Christmas traditions – Niche Travel Design

I love a Christmas market. In fact, I have yet to meet a Christmas market that I didn’t like. I love the vibe, the decorations, the music. I love the bustle and the throngs of people all enjoying the season. And living abroad, I like learning about how each country celebrates the season a little differently. Hamburg’s White Christmas Market is a little different than the rest. It is smaller, set along the water, themed with all white market stalls and quite tranquil in feeling. The reason that I loved Hamburg’s all white Christmas market was that it was peaceful and elegant. I think it is Germany’s most elegant Christmas market. It evoked a feeling of respect for the season. The all white stalls set against Alster Lake were breathtaking. The glow of the white stalls and lights drew us in like moths to a flame.

GERMAN CHRISTMAS | A CELEBRATION OF FOOD
While I cannot profess to be an expert on German Christmas after three days, I can tell you that the predominant feature of every Northern German Christmas market (and we went to no less than 5 in 3 days) was food!

Food, food and more food. We sampled flame broiled bratwurst, grilled sausages, hams, currywurst – a fried or grilled sausage is cut into thick slices and seasoned with spicy ketchup and generous amounts of curry powder (usually served with french fries), fischbrötchen – a fish sandwich served with pickled or fried fish and onions and sauerkraut – fermented cabbage. We also saw big vats of boiled potatoes, sausage in green cabbage. Also for sale were potato pancakes served with applesauce.

GERMAN CHRISTMAS | A CELEBRATION OF SWEETS!!
After your main meal, one finds a vast array of desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth. My favorite was fried dough sprinkled with powdered sugar (called muzen in Lübeck and schmalzkuchen in Hamburg). We also tried marshmallow cremes dipped in chocolate (schaumkuss) which were surprisingly delicious as I am not a marshmallow fan usually. These marshmallowy treats were not as sugary as their cousins in America. There were also lots of mini pancakes (profferjes) filed with your choice of Nutella, butter, sugar, marzipan, apples, mint, cherries, Grand Marnier, Baileys, Cointreau, Amaretto, vanilla to name a few. We didn’t try those and I wish we had, especially with some Grand Marnier. Next time!! Northern Germany is also famous for marzipan in every shape, color and form that you can imagine and these large gingerbread cookies with various messages of Christmas and other festivities written in hard frosting on them.

GERMAN CHRISTMAS | A CELEBRATION OF WINE
To wash it all down, one can stop at one of the many glühwein (mulled wine) forests constructed all over town. Glühwein is usually prepared with red wine. It is heated with cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, citrus, sugar and vanilla beans. It is offered as is or mit schuss (with a shot), which means that rum or some other liquor is added.

GERMAN CHRISTMAS | A CELEBRATION OF DECOR
THE CHRISTMAS STAR
We noticed that the northern Germans also embrace the Christmas star as they do in Sweden, but more often than not, the German star is more three dimensional, resembling a thistle or bur.

THE CHRISTMAS PYRAMID
Another similarity to Swedish Christmas is the German
Weihnachtspyramide or the Christmas pyramid which is like the Swedish änglaspel in that the pyramid device works by generating heat from candles to turn the wooden blades. While these beautifully carved wooden pieces look nothing like what I was taught a pyramid looks like, they are called pyramids nonetheless. They reminded me of multi-leveled carousels. All of them depicted a Christmas theme such as the Nativity, angels and the Wise Men. Much larger than their Swedish counterparts, the German versions are often 3 or 4 stories high and made entirely from wood as opposed to brass in Sweden. I was told by one woman in a shop that the German Christmas pyramid predates the Christmas tree. Fascinating!

CHRISTMAS TOWNS
Also wildly popular at every market were these miniature towns – very intricate miniature wooden carved people, houses, animals, trees – entire villages really complete with town halls and churches.

CHRISTMAS GNOMES
There also seems to be a German version of tomte, the Swedish elves that I have fallen in love with. Tomte are known to help you with your housework over the year if you leave them some porridge on Christmas Eve. Unfortunately, I did not get an accurate name or story for their German relatives – the gentleman and I were trying our best to communicate across the language chasm. I did buy one and much to my daughter’s horror, I think his hair is real animal hair. I love him and think he is adorable. Lena is creeped out by his hair. I only hope that bringing him into the house will not piss off the tomte in our basement as I am serious about wanting that help with the housework.

