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A European Christmas
Author: C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot

A European Christmas
by C. Bailey-Lloyd

With the holidays right around the corner, it's hard not to reminisce our childhood memories and holidays of yesteryear. In each culture, there are differing values and traditions which are celebrated in different ways.

During the 70's,

growing up 'German' in Europe was one of the most fascinating and magical decades. Having strong German roots, our family participated in many German Christmas traditions. One of those traditions was Advent. The Advent, or Christmas calendar, is picture-box calendar decorated with wintry & Christmas scenes, biblical characters and 'St. Nicolas.' On the face of the calendar, are 24 small doors, each containing a small chocolate - one opened each day for the holiday season. The December 24th door, which is the 'Heiligabend' (Christmas Eve) is usually the largest door on the calendar and most often contains a chocolate Nativity. As children, we relished in this fun, and tasty feature of the holiday season.

But Advent wasn't simply comprised of the Holiday Calendar, we also partook in the Advent Wreath, or 'Adventskranz' which was beautifully displayed on tables throughout the house. Wreathes held 4 candles; the first candle being lit the fourth Sunday before Christmas, and another one each Sunday thereafter. Around the evergreen wreath of candles, our family would gather as each candle was meticulously lit. My mom would recite a simple, German passage each time she would light a candle:

"Advent, Advent
Ein Kerzlein brent.
Erst Eins,
den Zwei,
den Drei,
den Vier -
den steht der Christkind vor der tur."

Which translates into, 'Advent, Advent, a candle burns.

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