Notes

dreikonigsfest:
-Austria
-Three Switzerland district
-Baden-Wurttemberg
-Bavaria
-Saxony-Anhalt,
-American Christians understand the Three Kings, but they don't celebrate it.
-Special beer: Bock beer You drink on it to health and good luck.
-I am interested in christian holiday in other cultures.
-6th January
-It is officially the end of Christmas
-Special food or drink
-It is the celebration of the Three Kings meeting Baby Jesus
-It comes with many traditions
-Christians In America
-In Austria and Catholic Germany, they bless their houses.
-They wrote "* C + M + B" in chalk over the door. They represent the three wise men: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar Also, they stand for the Latin phrase "Christus Mansionem Benedicat": Christ blesses this house.
-The star is for the star of Bethlehem.
-The three pluses are for the Holy Trinity.
Dreikonigssingen campaign:
-carolers
-it is a fundraiser to sponsor through the Catholic Church
-Young people in traditional clothes sing in the street. They sing traditional songs.
-They ask for charitable donations.
-The blessing Sternsinger begins in the 16 century

adventkranz-
The Adventskranz is a German Christmas tradition that has roots in the orphanages of Berlin in the mid-1800s. By World War I almost all German household who celebrated Christmas had an advent wreath in their home. Traditionally the Advent Wreath is composed of evergreen boughs and four candles.

saint nicholas (dec. 6)-
St. Nicholas was the main character in the Christmas celebration. But he was not Santa Claus, and he arrived earlier – on the 6th of December. His usual, less friendly escort went by different names in different places: “Belsnickle,” “Niglo,” “Pelznickel,” and others. Santa Claus or Father Christmas is a more recent tradition. there are many kinds of Santa Clauses with many different names. Despite their many names, they are all basically the same mythic character. But few of them have anything to do with the real Saint Nicholas (Sankt Nikolaus or der Heilige Nikolaus), who was probably born around 245 C.E. in the port city of Patara in what we now call Turkey. Very little solid historical evidence exists for the man who later became the Bishop of Myra and the patron saint of children, sailors, students, teachers, and merchants. He is credited with several miracles and his feast day is December 6, which is the main reason he is connected with Christmas. In Austria, parts of Germany, and Switzerland, der Heilige Nikolaus (or Pelznickel) brings his gifts for children on Nikolaustag, Dec. 6, not Dec. 25. Nowadays, St. Nicholas Day (der Nikolaustag) on Dec. 6 is a preliminary round for Christmas. When Martin Luther, the great Protestant Reformer, came along, he wanted to get rid of the Catholic elements of Christmas. To replace Sankt Nikolaus (Protestants don’t emphasize saints!), Luther introduced der Heilige Christ (later called das Christkindl), an angel-like Christ Child, to bring Christmas gifts and reduce the importance of Saint Nicholas. Later this Christkindl figure would be replaced by der Weihnachtsmann (Father Christmas) in Protestant regions and even cross the Atlantic, where Christkindl mutated into the English term “Kris Kringle.” Ironically, in the present day the originally Protestant Christkindl is now predominant in the Catholic regions of Germany and Switzerland, as well as in Austria.

Christkind-
Promulgated by Martin Luther at the Protestant Reformation in 16th–17th-century Europe, many Protestants adopted this gift bringer, the Christ Child or Christkindl, and the date of giving gifts changed from December 6 to Christmas Eve.[1] As such, the "Lutheran Church promoted Christ as the children's gift-giver, hoping to draw attention to the child for whom Christmas was named." The Christkind was adopted in Catholic areas of Germany during the 19th century. To this date, the Christkindl "remains the main gift bringer in many Catholic countries in Latin America." Christkind, Munich, Germany. The Christkind is a sprite-like child, usually depicted with blond hair and angelic wings. Martin Luther intended it to be a reference to the incarnation of Jesus as an infant (see Christ Child). Sometimes the Christ Child is, instead of the infant Jesus, interpreted as a specific angel bringing the presents, as it appears in some processions together with an image of little Jesus Christ. Later, the Christkind was said to make rounds delivering gifts with St. Nicholas. 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 (the Bescherung), 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. Since the 1990s, the Christkind has faced increasing competition from the Weihnachtsmann, caused by the use of the American version of Santa Claus as an advertising figure.[citation needed] Many traditionalist Catholics in recent times have advocated for the tradition of the Christkind as a "beautiful means of restoring the true meaning of Christmas". Christkindl or Christkindel are diminutive versions of Christkind. Christkind and Belsnickel are also found among communities of Volga German descent in Argentina. A well-known figure is the Christkind at the Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg, which is represented by a young woman chosen every two years for this task. Christkindl is also a part of the city of Steyr in Austria, named after the allegedly miraculous wax statue of Christkind in the town church.

