. Presentation is everything. They look very posh if you present them in a little box with ribbons. Now you have an inexpensive gift to give to your neighbour, the postman, your child’s teacher or a work colleague.

Stollen

Recipe available here: https://www.bbc. com/food/recipes/stollen_27553

Barbara Doran-Rogel is an Irish writer currently living in Germany. She is no stranger to moving and has also worked and lived in Dublin, London, the U.S. and Germany. She enjoys meeting new people and is fascinated with their stories. One of her favourite quotes is: Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.

She is the author of Where She Belongs (Liz Doran) and a Memoir, Red Hat, Green Boots (Barbara E Doran) and hopes to write many more.

You can discover more about Barbara on the Mom’s Favorite Reads website here: https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/liz-doran/