Christmas Traditions Only Germans Will Understand

Betty MacDonald fan club fans, a perfect Christmas gift is very witty 'Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal ) by Heidelberg author Wolfgang Hampel. It's according to many readers around the world one of the funniest books ever written. If you read this golden book you won't stop laughing. That's what we need most in times like this. Wolfgang Hampel and Vita Magica Team support through book sales and reading events cultural institutions. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Christmas Traditions Only Germans Will Understand As in many other Christian countries, Christmas is the most special time of the year in Germany. Though the most important ingredients of Christmas across the world are the same – festive cheer, family time and delicious food – each country has its own special way of celebrating this magical festival. These Christmas traditions and rituals are quintessentially German. St Nicholas Day (Sankt Nikolaus Tag) St Nicholas Day is a favorite holiday with German children. On the night of December 5, children clean and polish their boots and leave them outside the door before going to sleep. Next morning, they find their shoes filled with nuts, candy, and small gifts from St Nicholas. He also makes an appearance in shopping malls and children’s clubs. Though Santa Claus has also become popular in Germany, St Nicholas is much more important than his American counterpart. St Nicholas Day is also observed in a few other Western Christian countries, though the mode of celebration varies from country to country. Krampus Night (Krampus Nacht) Krampus the devil is sort of a sidekick of St Nicholas. He is believed to accompany St Nicholas to teach naughty children a hard lesson. In Southern Bavaria, men in hideous Krampus costumes patrol the streets on St Nicholas Night, and are sometimes invited in by parents of particularly naughty children. Advent calendar (Adventskalendar) The Advent calendar is an important countdown to Christmas for German children. Everyday for four weeks preceding Christmas, a window in the advent calendar is opened to reveal a poem, parts of a story, candy or a small gift. Advent calendars flood shops across Germany during this season, while many parents prefer to make their own. Advent wreath (Adventskranz) The tradition of Advent wreaths was started by German Lutherans in the 16th century, and today the wreath is still an icon of Christmas in Germany. The wreath consists of four candles in a bed of pine cones, berries, dried flowers and Christmas ornaments. Different families have different traditions when it comes to Adventskranz. Some will bring it out during the first week of December and burn one candle every Sunday in the lead up to Christmas. Others will display the advent wreath on the last Sunday before Christmas and have the entire family sit around it, munching on Christmas delicacies, singing Christmas songs and watching Christmas movies. Epiphany and the Sternsinger In parts of Germany, Christmas cheer continues until January 6th, which is the day of a religious feast known as Epiphany or Das Dreikönigsfest (‘three kings festival’). Often, children dressed as the Magi go from house to house and sing songs (hence the term Sternsinger, or ‘star singer’) requesting donations towards various children’s causes. Christmas markets (Weihnachtsmärkte) Granted, the magic of Christmas markets has spread to many other countries and continents, but the origins of Christmas markets can be traced back to the German-speaking part of Europe in the Middle Ages. A few thousand Christmas markets are held all over Germany each year. The next time your heart warms at the sight of twinkling lights adorning the adorable Christmas market in your part of the world, remember that you have the Germans to thank for it. Mulled wine (Glühwein) Christmas season in Germany is not complete without mugs of steaming hot Glühwein. This quintessential Christmas beverage is sold in ceramic mugs in all Christmas markets in Germany and is considered vital in beating the winter chill and spreading festive cheer. Feuerzangenbowle The Feuerzangenbowle is an immensely potent German Christmas beverage that is as much a feast for the taste buds as for the eyes. Rum with a high alcohol level is added generously to mulled wine, and the concoction is set in flames. On that note, to spend a Christmas Eve like a German, watch the cult movie Die Feuerzangenbowle (1944), which traces the hilarious deeds of a middle-aged man under the influence of Feuerzangenbowle. Christmas angels (Weihnachtsengel) Christmas angels are the most loved Christmas ornaments in Germany. They are put up on Christmas trees and all around the house at Christmas time. The Christmas angels are most commonly made of wood, and are often seen playing their musical instruments. Expect to see thousands of these in any Christmas market in Germany. Christmas stollen Stollen is a traditional German Christmas cake, and it’s delicious! It is a cake made of flour, with fruits (chopped, candied, or dried), nuts, and spices added to it. Stollen is sprinkled with powdered sugar and sometimes zest is added to it. Natives of Dresden celebrate a huge festival centring on Christmas stollen. Lebkuchen Lebkuchen is another special German Christmas treat. This one resembles gingerbread. These baked delights contain honey, a number of spices, and nuts, and can be soft or hard, sweet, or spicy, and with or without icing. Though it is traditionally a Christmas delicacy, Lebkuchen is often sold in fairs, festivals and souvenir shops across Germany. Many of them have messages written on them. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Betty MacDonald fan club fans, we hope you'll enjoy this wonderful Christmas concert from Heidelberg with unique Julia Migenes as much as many Betty MacDonald fan club fans around the world. Please don't miss it. I bet Mark Twain would love very witty and wise Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal ) by Betty MacDonald fan club founder Wolfgang Hampel. It's acoording to many delighted readers around the world one of the funniest books ever written. It's a perfect Xmas gift and by the way don't miss Betty MacDonald fan club contest, please. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Betty MacDonald fan club fans, Don't miss our wonderful Betty MacDonald fan club Xmas surprise, please. Send us your favourite text from very witty book Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal ) by Betty MacDonald fan club founder Wolfgang Hampel, please and you have the chance to win a signed first edition of Betty MacDonald's Nancy and Plum. We have a wonderful Xmas surprise for everybody who joins Betty MacDonald fan club Xmas contest. Deadline: December 23, 2020 Everybody is a winner because we have a great Betty MacDonald fan club Xmas surprise for you. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Betty MacDonald fan club fans, a new fascinating Betty MacDonald biography by Wolfgang Hampel, bestselling author of ' Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ' ( Satire is my favourite animal ) will be published in 2021. Wolfgang Hampel was a very good friend of author Monica Sone, described by Betty MacDonald as Kimi in The Plague and I. Monica Sone shared the most interesting info on her wonderful friend Betty MacDonald. Wolfgang Hampel and Betty MacDonald fan club are working on this golden treasure for many Betty MacDonald fans around the world. Greetings, Mats -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://bettymacdonaldfanclub.blogspot.com/2020/07/readers-praise-satire-ist-mein.html Why are funny books so important? Take me, I'm a very optimistic personality but in these days I need some kind of support. Therefore I'm very glad and grateful I can read a very intelligent and funny book. Satire ist mein Lieblingstier (Satire is my favourite animal) by Wolfgang Hampel is a perfect example of very funny and very intelligent literature. Yes, indeed it requires lateral thinking; making unexpected connections; being one step ahead of the reader. If you are looking for a very funny and very intelligent book try brilliant Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal ) by Wolfgang Hampel. You'll enjoy it as much as I do and many, many delighted readers around the world. Take care, Martine Didier ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Betty MacDonald fan club fans, we wish you a great time with one of the funniest books ever written. Send us your thoughts regarding humour, please. We are going to include the best essays in our next Betty MacDonald fan club newsletters. You might be one of our Betty MacDonald fan club surprise winners. Good luck! Why do I think that Satire is my favourite animal by Wolfgang Hampel is such a popular book? I guess the reason why is it's so witty and intelligent. Yes, it's true. You can read Satire is my favourite animal over and over again the same way I do and it won't bore you. To me this happens very, very seldom. Very witty Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal ) by Wolfgang Hampel the best recipe for bad mood and depression - especially important in times like we have now. Please don't miss Satire ist mein Lieblingstier by Heidelberg author Wolfgang Hampel ( Satire is my favourite animal ) one of the funniest books ever written according to many readers around the world. (UK, USA, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and many other countries) Very successful writers are going to introduce their fascinating books at Vita Magica January - June 2021. You are very welcome! Vita Magica setzt ihr Programm auch 2021 fort. Im ersten Halbjahr werden großartige neue Autoren ihre sehr erfolgreichen Bücher vorstellen. Vita Magica will continue with fascinating new authors and their very interesting books at Vita Magica January - June 2021. A fascinating new Vita Magica program. Wir brauchen jetzt sehr witzige und heitere Bücher!!! Golden laughter is very important - especially now!!!! Das wunderbare Buch ' Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ' ( Satire is my favourite animal ) von Wolfgang Hampel ist ein brilliantes Feuerwerk der besten Pointen mit sehr geistreicher, witziger und hintergründiger Unterhaltung!!!!! https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Wolfgang-Hampel/dp/3958281559 Wenn Sie ein sehr humorvolles Buch lesen wollen, dann verpassen Sie bitte nicht 'Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ' von Wolfgang Hampel. Das sehr witzige Buch 'Satire ist mein Lieblingstier' ( Satire is my favourite animal ) von Wolfgang Hampel lieben vieler Leser auf der ganzen Welt!!!!( USA, UK, Deutschland, Österreich, Schweiz und vielen anderen Ländern ) Wolfgang Hampel, author of very witty Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal ) and Vita Magica Team support culturual institutions with special events and book sales of Satire ist mein Lieblingstier. This very witty book is according to many readers from all over the world one of the funniest books ever written. https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Wolfgang-Hampel/dp/3958281559 Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal ) by Wolfgang Hampel is like golden sunshine in dark Winter. Please don't miss very witty Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal ). It's one of the funniest books ever written according to many readers around the world. It brings lots of fun and joy to many readers around the world. Many of them including me take this best medicine for bad mood every day. Betty MacDonald fan club - and Vita Magica founder, Wolfgang Hampel from Heidelberg, author of very witty Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal ) is working on a new Betty MacDonald biography. 'Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ' by Wolfgang Hampel is very successful in USA, UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and many other countries!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can read Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal ) by Wolfgang Hampel over and over again and it won't be boring. Don't miss it, please. Wolfgang Hampel, author of very witty Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal ) and Vita Magica Team support culturual institutions with special events and book sales of Satire ist mein Lieblingstier. This very witty book is according to many readers from all over the world one of the funniest books ever written. https://www.amazon.com/Satire-ist-mein-Lieblingstier-Satirische/dp/3958281559 Take care, Greta