krampusnacht-

When most children in the world are thinking of a jolly, round old man with a white beard who’s going to come clambering down their chimney on December 25th, bearing a bag full of presents, children in Bavaria, much of Eastern Europe, and parts of Germany are gearing up for Krampusnacht twenty days before. We don’t normally think of Christmastime as involving scary demons with horns and masks, but for some, it’s all part of their traditional Christmas. But, what is Krampusnacht? How did this strange holiday start and where did it come from? It’s a holiday that feels a lot more like Halloween than Christmas. On Krampusnacht, December 5th, men dressed as Krampus drink a bunch of alcohol, run through the streets, and frighten children. Often, they chase delinquent children around and hit them with sticks. The Krampus costume is traditionally made up of a hand-carved wooden mask and a suit made from sheep or goat skin. Cowbells are worn around the wearer’s hips. Costumes can be pretty pricey in Europe, and now they’re usually made with less expensive materials, like faux fur and face paint. The origin of Krampus is mostly unknown, but most anthropologists agree that the tradition is pre-Christian, going back to pagan mythology. One authority on the subject believes that Krampus goes as far back as the Wiccan deity of the Horned God of the Witches. Another anthropologist, John J. Honigmann wrote, “Krampus derives from a pagan supernatural who was assimilated to the Christian devil.” Our knowledge of the pre-Christian pagan pantheon of Europe is pretty fuzzy, considering the druids of Europe didn’t write anything down, and their places of worship and symbols and rites were often taken over and assimilated into Christian traditions in the missionaries’ attempt to wipe the pagan traditions out entirely. Krampus, and the “Horned God” in general, is a good example of this phenomenon. According to historians, horned devils first began to appear in medieval plays around the 11th century. These would have been adopted into the narrative of Christianity in an attempt to use symbols that the native people were familiar with. Over time, the deity that Krampus originated from was corrupted into the mischievous, child-terrorizing ghoul we see today. Traditionally, St. Nicholas and Krampus appear together, working as a team. St. Nicholas rewards the good children, while Krampus punishes the naughty ones.

weihnachtsmarkte-
the term "Christkind" usually refers to an angel-like "spirit of Christmas" rather than literally the Christ Child), Christkindlesmarkt, Christkindlmarket, Christkindlimarkt, and Weihnachtsmarkt, is a street market associated with the celebration of Christmas during the four weeks of Advent. These markets originated in Germany, but are now held in many other countries. The history of Christmas markets goes back to the Late Middle Ages in the German-speaking part of Europe, and in many parts of the former Holy Roman Empire that includes many eastern regions of France. Dresden's Striezelmarkt was first held in 1434 and is considered the first genuine Christmas market, as earlier markets were rather "December markets". Early mentions of these "December markets" can be found in Vienna (1298), Munich (1310), Bautzen (1384), and Frankfurt (1393).
In many towns in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, Advent is usually ushered in with the opening of the Christmas market or "Weihnachtsmarkt". In southern Germany, Switzerland and Austria, it is called a "Christkind(e)l(s)(i)markt" (German language, literally meaning "Christ child market"). Traditionally held in the town square, the market has food, drink and seasonal items from open-air stalls accompanied by traditional singing and dancing. On opening night at the Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg, and in some other towns, onlookers welcome the "Christkind" (originally boy Jesus, but often depicted as an angel-like girl), acted out by a local child. Popular attractions at the markets include the Nativity Scene (a crèche or crib), Zwetschgenmännle (figures made of decorated dried plums), Nussknacker (carved Nutcrackers), Gebrannte Mandeln (candied, toasted almonds), traditional Christmas cookies such as Lebkuchen and Magenbrot (both forms of soft gingerbread), Bratwurst, and for many visitors one of the highlights of the market: Glühwein, hot mulled wine (with or without a shot of brandy), or Eierpunsch (an egg-based warm alcoholic drink). Both help stave off the cold winter air which sometimes dips below freezing. More regional food specialties include Christstollen (Stollen), a sort of bread with candied fruit in Saxony, and hot Apfelwein and Frankfurter Bethmännchen in Hesse.

christmas eve in germany-

Christmas Eve is traditionally a partial non-working day. Many employers give their workers at least part of the day off. Expect reduced opening hours. Banks and government offices are usually closed for the whole day. It is also categorized as a silent day (stiller Tag) in all or part of Germany. In some states, special restrictions may apply for certain types of activities, such as concerts or dance events. Many people travel to spend the late afternoon and evening with family members on Christmas Eve. Many people decorate a Christmas tree and some attend midnight mass. Midnight mass is a church service that traditionally starts late in the evening but now often starts earlier in the evening to allow whole families to attend. Later in the evening, many families open their Christmas presents that were placed under the Christmas tree. In many Protestant families, children are told that Father Christmas or Santa Claus brought the presents. In many Catholic families, they are told that the Christ Child gave the presents. A traditional Christmas Eve meal consists of carp (a type of fish), potato salad, boiled potatoes, cucumber salad and lemon slices. The run up to Christmas in Germany starts four Sundays before December 25 and is known as Advent. Many families prepare an Advent wreath with four candles and seasonal greenery. One candle is lit on the first Sunday of Advent, two on the second Sunday, three on the third Sunday and then four on the fourth Sunday. Many Christmas markets are held during this time and many town centers feature special Christmas lights and other decorations. Children are given Advent calendars prior to Christmas. These are usually made of thick paper and display a seasonal scene with 24 doors. Each day, starting on December 1, children open one door to discover a picture behind each one. Modern versions have candy or a small toy behind each door. In the town of Gengenbach, Baden-Württemberg, the town hall has 24 windows and is turned into a giant advent calendar each year.

german christmas food and drink-
-mulled wine
-Goose Breast with Potato Dumplings, Red Cabbage and Caramelized Chestnuts
-Roast Goose with Liver Pate Stuffing and Redcurrant Glazed Peaches
-Creamy Sauerkraut with Chives and Horseradish-Roasted Fall Vegetables
-Holiday Strudel with Mustard Sauce
-Stollen Bread and Butter Pudding
-Almond-Cherry Souffles with Warm German Chocolate Sauce
-King of Hearts (Herz König)
-Baked Gingerbread Apples
-Baked Apples with Marzipan and Cranberries (Bratäpfel)
-Mini German Cheesecakes with Apricot Compote
-Cherry, Quark and Pumpernickel Trifle
-Non-Alcoholic Hot Fruit Punch (Kinderpunsch)
-Feuerzangenbowle (Fire Tongs Punch)