ISDD German incense smoker Santa Claus under candlearch, height 19 cm/7 inch, original Erzgebirge by Mueller Seiffen German Santa Claus figurines are some of my favorite Christmas Decorations. Probably because my mom always had a line up of them on her mantle… and so now I do too! It’s a special day when the Christmas boxes come out of storage,…
Category: German Holidays and Festivals
Advent – Celebrate German Holiday Traditions in America
Advent – Celebrating German Holiday Traditions in America: Celebrating German Holiday Traditions in America I grew up in a German household in Southern California celebrating German traditions like Advent. We spoke German in the home, my parents had German friends that were like family (we addressed them as Tante and Onkel), and they had kids who lived in…
St Martin’s Day Germany – What is St Martin’s Tag and how is it Celebrated?
I visited Germany in November a few years ago and was delighted to experience my first St Martin’s Tag (St.Martin’s Day Germany). Kids were out in the neighborhood after dark (which comes VERY EARLY in Nord-Rhine Westfalen in November) on November 11, carrying lanterns on poles and singing as they walked down the street. Lantern Statue in Bad Homburg What…
Christmas Tree Lametta- German Tinsel for the Christmas Tree
We always had Lametta, or Tinsel, for the Christmas Tree, a German Tradition. (Even for their first Christmas in America, my parents had it!) These long strands of silver hang from the tree, looking like shiny icicles. Mom insisted on it. I loved it, even though none of my American friends had a Christmas tree that looked anything like ours.…
Wendt and Kühn Angels- The Grünhainichen Angel Orchestra
I love my Wendt and Kühn Angels! The Grünhainichen Angel Orchestra sits on my mantle at Christmastime. Their sweet faces make me smile. When it’s time to unpack our set of Wooden Angels, it takes me back to my childhood. When I was a little girl I would spend hours arranging and re-arranging the bands of angels, and I even imagined…
Where to Order Your Favorite German Christmas Chocolates
I grew up with German Christmas Chocolates. That smooth, rich, delicious taste that melts on my tongue. Mmmmmmmm. When I was a child, my opa would send care packages from Germany at Christmas and again on our Birthdays—large packages wrapped in brown paper tied with string. When you opened the packages, the smell… I still remember the smell… it smelled…
Traditional German Glühwein Recipe- German Mulled Wine For a Cold Evening
This German Gluhwein Recipe-Warms Your Toes and Your Tummy I love making this Traditional German Gluhwein Recipe during the Holiday season. A simmering pot of Glühwein on the stove makes the house smell like Christmas. The spicey flavors warm you down to your toes. Best of all, it’s not difficult to make! Serve this at a holiday gathering, or make some…
Christmas Markets Along the Rhine- Cruise the Rhine in December
There is something magical about a German Christmas Market Holiday, especially along the Rhine River. The smell of Gingerbread, grilling Sausages, and roasting Chestnuts fill the air…. you hear musicians playing Christmas Carols…. rows of booths sell handmade wooden toys, blown glass German Christmas Ornaments, candles, pewter mugs, and Advent Wreaths….. singers and performers take the stage with special Christmas performances…..…
Oktoberfest in Germany! A Wedding Celebration, and lots of Beer
Munich, Germany is the home of the ORIGINAL Oktoberfest. The fabulous Festival seeming takes over the city in late September , and just around that time we get these images of a Lederhosen wearing, Beer guzzling, Pretzel eating Man, with his Lusty dirndl wearing Fraulein. This image is only partially true, and doesn’t tell the whole story. Oktoberfest is so…
German Christmas Pyramids -Light & Movement Brighten The Holidays
In our home, everyone is excited when the German Christmas Pyramids come out of their boxes. We have two in my home: one depicting the Nativity and the other a band of sweet Angels. A German Christmas Pyramid Carousel is a wooden decoration with fins or paddles on the top that attach to a central pin. Candles around the sides send…