HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1986-12-24, Page 5Luckilow Sentinel, Wednesday, December 249 19S6 Page 5
Many traditions included in German Christmas
By Alan Rivett
There are as many ways of celebrating
Christmas as there are Christmas trees.
In Canada, the traditions of Christmas
vary from family to family with brightly
decorated Christmas trees, carolling, the
turkey dinner, stockings hung over the
fireplace, Santa Claus's yearly journey
from the North Pole and the celebration of
the birth of Jesus Christ being the
• hallmark of a Canadian Christmas.
In Germany, the Christmas season is
also steeped in long-standing tradition
which is uniquelydts own.
To Werner and Theresia Ritgen and four
children Constantin, Benedict, Domenic
and Johanna, of Ashfield Township, the
Christmas traditions of their native Ger-
many are a treasured'part of their life and
have been kept intact since their immigra-
tion from West Germany in 1977.
There are many differences between a
German and. a Canadian Christmas, ex-
plained Mr. • Ritgen, with a German
Christmas deeply rooted in religion down
through the - centuries. The Christmas
season is also longer, beginning four weeks
before Christmas with the First Advent
and ending on January 6 when Germany
celebrates Three Kings Day or "3
Konigstag". •
The major difference, however, is the
celebration. of the coming of the Christ
child or "Christkind" rather than the corn-
ing of Santa Claus.
"We don't have Santa Claus who comes
down the dirty chimney," laughed Mr. and
Mrs. Ritgen who were joined by Mr. and
Mrs.. Heiner Stoecker of Goderich for a
pre -Christmas visit when interviewed by
the Sentinel.
However, German custom does have a
Santa Claus of sorts called Bishop
• Nicholas, who comes on December 6. Mrs.
Ritgen said the coming of Bishop Nicholas
is derived from German. history about a
bishop who prayed for food for Germany at
a time when all of Europe was starving.
His prayers broil* ships full of food
which ended the famine.
At that time„ • the children leave their
shoes or boots in front of their bedroom
door for Bishop Nicholas, who is a helper
of the Christkind, to fill them with a bag of
goodies, usually nuts, apples and cookies,
says Mr. Ritgen, As times grow more
modern, toys are left instead of the tradi-
tional fruits and nuts,
However, Bishop Nicholas also has a
helper called "Kneck Ruprecht" whp looks
after the children who have been bad all
year;
"He carries a stick made out of branches
and if the child is really bad, he puts them
in his burlap sack and carries them off,"...
said Mrs. Ritgen, '
"The coming of Bishop Nicholas helps
get the kids into the Christmas spirit."
Through Advent, each family will have
the advent Wreath with one of .the four
candles being lit on each Sunday leading
up to the coming of the Christkind.
In the two weeks prior to Christmas,
German families*also gather at the tradi-
tional Christmas markets in the cities and
the villages. There; Christmas decorations
and different foods, are bought along with
hot baked apples, a special treat. Also,
people come to see the outside Christmas
exhibitions which cities such as Munich
and Nuremberg are famous for, said -Mr..
Ritgen. - ••
The fOcal point of a German Christmas
is the coming of the Christkind which is •
celebrated on Christmas Eve, December
24 instead of December 25, said Mr.
Ritgen. At that time, all the shops close at
.2 p.m. in the afternoon and remain closed
The Ritgen family.of Ashfield Township, originally of West' Germany, keep the 'German.
traditions intact at their home at Christmas time. The many traditions are a a facinating
contrast to a Canadian Christmas. From left are, Veronika and Heiner Stoecker and
Werner and Theresia Ritgen., (Alan Rivett photo)
for over two days, through -the German
First .Christmas Dar (December 25) and
Second Christmas Day (December 26):
The Christmas tree is decorated with lit-
tle lighted candles, instead of Christmas
lights, he said.. Also, a naitivity scene is
placed under the tree; Some German
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However, the decorating of the
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Turn to page 10.
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