There are only 5 shopping days left until Christmas, so if you haven't finished buying and wrapping your gifts, you still have time! I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year. I hope we all remember the reason for the season.
I particularly enjoyed the way Germany observed the season when I lived there, so I thought I would share a little bit of information about their celebrations. In Bavaria, St. Nikolaus comes on December 6th. Children write letters to the good saint and put something to feed his horse/donkey at their door the night of December 5th. They put their shoes beside the door, too, in hope St. Nick will leave them a gift of some kind - hopefully enough to fill their shoes! Tradition says during the night St. Nickolaus goes from house to house carrying a book n which all the children's deeds are written. If they've been good, they receive fruits, nuts, candies and maybe a small gift. If they've not been good, they may find potatoes, coal or twigs in their shoes. December 24th and 25th are reserved for the celebration of the Christ Child. Candles are lit on Advent wreaths in the weeks previous to Christmas Day and stories and songs are shared about the birth of Jesus Christ. Many homes have a Christmas pyramid which depicts the nativity scene. The pyramid I have is built on the premise it "runs" on candle power. The nativity scene is depicted on the bottom and the four candles surrounding it make just enough heat to turn the small fan blades at the top, which then turn the nativity scene. The one I have is about one foot tall, but in Germany there are many Christmas pyramids which reach heights of many feet and are very elaborate. On the night of December 24th, the Christkindl, or Christ Child, brings gifts to the children. After the twelve days of Christmas (which run from December 25th to January 5th), January 6th is celebrated as All Kings Day. This is the day the three wise men supposedly found the babe lying in a manger, worshiped Him and gave Him gifts. Many doorways are marked in chalk with the initials of the three kings and the new year, for example "G+M+B+2012" (for Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar), and hopefully this brings prosperity and good health to the inhabitants of the home during the coming year.
If you want to find out more about St. Nicholas and different traditions, visit the St. Nicholas Center.
Also celebrated during this time of year is the festival of Hanukkah and the celebration of Kwanzaa. To find out more about Hanukkah, visit the Jewish Outreach Institute. To find out more about Kwanzaa, visit The Official Kwanzaa Web Site.
Again, I wish all of you a very happy holiday break and hope everyone stays safe in your travels and gatherings. Enjoy your time with family and friends and come back in January ready to teach, learn, reach, and share!
