So what is your favorite Christmas movie?? Thanks so much for watching, guys! This will be our last video for the year, but thank you so much for your amazing support through 2022 😊 I can’t do what I do without you guys, so I really mean it when I say thanks for watching! 😃 Have a great holiday season and start to your new year!! 🤩
Same. We always had scrub them the day before. In some places you would also use a plate instead like in the song "Last uns froh und munter sein": "Dann stell ich den Teller auf / Niklaus legt gewiss was drauf / Lustig, lustig, tralalala / Bald ist Niklaus Abend da / Bald ist Niklaus Abend da"
On „Elf“ not being popular: Elves are not part of our Cristmas tradition, period. St. Nick does not bring the Presents, so just doesn‘t need an army of helpers.
I´m born, raised, and still live in North Germany and the first time I heard about "Krampus" was in the animated sitcom "American Dad". So it´s a tradition only present in South Germany, I believe.
even in southern Germany i have not heard about it untill like 5 years ago... it is, as far as i know from the alpine regiones... so parts of bavaria, Austria and switzerland originaly
Same here in West Germany: I have heard of the "Krampus" guy for the First time in this very video. 😱 Must be a southern tradition. And in our region the "Christkind" is only used metaphorically. As far as I know no one would think of impersonating it on a Christmas Market. But I may be wrong as I very rarely visit any. 🤔
You should definitely make a video about "Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel". The story of the movie is not the important part, but how it came together (its a German-Czech Co production) and how it became one of the most viewed "christmas" movies
Hi Donnie. In Slovakia, we have the same Saint Nicolaus tradition as Germany on December 6th. In our case, we put out normal, winter shoes (boots) on the window or close to the door, we don't have any special shoes for this. Usually we put them on and go to work/school in them on the same morning. People have been doing it for decades or centuries and they didn't have extra shoes just for this. We put all the sweets and fruits in a little bag or bags and we put the bag either next to the boots (especially if it's big and doesn't fit inside) or inside the boots, but in the upper part of the boot, in the opening, we don't stuck it inside. It doesn't stink there. Some people may put the fruits directly inside the boot, but the fruits we use usually have a skin that we don't eat - banana, orange, mandarin, walnuts etc. Also, I find it interesting that some Americans don't consider it disgusting to wear their dirty shoes inside and don't mind having their feet inside those "stinky shoes" all day more than necesarry, but having a fruit near them is too much. Just an interesting observation. 😄 Hope you are having a nice day!
Traditional Nikolaus gifts like mandarines/clementines, nuts and candy usually come in a wrapping either naturally or from the factory. But also as child you will put out biggest boot which will be aired out since you don not use it daily.
As for Nikolaus: The kids are supposed to clean their boots on the fifth and set them in front of their door (in some regions also on the windowsill) and then they’ll get filled if they‘re clean, so typically the kids pick their snowboats/ the largest pair they have, hoping they get filled to the brim. I usually got oranges, apples, nuts, a chocolate Santa and a small gift like a toy or later maybe a cheap perfume or something. Re: Santa/Weihnachtsmann/Christkind: The way I learned it ( early 90‘s, northern Germany) Santa: American Divison, wears red, sponsored by Coca Cola. Weihnachtsmann: wears blue, german, makes the presents and decides what you get. Christkind: kind of an angel, brings the presents - although that already had changed by the time my little brother was around, then suddenly the Weihnachtsmannn wore red and suddenly delivered the presents with his sleigh. Home alone is THE christmas comedy, although a lot also watch Sissi, Drei Nüsse für Aschenbrödel, Lord of the Rings( although that usually in the week of/after christmas) and of course, Die Hard
I totally agree with what you wrote. As for the fruit for St. Nicholas, as far as I remember, we put oranges, tangerines or various nuts in the boots, but not apples. Since you had to peel or crack them, you didn't run the risk of them smelling like foot sweat. While the Weihnachtsmann tends to come in the northern half of Germany, in the south it's the angelic looking Christ Child. The Weihnachtsmann (usually a relative or family friend) personally delivers the gifts in a sack to the family with small children on Christmas Eve - but you won't get to see the Christkind. And the color of Weihnachtsmann costume also depends on how far you go back in the tradition - nowadays it is usually red, in the past it was often royal blue - which was the former very expensive color reserved for a king, while red was for a queen.
You forgot the 2 best German Christmas traditions, both more southern (swabian) regional things. The first is "Christbaum Loben" (Christmas tree praising) during the Christmas days you praise the trees of your neighbors and friends, and then they have to give you one shot of schnapps. The second one is "heiliger morgen" (holy morning) where men go shopping with his friends on 24th morning to find the final present for the wife and meanwhile do bar hopping.
As someone from Southern Germany, I have heard of Krampus before. But geographically, it's a really small region that have the tradition. Knecht Ruprecht is far more common, but he's actually not directly related to Christmas itself, but to Sankt Nikolaus. The holiday for Sankt Nikolaus is (as you know) the 6th of December and he was a real historical person who lived in the region of modern Turkey. Regarding the shoes: we always just used our house slippers or the food was put in a bag that was in turn put in the shoe (most common were boots). Regarding to the Christkind: I know no one who associates the Christkind directly to Jesus. It's more like a...kind spirit/angel of Christmas time who blesses children/families? And for most people here, the human form they most associate with an innocent and kind spirit/angel seems to be a blonde young woman? Idk, it's a nice imagery Regarding the circus: I think circuses do the Christmas circus thing to better get over the winter (financially speaking). Most people I know boycott circuses with animals though. They are not that popular (anymore) afaik. That being said, circus Flic Flac is pretty cool and they don't have animals. But they also have Christmas events. So if you want to see a Christmas circus one day, go check them out :)
Additionally Krampus is more likely located at more south eastern countries/regions like Slowenia, Hungaria, Tyrol, Czechia, Slovakia, east Bavaria.. So South Germany is just at the outskirts of this rite.
