I grew up in a German American Family in Frankfurt Germany where traditions of both cultures merged into beautiful childhood whose memories still give me so much joy today. Christmas was a season where especially many traditions came together and they made for a winter full of family, decorating, Christmas crafts and baking, all amidst a backdrop of classic German and American Christmas music.
I remember clearly the excitement as December 1st came around as my mother, who is German, would begin her preparations for indoor Christmas decorations and baking. My father would contribute with American inspired Christmas lighting in the windows of our apartment in Huegel Housing Area. When I came home from school my mother would have started by placing Christmas tablecloths throughout the house upon which rested our decorations, all of which are still in my parents home during Christmases now. My brother and I would have received our chocolate Advent calendar and would open it’s first window at the breakfast table while our little Christmas Pyramid’s candles bathed our kitchen in candlelight as we watched our the little Nativity go round and round.
Even to this day my mother begins her Christmas baking on December First. When I step into my parent’s house the scent of all of our favorites bring back so many wonderful memories of my childhood and indeed, my life. I am so blessed to still have my parents. The tradition has come full circle because now my 3 children arrive to my parents house on December First they have little aprons, rolling pins and cookie cutters waiting for them. We make many classical German Christmas Cookies, Buttergebaeck (butter cookies), Spritzgebaeck (nut cookies), and Vanillekipferl (Vanilla Crescents) to name a few.
On December 6th in Germany something very magical happens at doorsteps or in living rooms and homes all around – It is Nikolaus Tag (St. Nikolas Day). That’s right, Santa does not visit children on December 25th in Germany. He visits on December 6th and is really quite busy as he goes across the countryside leaving goodies such as chocolate, nuts, oranges and small toys in the children’s shoes that they would have left on their doorsteps over night. Of course, if you have been quite naughty that year you might get a switch or some coal instead.
In some families Nikolaus actually comes indoors and visits on December 6th. And so it was in my family when the children were small. I remember it so well, and my children love to hear me retell the story over and over again. It goes something like this…. The snow was lightly falling, falling everywhere, upon the garden fence and the pine trees, upon the little gnomes sitting in my Tante (Aunt) Renate’s yard, the walkways, and the silent houses where lights within were the only clue that families were tucked warmly inside. My cousins, Daniel, Manuel, and I were waiting expectantly inside my Aunt and Uncles house, having just had our traditional supper of little Puppenwuerstchen (Miniature hotdogs) and Broetchen (rolls). Suddenly there was a loud knock at the front door any my Aunt Renate went to open it, and there in the doorway stood Nikolaus dressed in a red coat and hat pulling a sled behind him. He hefted the large green bag from the sled and grabbed what seemed like the biggest book I had ever seen and proceeded to come into the living room. My cousin Manuel, the youngest, jumped behind the couch to hide as I think he was very frightened of Nikolaus and his big booming voice. Nikolaus sat upon a chair in the dim living room which was illuminated only by electric candles on the Christmas tree and candles carefully place among Aunt Renate’s lovely decorations. He recited a poem about how he has just come from the woods and wanted to tell us that it was Christmas outside. Only as an adult did I come to know that it was a famous poem by Theodor Storm. The beginning part is translated to English below.
Knecht Ruprecht – (St. Nikolaus)
I came here from the forest
I tell you, it is a very holy night!
All over the tips of the firs
I saw bright flashes of golden light …
“hast the Sack with you?”
I spoke: “the Sack, that is here;
because apples, nuts and almond core
eat pious children gladly.”
“hast the rod also with you?”
I spoke: “the rod, it is here;
but for the children, only the bad,
those it meets them right, upon their part.”
(translated excerpt of ‘Knecht Ruprecht’ by Theodor Storm)
And then he opened his big book and called each of us children one by one. I sat on his lap and he asked me if I had remembered a poem for him. I am surprised I remembered it as I was so overwhelmed. But I had been practicing and I said, “Holz, Apfel, Baeumchen, wie bitter ist dein Kern, Oh lieber lieber Nikolaus was hab ich dich so gern.” (Wood, apple, little tree, how bitter is your core, Oh dear dear Nikolaus, how much I like you). Of course in German it rhymes. He proceeded to read from his book about specific incidents where I had been especially good and he encouraged me to keep up my good behavior. The he gifted me several beautifully decorated bags filled with a chocolate Santa, Christmas candy, oranges, nuts and a little doll to play with. Oh how I was filled with wonder and awe as I watched my cousins go to Nikolaus next. Before I knew it, he was up and leaving. We followed him out and stood in the delicate snow. I watched him pulling his sled up the dark street illuminated only by dimmed street lamps as the snow continued it’s gentle falling all around, until I could see him no longer. My cousins and I went back inside and went through our bags, eating sweets, playing with our toys and recounting the wonders of our evening with Nikolaus.
It was with this in mind that I created the following Vintage Christmas Collections on Zazzle. With it I am honoring the beauty of what my Aunt Renate and Onkel Ralf did for us children, the memory of which has stayed with me all of my life. And, if you were wondering, Onkel Ralf had to work that evening, but we told him all about the incredible events when he came home. He was so disappointed to have missed Nikolaus.
Whimsical Woodland 