Being Swedish and German Nationals here in the studio of Ella & Otto we liked to introduce you to the way Christmas time is celebrated in our home countries.
Lets start to introduce how Christmas is celebrated in Germany!
Starting from the first Sunday in Advent, Christmas markets are put up allover Germany.
You find your way there quite easily. Just follow the lights and scent of roasted chestnuts!
The markets are beaming with festive lights and the smell of delicious German specialties mixed with mulled vine can not be missed. You find stalls selling handmade Christmas decorations and crafts from the region. Some attractions for children are put up to entertain. It is a great place to meet after work or for a family out.
Lets start to introduce how Christmas is celebrated in Germany!
Starting from the first Sunday in Advent, Christmas markets are put up allover Germany.
You find your way there quite easily. Just follow the lights and scent of roasted chestnuts!
The markets are beaming with festive lights and the smell of delicious German specialties mixed with mulled vine can not be missed. You find stalls selling handmade Christmas decorations and crafts from the region. Some attractions for children are put up to entertain. It is a great place to meet after work or for a family out.
Germans love to decorate their homes. This will be done at the beginning of December. All kinds of fairy lights are hung up to make the dark nights brighter.
The Christmas
trees are put up just before Christmas day - often in secret to surprise the young children and make their faces smile.
In most parts of Germany children write their Christmas list to the “Christkind” asking for presents.
They leave the letters on the windowsill at the beginning or during Advent.
They leave the letters on the windowsill at the beginning or during Advent.
The Christkind is a sprite-like child, usually depicted with blond hair and angelic wings.
Children never see the Christkind in person, and parents tell them that
Christkind will not come and bring presents if they are curious and try
to spot it. The family enters the living room, where the Christmas tree
has been put up, for the opening of presents
when the parents say that they think that the Christkind who has brought
the presents has now left again. In some traditions, the departure is
announced by the ringing of a small bell, which the parents pretend to
have heard or which is secretly done by one of the adults in the family.
The Christkind is facing increasing competition from the Weihnachtsmann in the American version of Santa Claus, caused by the use of Santa Claus as an advertising figure.
Saying that, there does exist a "Nikolaus" in Germany, someone who fills stockings with sweets & small presents on the 6th of December. But more to that tomorrow.....
Saying that, there does exist a "Nikolaus" in Germany, someone who fills stockings with sweets & small presents on the 6th of December. But more to that tomorrow.....
Christmas
Eve, the 24th of December is the main day when Germans exchange presents with their families. The 25th and 26th of December are bank holidays. Days of food and rest.