Wir haben als Kinder einfach die größten Schuhe genommen die wir im Haus finden konnten (also die von unseren Eltern), als Kind hatten wir immer die Hoffnung mehr zu bekommen, wenn der Schuh größer ist. Da die Süßigkeiten eingepackt sind ist es ja auch kein Problem wenn die Schuhe genutzt sind.
Although I like to watch Christmas Vacation on Christmas Eve, our family's favourite by far is Little Lord Fauntleroy, or "Der kleine Lord" in German. Such a sweet and heartwarming movie, such a classic, and with Sir Alec Guinness in one of his best all-time performances!
"Der kleine Lord" and "Drei Nüsse für Aschenbrödel" were actually the only films I thought of as Christmas movies popular in Germany, though I must admit that this probably also is due to my age, because they were around when I was a child. Movies like "Christmas Vacation" or "Home Alone" only came out when I was in my late-ish teens and I had a Christmas-critical phase at the time, and while I'm aware that they are usually on TV around this time, I never had the impression that they had become widespread beloved Christmas traditions here. Actually, the third movie I thought of as a "Christmas tradition" was "Die Hard". And recently, at least among my friends and acquaintances, "Love Actually" seems to have become popular. I never heard of "Elf", though.
I missed that one, too in the list of the favourite Christmas movies in Germany. Definitely a favourite in our family also! But it has to be the one with Sir Alec Guinness. (I just realized now that Obi-Wan Kenobi is the Earl of Dorincourt. 🤣 Oh my...)
@@jehib8533 Yep, those two, every single year. (23.12 is already booked to watch Der kleine Lord live). And "Weihnachten bei Hoppenstedts". Love Actually is something I might watch around Christmas, but it is not necessarily a stable, just one of a couple of movies I might watch around Christmas during my preparations or if I am in the mood.
I am surprised that the littel Lord was not on that list. As for the boots: Usually you would use rainboots a) they are bigger and fit more and b) they are not as often worn as normal shoes. But also kid have to clean their shoes before Nikolaus comes around.
For sure in the video with Deana and Phil "Little Lord" was discussed 😊 That's a great idea for shoes to use! Glad to know shoes are normally cleaned first 😅
The story I was told is that Sankt Nikolaus will only gift children that know how to keep their things tidy. So the process of cleaning the shoes before that night is no simple matter of preparing the proper "dish" for the thing. Also it was good manners to leave something for Santa. Either a selfdrawn picture, or some dry bread for the reindeers, or some hot soup for Santa.
@@PassportTwo The cleaning is an actual prerequisite to get your boots filled! Like there were years where my mom forced my brother and me to clean our shoes at 8pm since we hadn't done it during the day and tried to sneak out dirty shoes :D She was like "St. Nicholas will not put anything into dirty shoes, they need to be clean!"
@@CHarlotte-ro4yi allthough you have to add, that the boots only get cleaned from the outside, not the inside, which is what he refered to. But to that: have you ever seen a kid (not a teen) with stinky feet? I thought so. So, use those big shoes the kid nearly ever uses and stuff them to the rim. Also you could only put a "weihnachtsmann" into the shoes and present them a nikolaus-teller with the fruits,nuts and chocolates etc. you don't want to put into shoes. (also a parental supervision thing, as those allways stayed inside the living room for us, where the parents could see how much of the stuff got eaten how fast. And the rest (nuts, fruits) gets presented on christmas, either as part of the filling&sauce or for guests. *cough*
For us it was the biggest winter boots we had, so more sweets would fit in. Definitely regular shoes, no special Christmas shoes. Great side effect: the amount of candy is regulated by shoe sizes & does not get overwhelming when they're still small.
Having strong connections to the US, one day being in Rothenburg ob der Tauber we went to Käthe Wohlfahrt, the biggest Christmas decoration store one can think of with loads of tourists shopping there, and decided to get a pickle to finally meet the expectation. Standing at the cashiers, all customers, that seemed to be German ( by language, appearance, hair-do or what-ever) were asked for their ZIP-code. We, putting down the pickle onto the conveyer belt, were not asked. Someone buying a pickle can't be German😆
I love Käthe Wohlfahrt. When you go there in summer you are so confused when you get out and it's not cold, because it feels so much like Christmas in the shop. 😅
other "strange" traditions might be related to celebrating for three days (germany/berlin): on 24 the tree will be decorated and shown for the first time when the _Weihnachtsmann_ comes and distributes presents. to allow the entire family (children, parents, and those who came to watch _Bescherung_ for the children) to join and not someone having to stand in the kitchen, and because children are busy with the gifts and everybody eats _Stolle_ and all the sweets and _Lebkuchen,_ the christmas meal in the evening of the 24th often is _Kartoffelsalat mit Würstchen". the next two(!) days (25 AND 26) are official holidays and used for meeting the 'remaining' family, often maternal grandparents/relatives on one day and paternal grandparents/relatives on the other, and thus you have two real special meals on those days.
