"Frohe Weihnachten" A German Christmas

I am the girl who used to debate heatedly about anything, but especially about Christmas. I had never kept it growing up and I couldn't fathom how anyone could be so naive to celebrate a pagan holiday in the name of Christianity. Not to mention the fact that it's a Catholic holiday (sorry to all my Catholic friends, but I was brought up in the sort of protestant movement where Catholicism was viewed as almost equal to paganism).

Never would I have imagined I'd be writing a post about a Christmas I partook of.

To be fair, I still don't like Christmas, and still plan to write a post and make a video explaining just why.

For now, let's forget theology and appreciate differing traditions.

I arrived at my new Au Pair family's home on November 25th, just in time for all the celebrations of a traditional German Bavarian Catholic family. One of the first things they did was take me to a Christmas Market (Weihnachtsmarkt). And then to another. And another. And then to the first one again—all on different nights, of course.

The first one was probably my favorite. It was in a wood, and there were trails lit by lanterns. And all the little booths were so sweet, full of unique foods and lights and wooden things.

Smoked fish hanging

Big air balloon getting ready to lift at one Christmas Market. 

Drinking Kinder punch with the family (a juicy, hot drink)

One of the many booths

Inside one of the churches beside the Christmas Market hung this huge wreath with four lights for Advent

Before one of the Christmas Markets, we ate out at an Italien place and I thought this chandelier was just so pretty

A December evening

A December morning 

Where I like to walk sometimes

And the dog that usually goes with me

A December snow

On the first day of December the family gave out Advent "calendars" and they gave me one, too. Which I thought was so sweet. Every little box was full of something sweet and a note with a Christmas word in German and English. For fun, I posted every day on Facebook and Instagram after opening, so if you're curious about the different days go check them out over there. Otherwise here's just a small tidbit.

On the sixth of December Saint Nicholas came.

I wrote this satirical post:
Unless you're Muslim, Amish, or some other sort of person that doesn't celebrate Christmas, you've probably always wondered how St. Nicholas manages to bring every child, Christian and atheist alike, a gift in a single night. And even then you might wonder. But the honest truth is, Santa Claus doesn't. I think Santa was worried about it, too. And as a result, he visits certain countries in Europe, including parts of Germany, first on the fifth and sixth. Just to make sure he doesn't run out of time and forget someone, as ends up happening with many Americans and nearby surrounding countries. And, as the areas he visits are relatively small he has plenty of time and needn't bother with sneaking down chimneys but may actually come to some of the children and give them their gifts directly.

As my satire always does, it stirred up a bit of a debate between some of my friends. And it received no laughs. Such is the world and the people in it.

But yes, Nicholas and the Krampus came to visit the children. It was probably the most "magical" event of the entire month. The men's outfits were so very authentic and seemed to the sparkle of light and dark fire. The Krampus was deathly quiet and grim, and Nicholas spoke so nicely, and readout of a golden book to the children telling them their good deeds and their naughty deeds and told them how to improve, then left them all with a gunny sack of gifts, candy, and peanuts.

I was given the flower pictured above.

The baby and I after a bunch of cleaning ... I mean, he does help.

The closer we got to the 25th and the emptier the advent calendars grew the crazier the house became with preparations. The mother of the family made many, many Plätzchen (cookies). One day we decorated a bunch of them with sprinkles and sugar. 

Of course, I had to do my own little secret protest of Christmas and put a unicorn on top of a Christmas tree. If you don't think it's funny, scroll on. It's not up for debate ;p 

One night I made dinner for the kids. I told the parents the day before what I needed for ingredients.

"I think you have everything except apples and hamburger meat."

"Ok. But are they really good together!?" the father asked, cautiously horrified.

I laughed so hard, then explained I was making apple dumplings with hamburgers on the side. Not together.

I made many cinnamon rolls while here. Pasteurization and most preservatives are illegal in Germany so things like meat, cream cheese, and other such products don't last as long. The first batch of rolls I made were cream cheese rolls. And everyone got sick before they could eat them, and by the time they were better the rolls were spoiled ;/ So I made them again, though without cream cheese.

Chocolate zucchini raspberry bread in a nice heavy clay pan.

Some of the Plätzchen the mother made

In Germany, they celebrate Christmas on the evening of the 24th. First we went to a service (first picture of this post). It was so lovely, with music and service. Children wearing medieval crusade-style clothing put on a musical play of the nativity, all singing with some reading from an adult. It was probably the neatest Christmas performance I'd ever seen. Then everyone in the church held hands as they prayed. And they closed the night by shutting off all lights and singing Stille Nacht (Silent Night). 

At home we had a fun dinner called Raclette, a french dish, I believe. Grills were on the table and we had bowls of cut meat, vegetables, corn, cheese, and other things that we grilled as we wanted. After that, we sang German hymns, then went upstairs. 

No one had seen the tree yet, as that had been put up the day before. And the children were told that the Christkind (baby Yeshua) had brought the gifts. It was very pretty, all so sparkling and pretty. Gifts were exchanged, and I was put (voluntarily) to work helping kids open up their presents. Then I pulled out my embroidery, and we sat visiting and eating Plätzchen and drinking. 

I spent most of December knitting all of this as presents for the family. I finished just in time, adding the finishing touches the day of.

My breakfast on December 25th to combat all the junk food. 

The morning was very easy and laid back. In the afternoon, family came over and we dipped fruit in a chocolate fountain. 

The next day more family met up at a German restaurant (I had fish and grilled vegetables). Then we went to another family's house for cake and more Plätzchen and conversations. 

I mostly just observed and listened and tried to understand what I could. Sometimes I participated in the conversation when I understood enough. But mostly I was "there for the food and to look pretty" haha. 

All in all, it was a very fun month. But now I'm excited to see what German Bavaria is like once Christmas is over. 

What my Au Pair gave me from "baby Jesus": a book of knitted sock patterns, a sweet note, and a voucher for a yarn shop. I just recently walked a little over a kilometer to the yarn shop, and spent the voucher for the things in the the top left corner.

Note: Christmas doesn't end in Germany until like the second week of January. And they leave up the Christmas tree until February. And they had many more celebrations and socials after the fact. So, Christmas is huge in Catholic Germany ;D