I wanted to share with you all a message that I got from Patricia about combining German and American Christmas Traditions. She’s in a spot that I KNOW is familiar to many of you. She Writes- “I am in a real predicament with Christmas. My twins are now three and understand Christmas. Both German and because of cartoons American. We…
Category: German Holidays and Festivals
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…
St Nicholas’s Companions- Knecht Ruprecht, Krampus,
On the evening of December 5th, children all over Germany leave their cleaned shoes outside the door for St Nicholas to fill with treats. While St Nicholas may be the same, Saint Nicholas’s companions change depending on where you are in Germany. Krampus, Knecht Ruprecht, Schwarzer Peter… even Mutter Hulla! Here is a brief explanation of each of some of…
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…
Story Book Advent Calendar – Count Down to Christmas with Stories
While this idea is not “Typisch Deutsch” (typical German), it’s something I did for years while my kids were small, and I thought it might be nice to pass along my idea for a Story book Advent Calendar. Years ago, I devised an idea for all the Christmas storybooks in our house! I realized my children had enough Christmas or winter-themed…
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 Smoker Witch- Fun Decoration for Halloween and Walpurgisnacht!
A German Smoker Witch is a fantastic decoration for Halloween, Christmas, or even Walpurgisnacht! I know we associate Räuchermannchen with Christmas. But, since smokers are just decorative incense burners you can display different styles all year. What child wouldn’t love watching a smoking witch? Or a witch with a bubbly cauldron? Incense comes in many different scents, you can easily…
“Loferl” Two Part Lederhosen Socks Men Wear in Bavaria
One thing I noticed at Oktoberfests and the German Festivals are these two part Lederhosen Socks men wear… and I had to know… WHY? What is the story behind those calf-warmers? Why don’t men in Bavaria want to cover their ankles? As anyone who has suffered through knitting classes, you KNOW that when you are knitting socks, the hard part…