From Helig Abend to Silvester

Heilig Abend (literally 'holy evening', Christmas Eve) heralds the end of the long wait for Christmas in Germany. According to Christian belief, Jesus was born during the night of the 24th to 25th of December, and children (grown-ups, too) can at last begin the celebrations. The Christmas tree is traditionally put up and decorated on Heilig Abend. Nowadays the whole family often joins in the fun, but not so long ago it would have been one of the parents who decorated the tree. The silver and gold stars, lots of (real!) candles, straw stars and whatever beautiful decorations had been made on long winter evenings during Advent would be a magical surprise for the children. And under the tree, the crib, with figures of Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, shepherds, sheep, an ox and a donkey, and three wise men, all carved in wood, fascinate young eyes and fingers. Many families go to church on Heilig Abend, to attend a Christmette (Christmas mass). Traditionally held at midnight, it now often takes place in the early evening or in the morning of the first day of Christmas, Christmas Day itself. German children have their Bescherung (distribution of Christmas presents) on Christmas Eve. Depending on the age of the children – and the patience of their parents–this will happen either before the Christmette or immediately afterwards.

The two festive days of Christmas are celebrated on the 25th and 26th of December and are mostly spent consuming good food, quite a few drinks, a great variety of sweets, and hopefully also with the singing of some Christmas carols. Then a rather different period begins: the time called "die Zeit zwischen den Jahren" (the time between the years). For most people in Germany this is a time of relaxation. With no work to go to, they visit friends or even go on a winter holiday! In fact this time can easily be described as "die Ruhe vor dem Sturm", the quiet before the storm), because what comes next is the serious partying of Silvester (New Year's Eve) and the New Year's Day celebrations. And these are anything but quiet! While Christmas in Germany follows truly Christian traditions, Silvester celebrations have their roots in rather more heathen customs. After everybody has for days already been wishing everybody else "einen guten Rutsch" (a good slide) into the New Year, Silvester parties become more boisterous and exuberant the closer the hands of the clock move towards midnight. And at 12 sharp, knallen die Korken (the champagne corks burst) and all over Germany huge firework displays illuminate the skies above city and countryside alike. The overall noise is vastly enhanced by lots of youngsters messing around with firecrackers-creating a noise probably even more likely to chase away the bad spirits (and everyone else as well) than the explosions our ancestors produced in the olden days! At this stage some of the typical New Year's resolutions, like "living more healthily," might not yet have been put into practice.

Another reminder of our pagan roots is the exchange of vast numbers of superstitious items supposed to bring us luck. In Germany most of these are fixed to some kind of flower arrangement or cake; and they come as tiny piglets, horse shoes in various shapes and sizes, ladybirds, four-leaf clovers, and even little chimneysweeps-to shake hands with a chimneysweep is a sure sign of luck coming your way.

And finally there is another very peculiarly German tradition, albeit one dating only from 1963. Every year, just before midnight, one of the main German TV stations broadcasts the film of a short British cabaret sketch from the 1920s: 'Dinner for One' or 'The 90th Birthday'. Watched by millions who enjoy the dialogue no end no matter how many times they have heard it before, this is the simple but endearing story of a grand old lady and her butler getting thoroughly drunk in a very nice way! You can find a transcript of it at http://www.skrause.org/miscellany/dinnerforone/script.shtml
Enjoy and "Guten Rutsch"!