Yes, our family's tradition was very similar to that. Except that us kids helped decorate the Christmas tree on the morning of Christmas Eve, often with homemade ornaments we crafted out of colored foil during the Adventszeit. We usually ate Sauerbraten with Kartoffelknödel or Rouladen with Rotkraut and mashed potatoes on Christmas Eve. That meal was eaten before Bescherung. While us kids would wash up and get ready for bed by putting our pajamas and nightgowns on, the parents would be busy putting the presents under the tree. We were not allowed to come downstairs until we heard the little bell that signalled that Christkindl was here. Then we ran downstairs to open our presents. We did not rush in like American kids do and tear open the presents. The presents were handed out one at a time and opened by the recipients. When all the presents were opened, we listened to Christmas Carols and sang along to them. Since we lived in the same house as our grandparents, our grandparents were included in the festivities. Sometimes us kids would play quietly on the livingroom floor with whatever new toys we received. Eventually things would wind down and us kids went to bed while the adults had some Eierlikör and talked for a while before going to bed themselves. The next day we would visit our other set of grandparents and on the 2. Weihnachtsfeiertag we'd be at our aunt and uncles and cousins' house. Each time there were more presents and good food.
If I think about classic christmas movies the first thing that pops in my head is "Der Kleine Lord" (Little Lord), "Drei Nüsse für Aschenbrödel" and maybe "Kevin allein zuhaus", but as I am from an older generation, the latter one for me is still more of a "new addition". On the funny side I like "Weihnachten bei Hoppenstedts" (a Loriot classic), "Familie Becker - Alle Jahre wieder (also more of a satire like Loriot). I also like The Secret Garden (from 1993). For children I believe sometimes The Junglebook is played in movie theatres around christmas time. For me as an adult I like watching "Love Actually" and "The Holiday", as well as the Bridget Jones trilogy. As a child we did not watch movies at christmas time. First of all I was already almost 10 when we had our first TV and that was in black & white, our christmas tradition was more reciting poems, playing instruments and singing for christmas, as well as going to the midnight mass. I was surprised when you mentioned "Schöne Bescherung" as a christmas classic in Germany. Duh, I have never heard of that movie ... You see "classics" and traditions seem to vary tremendously depending on which generation you talk to. So are they really "classics" if people of my age for instance don't even know them? Or are they maybe just more of a modern addition ;-) The three US classic christmas movies you mentioned I also know, probably because I have lived in the US for some years, I am not sure if they are that well known in Germany. Christmas and circus? Uhm ... never heard about that. Apple or Android? Both.
In our family the Christmas classic movie was always 'Little Lord Fauntleroy' alongside 'It's a wonderful Life'. Later our go to movies became the Austrian movies 'Single Bells' and it's follow up 'Oh Palmenbaum'.
In Norway the TV classics during Jule Tide (Christmas) is "Dinner for one", where Miss Sophie, on her birtday, is served by James, the butler, who gets incredibly drunk after a while. The other is "Three nuts for Cinderella/Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel /Tři oříšky pro Popelku" from the former East Germany and Czechoslovakia. There is even a Norwegian re-make of it where Astrid S (famous Norwegian singer/ song writer) plays the lead character. (The original is still a must have). And for the children it's hours of Disney stuff during early afternoon on Christmas eve. And "Home Alone" is also a standard. Not "Titanic" as far as I can recall, although there are so many films on TV on so many channels that I don't know.
If you want to understand more about Sint Nicolaas or Sinterklaas, you want to be around the Northsea coast. Specially in the Netherlands but also parts of coastal Belgium and North Germany, this saint has many talents. Not only is he known for rescuing marriages of young woman, supplying gifts to the (poor) children that have been good all year, he is also patron saint of sailors and travelers. Well those sailors took out good saint to many places, but they stuck at those mainland coastal areas. The season here starts not with Haloween which Americanization brought to Europe, it starts with Saint Nicolas arriving to these northern shores in November. In the Netherlands even on national television (just Google it). Form his arrival children are allowed to put their shoe at the chimney or any other replacement therefor (even paper shoe places in supermarkets work, isn't such a saint magic?). The shoe (real or not) is not only a receptacle for things, it is a way of communication and even bribe! You put your shoe there for the saint or his helpers to find, but better put your wish list in to it so the saint knows about your hearts desires (careful now, the saint can do much but not all!). Then you can 'bribe' the saint a bit by adding a carrot for his horse or other items proving your admiration for the saint. If ... and only if the saint or his helper visits your house, this list and gift will be replaced by a small gift to you. Today if this is an edible item, it will be wrapped or packaged appropriate, in de old day people where less fussy about this. You could try this means of communication from the saints arrival all up to Saint Nicolas eve, but don be disappointed if there is not a gift on every evening, as the saint and his helpers have to cover many of their believers. Gueastimated those are well over 20 million people, of course many will deny this. Then the evening before Saint Nicolas day or on the day itself, you should not be surprised by hammering of hands and fist on windows and doors. Often heaps of small sweets will fly through the air, and after recovering this racket, there will be presents for you delivered near the chimney, but front and back doors are also good drop-off places. Again there are many believers to service in only one night! Impossible for an elderly man with white beard on a horse that rides the roof tops unless there is a bit of magic and many helpers... At least in my family tradition it happened this way, after this Christmas was more an serious and adult thing. Lots of food and being with loved ones, but no gifts. In our family Christmas gifts first occurred when we where on winter holiday in Austria and the Hotel owners felt sorry for us Dutch kids getting no presents while the German and Austrian kid did. And of course there is Father Christmas (de Kerstman in Dutch) to take care of operations spanning from Dec. 24 to 26. Those are much more similar with what others in the world would do. Traditional there where no Christmas movies like the kind watched in the USA, some families watch movies,particular movies even with Christmas, but not those dedicated You are talking about. In the modern world with streaming channels also American culture seeps in to Dutch families, so who knows what Christmas will be in 2122?