Frohe Weihnachten jeder! Buon Natale! God Jul! Merry Christmas!

Wigilia table of Polish food — Wigilia table. The feast.

WIGILIA | THE VIGIL

Wigilia (pronounced: vee gee lee a) or “The Vigil” is the traditional Polish Catholic Christmas Eve celebration feast held on December 24th. The ceremony represents, and honors, waiting for the arrival of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus.

PREPARING THE FEAST | 12 DISHES

The celebration commences only after the first star has been sighted by the youngest person in attendance. This can be a bit of a problem if the youngest person is an infant or, if the weather is not cooperating, but somehow, it all gets worked out each year. The sighting of the first star is a reference to the Star of Bethlehem.

The meal takes all day preparation. While the adults prepare the feast . . .

Pierogi dough being cut — Preparing the feast.

Sauerkraut and mushrooms cooking for pierogi filling. — Preparing the pierogi filling

A plate filled with pierogi. — The finished product.

the children occupy their time by decorating the Christmas tree.

A girl standing in front of a decorated Christmas tree — The finished product.

WIGILIA TRADITIONS | SETTING THE TABLE

The children also place a bit of hay under the tablecloth to symbolize the hay present in the manger where Jesus was born.

After placing the hay under the tablecloth, the table is set. An empty plate is set on the table in case a traveler should need sustenance. The extra place setting symbolizes hospitality in honor of Joseph, Mary and Jesus who were in need of help from strangers.

An extra place setting on the table for Wigilia — An extra place setting in case a stranger needs hospitality.

THE OPŁATEK | THE BREAD OF LOVE

Once it is time for the fest to begin, family members begin the celebration with a prayer and breaking of the Christmas wafer called the opłatek.

The opłatek is similar to the Catholic communion wafer. The opłatek is known as the bread of love because it is often sent to the family members wherever they may be. We receive some every year from relatives in Poland. After the prayer, the oplatek is broken and pieces are given to everyone attending. Each person breaks off a piece of their oplatek, and shares it with everyone else, wishing luck and joy in the upcoming year.

a father sharing the opłatek wafer with his daughter. — Sharing the opłatek.

A girl sharing the opłatek wafer with her brother — Sharing the opłatek.

This wish is usually finalized by a kiss on the cheek and saying and Wesołych świąt or Merry Christmas in Polish. I admit I mumble through that one each year. It is also customary to feed one’s livestock a bit of the opłatek too. Livestock are to be respected that day since they were present at the birth of Jesus. Domestic animals do not get to share in the celebration.

THE FEAST | 12 MEATLESS DISHES

After sharing the oplatek the feast begins. People are expected to fast from meat to symbolize the suffering of Jesus and thus, the meal is meatless. There are 12 dishes representing the 12 apostles of Jesus. Traditional dishes include: barszcz (beet soup); carp filets; pierogi (dumplings) filled with potatoes, cheese, mushrooms and kapusta (cabbage); dried fruit compote; fried fish fillets; herring in oil; mushrooms; meatless gołąbki, (cabbage rolls): cucumber salad; potatoes with milk and herbs; pickles; noodles with a sweet poppy seed dressing; and Polish vodka.

a plate of herring and onions — Herring and onions

A table ful of Polish food for Wigilia — The feast

After supper families attend Pasterka or midnight mass. After mass, it is not uncommon for people to dine on a second meal which includes meat, particularly kielbasa (Polish sausage).

In addition to being a celebration of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus, It is also believed that Wigilia will foretell your future. Polish families believe that whatever happens on Wigilia day will affect one’s upcoming year. For example, if you quarrel with your sibling, you may well have a year filled with arguments and trouble. Thus, it is important to be on one’s best behavior on Wigilia.

Wesołych świąt dla wszystkich! Merry Christmas to all!

Tag: Christmas traditions

German Christmas Markets – Hamburg, Germany’s Most Elegant Christmas Market

Wigilia – The Polish Christmas Celebration

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