Transcript Christmas in Germany - Light Bulb Languages

Christmas in the German
speaking countries
©MFL Sunderland 2007 DF http://www.sunderlandschools.org/mfl-sunderland
Adventskranz
In Germany 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.
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 or
sometimes a piece of
chocolate
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 up they find them
filled with chocolates,
fruit, nuts, sweets and St
Niklaus figures.
Der heilige Abend


German speaking 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, baubles
(Kugeln) and with
Engelshaar (‘angel’s
hair’ – tinsel).
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).
Das Christkind
Now it’s time for the
Christ Child (das
Christkind) or the
Weihnachtsmann
(Father Christmas) to
bring the presents.
When he has been, the
children are allowed into
the Weihnachtszimmer
for die Bescherung
(distribution of presents).
Das Weihnachtsessen

The Germans and
Austrians often eat carp
(Karpfen) for their
Christmas meal.

This is usually followed by
goose (der
Weihnachtsgans).
Das Weihnachtsessen

Other Christmas foods
are Lebkuchen,
which are spicy ginger
biscuits, and Stollen,
which is the German
Christmas cake.
Jingle Bells
Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,
klingt es weit und breit.
Schön ist eine Schlittenfahrt
im Winter wenn es schneit.
Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,
klingt es weit und breit.
Mach' mit mir
'ne Schneeballschlacht,
der Winter steht bereit!