You are meant to clean your winter boots the night before St. Nicolaus Day. And those present are mostly nuts and citrus fruit. So it doesn't matter too much if they get a bit smelly. You peel them anyway. And sweets are packaged as well.
Was für mich zu jedem Weihnachten dazu gehört, auch wenn es kein Film ist eher eine Sketchreihe, ist "Weihnachten bei Familie Hoppenstedt" von Loriot. Das Ding mit dem Zirkus ist wohl eher was damit die auch in der Winterpause Geld verdienen. Meine Mutter hatte auch in einem gearbeitet und die haben in Berlin immer ihren Winterzirkus gehabt. Zumindest glaub ich das es da war.
Ja, ich denke auch das ist damit die finanziell durch den Winter kommen, weil Zirkus sonst hauptsächlich im Sommer stattfindet. Die sind auch nicht jedes Jahr in jeder Stadt, sondern wechseln durch. Wir haben den nur alle drei oder vier Jahre, obwohl wir in einer Großstadt wohnen.
Christmas at the Hoppenstedt family is pretty black humor, especially when the grandfather buys a Nuclear Power Plant kit for the boy and he causes an explosion that makes a hole in the floor.
For me preperation on 5. Dez was cleaning my Winter-Boots (only on the exterior) thoroughly until they look nice, then place them outside the front door and go to sleep, upon waking up my parents would tell me before anything else "Guten Morgen. Der Nikolaus war für dich da, geh mal nachschauen" I was happy to see both my boots stuffed to the top with sweets, brought them in and looked through them, afterwards getting ready for school and taking some of them with me for later.
No, it's rather a family event, more comparable to Thanksgiving in US. Completly unreligious. I visit family, not Jesus.There also have been gifts 200 years ago. They just got bigger and bigger.
One reason for the circus tradition might be, that in Europe circuses usually tour during the year and spend the winter time in their "Winterquartier" at home. In Munich (where i live) there is Circus Krone and they come home every year and have their "Winterprogramm" which coincidently starts on dec. 25th and goes till april (actually its 3 differnt programs that have a differnt composition of acts).
During the holidays parents have to do some sort of entertainment for the children and a circus might be one way. And it is easier if people don't have a work schedule. Android for sure.
About the Nikolaus boot/stocking: we usually don't have a special stocking, BUT: it rarely is the everyday shoe, it is part of the tradition, that a winter boot is left in front of the door AND yes, children have to clean their boot the day before. The cleaning is part of the tradition and stinky, dirty boots are a risk to get a piece of coal instead of something nice. If you want to combine american and german tradition (and avoid food getting a cheesy smell ^^) you can put the Nikolaus gifts into a stocking and put the filled stocking into the boot. That would work fine. About my smartphone: as most europeans I use Android
"Home allone" is definitely NOT the most watched film (maybe "from Hollywood") at Christmas - I would bet it is "Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel" EVERY 3rd program is showing it - some several times from 6 am to midnight. (Even "Michel aus Lönneberga"
They were talking about "American" movies....an in this listing, I guess Home alone and Die hard are the most popular ones, since Love Actually and Der kleine Lord are British movie, the Astrid lindgreen movies/series are from sweden, Drei Nüsse für Aschenbrödel is a Czech/German production, and I don't even think that Christmas Vacation is THAT popular in Germany, it is certainly not one of those movies you will are likely to just stumble over. Even with Christmas Carol adaptations it is a toss up between which one is the most popular.
Never heard of going to the circus at Christmastime🤔 BUT „Stars in der Manege“ is an important staple in TV (sat1), were German Stars are participating in Circus Krone in Munich.
Hi Donnie, My boyfriend's father played St. Nikolaus since he was 16 years old, that's why he is really into the history of Nikolaus and Santa Claus. My boyfriend told me the whole story, so here's the short version: St. Nikolaus, also called "Bishop from Myra", is the one who brings presents on the 5./6. of December. During the church reform Martin Luther found it as a problem, that the person who brings the presents is religious. That's why he came up with the "Christkind" and the "Weihnachtsmann" ("Draußen vom Walde komm ich her...). Coca Cola sometime hired an illustrator who took die story of the "Weihnachtsmann" and designed the costume for the "Santa Claus" which we all know today. In German regions there are different adaptations from the "Weihnachtsmann". "Knecht Ruprecht" and "Krampus" are figures, who are used from parents as an educational method for their bad children. The female "Christkind" is shown as a "Rauschgoldengel" because a supernatural appearance works better than a baby bringing the gifts. Funfact: In delivered budget books from Martin Luther is written, that even after the church reform Martin Luther still had the "Bishop of Myra" coming for his own kids. I hope this helps you a bit. Greetings and nice holidays! Jacky
Thats not correct. Martin Luther invented the "Christkind" because he rejected the veneration of saints. The "Weihnachtsmann" who is called Santa Claus, Sinterklaas, Saint Nicholas and by many more names around the world, was invented by the church as a counterpart to the Christkind.
Quick note on the movies. Ime another rather common one would be 'A Christmas Carol' which in Germany is usualy called 'Eine Weihnachtsgeschichte'. Which translated litteraly would be 'A Christmas Story', which might be part of the reason the movie of the same name isn't as well known in Germany.
