A little cultural treat

Our local paper posted today what is a predecessor of the later nativity sets in churches:

Mary in the child-bed, with Jesus and St. Joseph, from a 1260 tympanon (tympanum) of one of the village churches nearby




A Merry Christmas to all of you!

even Google's in the mood!

tried to find an online version of the krieghoff that's on the front page of one of the national papers today - this is the closest we could find (krieghoff often did variants of the same scene from different angles)

that looks better online than it does in the paper!
thanks, walter

Merry Christmas everyone........

Merry Christmas to you too danon.

THis was such a lovely thread, we should revive it
next year

Second day of Christmas- here called Stefani-Tag.

http://www.care2.com/ecards/p/6360-8118-10544-7941


Now we go on to New Year Eve- which again has different costums in decorating and food.
Lucky charms as clover, chimney sweepers, pigs, horse shoes, and other items are given to friends and family.

Then 1/6, the day when the Three Wise Men - here also called Sternsinger ( star singers) will come and sign the door with chalk: C+M 2005+B- a blessing:
Christus Mansionem Benedicat"Children will dress up as the 3 kings, and one child will have a large star. They will sing songs and ask for money for charity projects in the 3. World.

http://www.bad-voeslau.at/stjakob/images/Hl3Könige2004_2.JPG

With this day Christmas Season is over- the Nativity scenes and the tree will be taken away until next December.
Some people will have the tree until 2/2-

In the U.S. it is known as Groundhog Day. In Catholic tradition February 2 is Candlemas Day (Maria Lichtmess), the feast day commemorating the purification of the Virgin Mary and the presentation of Jesus in the Temple at Jerusalem. It is named after the candle light procession which precedes the mass.

http://www.serve.com/shea/germusa/candlmas.htm

Candlemas Day (Maria Lichtmess), btw, is the day, when the chrsitmas trees are taken out of churches (and the last time that christmas chorals are sung as well).

The following day, February 3, is - when we look so far forward - another 'highlight': St. Blasie
On the day of his feast the blessing of St. Blasius is given: two candles are consecrated, generally by a prayer, these are then held in a crossed position by the priest over the heads of the churchgoers and a blessing is given: "Per intercessionem S. Blasii liberet te Deus a malo gutteris et a quovis alio malo" ('May God at the intercession of St. Blasius preserve you from throat troubles and every other evi'l).

"Let's eat fish with lots of bones" we used to say as children afterwards :wink:

A "cultural aside":

in Germany, this year more than 450,000 children either wrote to the Christkind or to St. Nikolaus:
250,000 alone have been sent to the post office in Himmelsport' in the state of Brandenburg ('Heaven's door'), others to 'Himmelsthür' and 'Himmelpforten',(meaning roughly the same), to 'Engelskirchen' ('Angel's Church'), 'Himmelstadt' ('Heaven's Town') and St. Nikolaus.

Ul and Walter,
The information you have given us is just great. I was only vaguely familiar with some of the things you have mentioned. Thanks. What a wonderful time is to be had by all in your area this time of year.

Ul and Walter, thanks so much for the stories of what happens after Christmas. Here, after Christmas is mostly shopping. Not that shopping is all bad

.´
Last post in 2004- Happy New Year to all.

.."New Year's EveNew Year's Eve in Germany is not accompanied by wild parties, as is the custom in America. For most Germans, it is a family time, and parties are low-key gatherings of friends and relatives. At midnight, a toast is usually made with champagne, or Sekt, and everyone says, "Prosit Neujahr!" Fireworks are often shot off, and people either look out their window or actually go outside to greet the coming of the New Year.


Another popular German custom is Bleigiessen.
A candle is lit, and small chunks of lead are melted in a spoon held over the candle. Because of the low melting temperature of lead, this process does not take long. The molten lead is then quickly poured from the spoon into a bucket of cold water, where it hardens almost immediately. Each person tries to determine what he or she "sees" in the hardened lead figure, much like children see sheep, etc. in fluffy clouds. Often the lead figure is held up to a candle or other light, and the shape of the shadow it casts aids in this important decision. The shape of the lead determines the future of that person for the year to come. Nowadays, Silvesterblei sets can be purchased in most department stores in Germany. These kits come complete with lead figures, a spoon, and a list of possible shapes and their meanings."
http://www.serve.com/shea/germusa/bleimean.htm

A very popular 'meal' on New Year's Eve is "Kartoffelsalat mit Würstchen" (potatoe salad with Vienna/Francforter sausages).

Also popular to share with family and friends is a meat or a cheese fondue.


And, of course, we get 'Berliner' (jelly filled donuts) and other (local) varieties of donut-like cakes.

'Bleigießen' reminds me on "Feuerzangenbowle"

"Einen guten Übergang", ul - Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to you, Ul & Walter & everyone else... Thanks Ul for the interesting stuff about those lead figures and thanks to Walter for the information about the Feuerzangen bowle. Sounds like some interesting traditions. I wonder if I could get that film here? It looks like it is not widely distributed.

a traditional new year's meal when i was growing up in hamburg was carp with boiled potatoes and freshly grated horseradish with whipping cream (we used to have the same meal for christmas eve). after we came to canada we used to buy fresh carp from local fishermen that fished lake ontario, but the fish in lake ontario - particularly groundfeeders - have become contaminated and we've stopped eating them. there is a little story that goes with buying carp in canada. after i'd bought carp for two or three times from the same fisherman he asked me if i was jewish. when i gave him a puzzled look he said that he could tell that i was not chinese, so i surely must be jewish because no one else would buy carp; so i had a little explaining to do. btw. the carp from lake ontario were much larger - up to ten pounds - than the carp raised in ponds in germany that usally weigh only three to four pounds. the 'big ones' were very tasty and the flesh was very solid, almost like tuna steaks. (we also bought fresh horseradish on the farmers' market and it was my duty to grate it - many tears were shed ! we still like horseradish, now usually heinz prepared horseradish, with meats and fish - not that many tears any more, unless one gets greedy and scoops up too much). for christmas we usually still have fish , but this year we had it a day early, a combination of salmon, grouper and catfish (a relative of the carp ?). we still open the door for new year "to let the new year in" - much to the surprise of some canadian friends, who have now adopted the custom. HAPPY NEW YEAR and ALLES GUTE IM NEUEN JAHR ! hbg

Thanks, Hamburger, for your interesting stories and for the good wishes for the New Year. If only we could make it so.

The British Millenium Prayer... still good!

Now that's neat.
Travel to the hamburgers - travel back - and have to come here to find out why we always opened the door at midnight!
:wink:

anyone remember the song : "open the door, richard, open the door and let me in ! " perhaps richard is the name of the new year ? hbg