What is a Bunter Teller? A Plate of Christmas Cookies for Everyone

Last week, a friend said, “You’re German; would you like these? I found them at an estate sale,”… and then she handed me these cardboard plates/bowls printed with Christmassy images. She had found paper plates for “Bunter Teller!” I was so excited to receive something from my childhood. But What is a Bunter Teller? These special plates come out every…

German Christmas Traditions for Kids- Enjoy a German Christmas

Christmas is a special time of year but especially magical for children. I’m not talking about heaps of presents under the tree! There are so many German Christmas Traditions for kids that will bring joy and happiness to the little ones in your world. My parents didn’t have much money when I was growing up, but my mother made the…

Krampus in German Folklore – Who IS Krampus?

I grew up with Northern German parents, so I learned about Krampus when I was much older. In my world, Knecht Ruprecht was St Nicholas’s sidekick, and Krampus lived in Bavaria and Austria. But now, because of movies and popular culture, as well as annual Krampus Runs, the myth of Krampus is becoming synonymous with German Christmas. But who is…

History of German Nutcrackers- Get a Nutcracker for Your Home!

I love how the History of German Nutcrackers is tied up in a Fairy Tale…. Once upon a time, a farmer offered a reward for anyone who could help him easily open the Walnuts from his tree. A Carpenter said he should saw them open. A Soldier told him he should SHOOT the nuts (I can’t imagine what he thought…

German Christmas Traditions- Celebrate a German Christmas Anywhere

German Christmas customs, traditions, and practices can be celebrated here in America. There really is something special about this time of year that makes me look back to my childhood: Weihnachtsstimmung—the candlelight, the smell of chocolate and cookies, the wonder of the Christmas Tree. In my memory, a German Christmas is more of stillness and enjoyment. There is less of…

Moravian Star aka Herrnhuter Stern- Not a Just Holiday Decoration

A trio of Moravian Stars hangs in my window at Christmastime. These beautiful 26-point Stars, also known in German as a Herrnhuter Stern, have been a popular decoration during the Christmas Season, from the beginning of Advent until the Epiphany, in parts of Germany for almost 200 years. Moravian Stars represent the Star of Bethlehem and are hung in churches…

German Pickle Ornament Story- How did the Green Pickle Ornament Tradition Start?

It’s time to discuss the German Pickle Ornament Story and shatter the myth once and for all. Germans Don’t Hang Pickles in their Christmas Tree.  I know, I know… someone told you it’s a REAL GERMAN TRADITION And maybe your Oma hung a pickle on her Christmas Tree… But the truth is, the Christmas Pickle Ornament Tradition is no more…

Lebkuchen Schmidt- Where to Buy Lebkuchen Tins Online

For over 600 years, Schmidt Lebkuchen Nuremberg has been baking and selling its delicious Lebkuchen, a special type of Gingerbread. Travelers and Traders used to carry Lebkuchen with them to enjoy and sell; now, we are lucky enough to be able to buy Lebkuchen online! During the Holiday Seasons of Advent and Christmas, you can find various Schmidt Lebkuchen Tins…

What is the Epiphany? Celebrating the Epiphany in Germany

  January 6, the Epiphany, or Dreikönigstag, is a public holiday in Germany. What is the Epiphany? In the Church Calendar, January 6 is the day that the Wise Men or Three Kings arrived at the stable in Bethlehem to bring gifts to the infant Jesus. The day is celebrated with special church services. In Catholic areas, children dress as…

When Do You Take Down the Christmas Tree?

I walk almost every day for fitness, for air, to get out of the house, and to get a daily view of what’s going on in the neighborhood. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I saw Christmas decorations go up. Decorated trees filled windows. But then Christmas ended. The VERY next day, discarded trees started lining the sidewalks. Some were already out…

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