Im shocked how many see a problem on the food in shoe thing. No kid will care about when being hyped as hell for the presents in it. Also the chocolate stuff is always wrapped in the plastic or tinfoil packaging. Nuts and oranges have a shell and apples should always be washed before consumption. Even the organic ones. We also had some Christmas-style decorated huge socks hanging somewhere to also get filled with stuff. They existed only for that purpose. But as a child I really couldn’t care less about the shoe thing being not very hygienic or something…
A movie I always associate with Christmas (besides drei Nüsse für Aschenbrödel) is Michel aus Lönneberga (the first one), because of the christmas scenes at the end. Also for some reason we always watch one of the Harry Potter movies. Especially the 1st and the 4th one are great for that
Never heard of Michel aus Lönneberga! I'll have to look it up now 😃 Ya, Harry Potter is also popular to watch around Christmas time in the US...I think because of the snow in it? 😂
@@PassportTwo Have you heard about Astrid Lindgren? Her children's books (and their film adaptations) belong to the most popular ones in Germany (Michel aus Lönneberga, Pippi Langstrumpf, Ronja Räubertochter, Karlsson vom Dach, and many more!).
In Switzerland on December 6 Jutebags (gunny bag?) are getting filled instead of shoes. Most of them have something on it like a Samichlaus (Sankt Nikolaus, or a snow man...)
I adore Miracle on 34th street! (in German it's "Das Wunder von Manhattan") It's as much of a must see for me as much as "drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel, Sissi, Love Actually, or "the Holiday".
Dec 5th most children need to clean their shoes. And we put most of the treats next to the shoes (on a Christmas plate). Only treats with some sort of wrapping will be put directly into the shoes.
Рік тому
Miracle on 34th Street aka "Das Wunder von Manhattan" (The Miracle of Manhattan) is a thing in Germany! The original movie from 1947 and the Remake from 1994 are regularly broadcasted on different stations during the festive season. Also the "The Santa Clause" movies with Tim Allen are a thing in Germany.
8:45 yes, I had to clean my shoes for St Nikolaus. But they were just my regular shoes although I always put out my biggest boot in an effort to make sure he didn’t have any issues to fit everything he wanted to give me into my shoes😅 Hope that helps🤗
When I was a kid in kindergarten, getting beat (symbolically, I hasten to say!) by Knecht Ruprecht was like a knighting for a boy like me who had a reputation to lose. However, my dear mother, bless her heart, was always so embarrassed!
There's also a love for live-action fairy tales in Germany, especially Sundays on KiKa (Kinderkanal - children's channel) and over the holidays. One of the all-time favourites is "Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel", an old-fashioned version of "Cinderella".
I am German, born in Berlin, raised in Brandenburg and now live in NRW. The first time I have heard of Krampus was when I played the binding of Isaac. xD
We use to put out our daily shoes on the eve of December the 5. Our kids have to clean BOTH of the shoes. And the Nikolaus only brings packed sweets. So no direct contact with the interior of the shoe.
Ok, as a german: I think the Christkind is mostly an anthropomorphic personification of the will to bring joy through gifting at christmas. For me the typical christmas movie always was "Last Unicorn", mainly it was on TV every christmas and to this day I don know why. And the whole Circus-thing surpirised me; I never heard of it... Oh, and Android.
Dear Donnie, when I was a kid we got little candies from Nikolaus in a little "Jute-Beutel (jute bag)" - it is called "Nikolausbeutel - St. Nikolaus bag". So if you do not want to use shoes, just try to get such little sacks. They looked like the smaller version of the bigger bag from St. Nikolaus. My brother and I had a blue bow on our little sacks and my siste a red one - so we cuold not mix them up ... I live in Bavaria (Lower Bavaria) and we also do not have "Krampus" we have Knecht Ruprecht instead but in Lower Bavaria some traditions from Upper Bavria and Lower Bavaria mix - so when I went to school St. Nikolaus and Krampus visited us whereas I only knew Knecht Ruprecht bevore ... But maybe because Knecht Ruprecht was not so scary and my parents did not want to frighten us in my family we preferred Knecht Ruprecht to Krampus ... Maybe you have "Pelzmärtel" or "Pelznickel" instead of St. Nikolaus because in some protestant regions in Germany such an "alternation" to St. Nikolaus developed. I have a colleague who comes from the Nuremerg area and they have "Pelzmärtel" instead. Pelzmärtel comes on November 11th (instead of St. Martin) and you get boots with candy when you were nice but a rod whe you were naughty. So Pelzmärtel or Pelznickel were a mixture of St. Nikolaus, St. Martin, Knecht Ruprecht and Krampus ;-) Many greetings from Philipp
When I was a kid, we just put our regular boots out. And you had them to clean in the evening of course. This was the only time when I did this, my grandgrandmother was cleaning my shoes the rest of the year,.
1. Android 2. Fav Christmas movies: Die Hard, Love Actually, Bridget Jones' Diary, Little Lord Fountleroy, Scrooge with Bill Murray for the Christmassy feeling and Winnetou during Chrismas tree decorating.
You made my Day! I didn't thought about the "Nikolaus Schuhe" problem ;) if i'm onest. Grown up in Germany, as kid i choose the biggest shoes that i had. Mostly my "Gummi Stiefel" so "Der Nikolaud" can fill it up ;)
Hello from Friesland (and before Ruhrgebiet). Nikolaus and Knecht Ruprecht put some small presents into my shoes. The Christkind offered the presents in the locked livingroom and ringed a bell to get the Holy Christmasevening started. And MY best film for Christmas ist Die Hard😉
We used to put our slippers out (when I was in elementary school, I once put a winter boot out for more candy 😅) and the food that is put in the shoes is wrapped anyhow: tangerines and oranges in their peel, you would wash or peel an apple before you'd eat it anyhow, nuts in their shells, chocolate in aluminium or plastic wrappers. You are actually the first person I heard complain about food in a shoe. But I guess if you grow up with it, you do not question it... perhaps you could buy those little Nikolaus plastic bags they sell everywhere and put the candy and fruit in there before putting it in a shoe, so it does not touch the shoe?
