German Christmas Traditions - William Theilacker

Some people might assume that Christmas in other countries is the same as it is here, after all, why would it be different? However Christmas in Germany differs from Christmas in America in several ways. In Germany many of the children receive advent calendars. Advent calendars are cardboard or wooden calendars that count down the days in December till Christmas. Each day the child opens a box on the calendar and it contains a little chocolate or toy. In recent years the popularity of advent calendars has been rising in America however it is a German tradition. Christmas trees are a big part of the German Christmas as they are in America. However instead of decorating them as a family like we do in America the mother usually decorates them in secret if there are kids. Glass ornaments actually originated in Germany and weren't imported into America until the 1880s. Instead of opening presents on Christmas morning children normally open the majority of their presents on Christmas eve. Another German tradition that is becoming big in America are German Christmas Markets. These markets sell all different types of traditional German food and all of the goods the vendors sell are handmade, such as woodwork. On December 6th, St Nicholas's Day, the children leave their shoes by the door and he is said to leave small gifts and sweets in their shoes. In certain areas of Germany Krampus, a big horned monster with chains, is said to follow St Nicholas and punish all of the bad children. Another tradition is the Sternsinger or star singers . Children go out caroling in groups of four, three of them dressed as wise men and the last one carries a stick with a star on it to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem. They go around caroling and collect money for charity. So in the end, while the principle is the same, German and American transitions differ in varying degrees. And certain German traditions are making their way into America. So as they say in Germany, Frohe Weihnachten!