Christmas in Germany

1
Christmas in Germany
2
Adventskranz

• In Germany the Christmas celebrations start a
  lot earlier than in England. Most German
  families have an Adventskranz (a type of wreath).
  There are four candles on the Adventskranz and
  one is lit on each of the four Sundays leading up
  to Christmas day.

3
Adventskalender

• Most German children also have an
  Adventskalender. These are also popular in
  England now. For each day up to Christmas, there
  is a door to be opened. Sometimes behind this
  door you will find a picture, sometimes a
  chocolate

4
St. Niklaus

• On the eve of the 6th December, German children
  are visited by St. Niklaus (Santa Claus).
• They leave their shoes or boots out and when they
  wake they find them filled with chocolates,
  fruit, nuts, sweets and St Niklaus figures.

5
Der heilige Abend

• German families celebrate Christmas on Christmas
  Eve (der heilige Abend).
• The parents decorate the tree in the
  Weihnachtszimmer (Christmas room) with apples,
  sometimes with real candles, glass balls (Kugeln)
  and with Engelshaar (angels hair tinsel).

6
Der Weihnachtsbaum

• At the top of the tree the parents put a star
  (Stern)
• and at the foot of the tree is the crib (die
  Krippe).

7
Das Christkind

• Now its time for the Christ Child (das
  Christkind) or the Weihnachtsmann (Father
  Christmas) who brings the presents.
• When he has been, the children are allowed
  into the Weihnachtszimmer for die Bescherung
  (distribution of presents).

8
Das Weihnachtsessen

• The Germans often eat carp (Karpfen) for their
  Christmas meal.
• This is usually followed by goose (der
  Weihnachtsgans).

9
Das Weihnachtsessen

• Other German Christmas foods are Lebkuchen, which
  are spicy ginger biscuits, and Stollen, which is
  the German Christmas cake.

10
Jingle Bells

• Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,klingt es weit und
  breit.Schön ist eine Schlittenfahrtim Winter
  wenn es schneit.Jingle Bells, Jingle
  Bells,klingt es weit und breit.Mach' mit mir 
  'ne Schneeballschlacht,der Winter steht bereit!