We have never been to the circus at Christmas, I don't know this tradition at all. At St. Nicholas a boot or shoe is cleaned and placed in front of the door. If you find it disgusting, then you can also put your little one a Christmas plate, for nuts, apples and so and only put something wrapped in the boot. Merry Christmas!
Agree, never heard of Christmas circus before. But it is quite common during winter time that the Circus people collect donations to feed their animals.
Wait, Nikolaus and Santa (der Weihnachtsmann) are 2 different people. Nikolaus comes on the 6th, brings some candy and thats it. Santa is bringing presents on the 24th
in my childhood we took our streetshoes 2 or 3 pairs depending on the size of the shoes like 3 smaller pairs of shoes or winterboots and one small pair ... what a joy when it was time to sit down before going to bed and clean up ur shoes with "schuhcreme" and a brush ... "die schuhe auf hochglanz trimmen-" and they were always filled with chocolate/candys nuts and one small toy like matchbox cars or action figure for a boy .... and i remember that this was the only day in the year where u wake up at 3 am just to take a look in the dark ( that noone see what u doin) what the nikolaus may have brought... 🥰🥰 sweet sweet childhood .. greets from berlin/ brandenburg ...
we've chosen our snow shoes as children. They weren't worn that much and were "big" which left much room for sweets ^^ Our parents made sure that we cleaned them before placing them in fornt of the door. But just from the outside. But as they weren't worn that much and were aired regularly, they weren't stinky. Traditional Christmas movies in my family are the little lord, Aschenbrödel and many more fairytales, like Frau Holle, Hänsel und Gretel, Schneewitchen, König Drosselbart, Allerleihrauh and so on. And Michel and Pippi are really high on the list ^^ To the question, Android of course. Just as good as apple but only costs half (or even less) of it
What about Adventskalender?:) I found out about it once my child started going to the Kindergarten. After so many years out children still expect us to follow this tradition.
I know a family who actually hide a cucumber in there Christmastree. Who ever finds it first is allowed to open the first present. But it's not common in the region I'm from.
In Germany, on December 5th, the children clean their normal winter boots, or their normal street shoes from the outside so that Saint Nicholas can see that you are a good child or something similar, some people argue about what exactly the purpose of cleaning is, here in germany they also sell prepackaged bags of chocolate in the shape of Santa Claus or Saint Nicholas. My mother always packed a few hazelnuts, walnuts and a small apple and maybe a small tangerine in it. From my 8th birthday there was always a small present, but I don’t know if that’s so common Or not.
There is not one method of doing the Nikolaus thing. You can put wrapped little presents or sweets into the shoes. There is also the Nikolaustüte as in a decorated paper bag where you can put nuts, sweets or tangerines in. Also you can get paper or metal Nikolausschalen ( bowls or plates) to put sweets or nuts in. It doesn't really matter as long as the Nikolaus has been to your house.
My favourite American Christmas movie is a very old one with James Stewart named "It's a wonderful life". Gosh, I love this one so much, it makes me cry every time. And I am deeply happy afterwords. It is kind of fulfilling. Hach ja, ich liebe diesen Film.❤
Our Christmas movies are probably the "3 Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel", "The last Unicorn", and I think the Bully Filme. The last ones are also watched at New year's Eve
Another tip: On January 6th, 2023, the season of the "Swabian Almanian Fasnacht" begins in Southwest Germany and ends on February 22nd, 2023. In the Black Forest, Upper Swabia, Swabian Alb, Upper Rhine, Lake Constance and also in Switzerland and parts of Austria there are many "Carnival parades" on the often very beautiful medieval towns. For example in the city of Rottweil (yes the dog breed comes from there). Just look on the internet at " Schwäbisch Allemanische Fasnacht" there you will find out the dates and the background of this tradition.
For the Nikolaus shoe question: As my siblings and I were still kids, our parents had us clean the outside of our winter boots so they look nice and put them out for the Nikolaus. The little treats are never open stuff. It's some chocolates, maybe a small toy, but never fruits or berries or so that could get dirty from the inside of the boot.
Shoes are supposed to be cleaned by the kids the night before. You can use any shoes, but there are also socks like the ones you showed. This is not, however, a new adaption of American customs. When I was a small kid, about 45 years ago, we already had and used those kinds of socks that were placed at the doorknob of my room. And she had got them as a present from my grandmother, which means that they had been used for this purpose already by my father and his siblings.
could still be american. After the war there were many americans all over germany, and they may have had things to use for gifts, when germany was digging out their bombed cities.
I don't know what parents do this days but in my childhood we used our normal shoes. But they had to be clean! My mother did put a napkin in it so that the "food" meaning tangerines, nuts etc. wouldn't get in touch with the shoes inside.
Unpopular opinion: I almost always cry when Titanic is shown on TV. All that wasted airtime that could have been filled with good films!!!!11!!!eleven!
I have NEVER heard of any German considering Titanic a Christmas movie. And the reason we don’t know Elf very well is that German folklore does NOT have elves making Christmas gifts. In fact no elves at all.
My aunt used to gift me a ticket for the christmas circus for christmas every year since I was about 8. So in my family it was a set tradition to go to the circus on the 26th. Sadly she passed away a few years ago and with that and the pandemic the tradition stopped, but it definitly was a big part of christmas for me growing up and I have never been to a circus at any other time of the year. The performances never really centered around christmas though except for a bit of christmassy decoration in the tent. I guess it was just associated with christmas because of the "magic" feeling about it.
I'm a 43 year old German and this is the First time i Heard about Christmas Circus. Prefer Android. Favorite movie for Christmas: Love Actually, 3 nüsse für Aschenbrôdel, Christmas Vacation, Die Hard
German here: My all time favourite Christmas movie is The Polar Express. It's so charming, has a "believeable" aesthetic, not like other movies where Christmas is visually very bright and neon. The story feels simple but has so much depth and the message behind it is very wholesome. And the soundtrack!
Favorite Christmas movie: definitely "Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel" - it's a must. Cinderella standing up for herself, what can be better? In my native region of Northern Germany the Weihnachtsmann brings the presents. Christmas + circus - no. But Holiday on Ice was big in my childhood. Android (well, a cheap Chinese version on my cheap Chinese mobile)
oder zumindest eine Serviette (mit Weihnachtsmotiv) oder noch ein zusätzlicher Teller daneben (meistens hat eine Mandarine den Schuh schon genug gefüllt, und die hat ja ihre eigene "Verpackung" :-)
8:20 We, as in me and my siblings, always used our normal shoes... Well, as a smart kid, of course you use the biggest boots you have. God bless Gummistiefel ( rubber boots) xD
Honestly I have never heard of Krampus before until i saw an American video about that tradition a few years ago. I actually have a pickle in my tree now, because I found one a few years ago in a TKMaxx and had to laugh so hard about the twisted story behind that. Favourite movies? Aschenbrödel (duh!) and A Christmas Story! It's such a shame, that that movie is not more popular in Germany.
We always used our standard shoes on Dec. 6th. As kids we were told to polish etc. but never used "special shoes" just for this tradition. Most things are wrapped anyways and you can wash the apple anyways. I neither think it's dirty inside. I bet you wash your feet when showering and change socks daily? It's considered to be good to not wear shoes dialy so moisture can evaporate and they won't smell bad etc.
As a child in germany in Rhine region I place a special Christmas plate out side. Not shoes. If you were bad you got a lump of coal and a switch. That's what I got one year and I was convinced that he made a mistake and of course not trying to be greedy put out a smaller plate which he filled to the brim.
The funniest thing about this pickle thing is that germans started importing this tradition from the US because they saw it on the internet (not necessarily as a german tradition just as a fun thing to do on Christmas) And you can now actually buy these pickles in stores for your Christmas tree So it's kinda self-fulfilling
@Andreas G. K. so where am I wrong tho? Almost anyone in Germany wouldn't know about it if it hasn't been starting to be a trend in america which influenced us, that's what I said and it's true I found an focus online article about the start of this tradition claiming two possible heritages: some believe it's because of a soldier in the american civil war, some believe it was of poor bavarian Guess we'll never know until further evidence is provided
@Tiorthan Quickstep I've found a very interesting article regarding this topic matching what you just said The christmas pickles were indeed made around that time in Thuringia But how it actually became a trend in america is kinda unclear Might be because frank winfield woolworth imported christmas tree ornaments in the 1880s from Thuringia and in order to better sell them he made up the story that's a trend in germany to hang up this pickle and the one who finds it gets an extra present Another possible explanation is a story regarding a german ex-pat in the US who fought in the civil war, was nearly dying and wanted a german pickle as his last meal, the story goes that after eating a whole glass of pickles he magically recovered and because of that americans started hanging up pickles as kind of a lucky charm But if you want to read it yourself it's called: " Die Weihnachtsgurke - deutsche Tradition oder amerikanischer Mythos" in the "Welt"
We used the winter boots. St. Nikolaus is normally when it stars to get really cold and the children have to wear boots outside. So normally we take the boots cleaned up from last year. And the treats are also in a plastik bag so fruit etc is not touching the inside of the shoes.
I think that Hogfather (Schweinwachtsmann) is the most German English story/movie one can imagine. If one is sufficiently proficient in both languages all the German/English puns are just hilarious. So Hogfather and the other Discworld movies are a must watch for the holidays. Foodwise, German Christmas absolutely requires rotkohl on the savory side and marzipan on the sweet side. As fall was usually a time for storytelling and knitting after dark, getting new socks at that time was a thing. So traditionally, getting treats stuffed into new handmade socks used to be common as was putting out plates with grass for Nikolaus's donkey which was then replaced with treats.
Yup. Every year, my Dad (74) and I (47) still get together on Christmas Eve, eat our Würstchen and potato salad, exchange gifts, and watch Home Alone 1&2 on blu ray. We've been doing it for at least 15 years, but still laugh ourselves silly at the bumbling robbers. 🤣 We once tried to keep count of the numbers of times those guys SHOULD HAVE died from the injuries they received. I don't remember the exact numbers... The first one came in at under 10, but the second movie we were at around 20. That was so fun. 🤣🤣🤣
We always used our normal shoes. But it's part of the tradition that you clean the shoes otherwise you don't get treats just coal. Because clean shoes show that the child is well behaved/ does their chores.
My parents used to place a Christmas plate outside with all the goodies and inside the shoes theyd only put a chocolate Nicholas, one of those milka ones wrapped in aluminium
Growing up; we had a special festive red sock (that was similar to St Nikolaus Boots) that hung on the outside of our bedroom door. Filled with candy; fruit and other little snacks. It was hidden by our mom for the rest of the year 😉
So what is your favorite Christmas movie??
Thanks so much for watching, guys! This will be our last video for the year, but thank you so much for your amazing support through 2022 😊 I can’t do what I do without you guys, so I really mean it when I say thanks for watching! 😃 Have a great holiday season and start to your new year!! 🤩
Bad Santa and a Nightmare before Christmas
Stirb langsam (die hard), there are no other christmas movies
3 Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel ❤❤❤
Oh and I forgot:
Sissi (all 3 movies)
Home alone 1+2, love them (Kevin allein Zuhaus + Kevin allein in New York) 😅
When i was a kid we used the outside boots, and i have to Clean them the evenning before.
Gotcha! Glad to know they are at least cleaned before 😅
Same. We always had scrub them the day before.
In some places you would also use a plate instead like in the song "Last uns froh und munter sein": "Dann stell ich den Teller auf / Niklaus legt gewiss was drauf / Lustig, lustig, tralalala / Bald ist Niklaus Abend da / Bald ist Niklaus Abend da"
@@PassportTwo and i had things like an orange or some nutts and chocolate
Same, but my mum still put the food in a small bag before putting it into the shoe.
That's the way!
It's not Christmas until I see Hans Gruber fall from Nakatomi tower.
Stirb Langsam!! 😂
On „Elf“ not being popular: Elves are not part of our Cristmas tradition, period. St. Nick does not bring the Presents, so just doesn‘t need an army of helpers.
I´m born, raised, and still live in North Germany and the first time I heard about "Krampus" was in the animated sitcom "American Dad".
So it´s a tradition only present in South Germany, I believe.
even in southern Germany i have not heard about it untill like 5 years ago... it is, as far as i know from the alpine regiones... so parts of bavaria, Austria and switzerland originaly
Habt ihr keinen Knecht Ruprecht? Ich stamme aus der harzer Region und bin damit aufgewachsen. Krampus kannte ich nicht.
Krampus kenn ich auch erst seit dem gleichnamigen film
Same here in West Germany: I have heard of the "Krampus" guy for the First time in this very video. 😱
Must be a southern tradition.
And in our region the "Christkind" is only used metaphorically. As far as I know no one would think of impersonating it on a Christmas Market. But I may be wrong as I very rarely visit any. 🤔
Dito. In Northern Germany we have Knecht Ruprecht.
I live in Germany and have never seen a Christmas circus. Not even a commercial.
You should definitely make a video about "Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel". The story of the movie is not the important part, but how it came together (its a German-Czech Co production) and how it became one of the most viewed "christmas" movies
And maybe do a trip to the filming site...
When I was a child I had to clean my boots on the 5th of december very good in order to get sweets in them.
I think this is what we'll start doing with our little ones 😅
Hi Donnie. In Slovakia, we have the same Saint Nicolaus tradition as Germany on December 6th. In our case, we put out normal, winter shoes (boots) on the window or close to the door, we don't have any special shoes for this. Usually we put them on and go to work/school in them on the same morning. People have been doing it for decades or centuries and they didn't have extra shoes just for this.
We put all the sweets and fruits in a little bag or bags and we put the bag either next to the boots (especially if it's big and doesn't fit inside) or inside the boots, but in the upper part of the boot, in the opening, we don't stuck it inside. It doesn't stink there. Some people may put the fruits directly inside the boot, but the fruits we use usually have a skin that we don't eat - banana, orange, mandarin, walnuts etc.
Also, I find it interesting that some Americans don't consider it disgusting to wear their dirty shoes inside and don't mind having their feet inside those "stinky shoes" all day more than necesarry, but having a fruit near them is too much. Just an interesting observation. 😄 Hope you are having a nice day!
Traditional Nikolaus gifts like mandarines/clementines, nuts and candy usually come in a wrapping either naturally or from the factory. But also as child you will put out biggest boot which will be aired out since you don not use it daily.
As for Nikolaus: The kids are supposed to clean their boots on the fifth and set them in front of their door (in some regions also on the windowsill) and then they’ll get filled if they‘re clean, so typically the kids pick their snowboats/ the largest pair they have, hoping they get filled to the brim. I usually got oranges, apples, nuts, a chocolate Santa and a small gift like a toy or later maybe a cheap perfume or something.
Re: Santa/Weihnachtsmann/Christkind: The way I learned it ( early 90‘s, northern Germany) Santa: American Divison, wears red, sponsored by Coca Cola. Weihnachtsmann: wears blue, german, makes the presents and decides what you get. Christkind: kind of an angel, brings the presents - although that already had changed by the time my little brother was around, then suddenly the Weihnachtsmannn wore red and suddenly delivered the presents with his sleigh.
Home alone is THE christmas comedy, although a lot also watch Sissi, Drei Nüsse für Aschenbrödel, Lord of the Rings( although that usually in the week of/after christmas) and of course, Die Hard
I totally agree with what you wrote. As for the fruit for St. Nicholas, as far as I remember, we put oranges, tangerines or various nuts in the boots, but not apples. Since you had to peel or crack them, you didn't run the risk of them smelling like foot sweat. While the Weihnachtsmann tends to come in the northern half of Germany, in the south it's the angelic looking Christ Child. The Weihnachtsmann (usually a relative or family friend) personally delivers the gifts in a sack to the family with small children on Christmas Eve - but you won't get to see the Christkind. And the color of Weihnachtsmann costume also depends on how far you go back in the tradition - nowadays it is usually red, in the past it was often royal blue - which was the former very expensive color reserved for a king, while red was for a queen.
You forgot the 2 best German Christmas traditions, both more southern (swabian) regional things.
The first is "Christbaum Loben" (Christmas tree praising) during the Christmas days you praise the trees of your neighbors and friends, and then they have to give you one shot of schnapps.
The second one is "heiliger morgen" (holy morning) where men go shopping with his friends on 24th morning to find the final present for the wife and meanwhile do bar hopping.
As someone from Southern Germany, I have heard of Krampus before. But geographically, it's a really small region that have the tradition. Knecht Ruprecht is far more common, but he's actually not directly related to Christmas itself, but to Sankt Nikolaus. The holiday for Sankt Nikolaus is (as you know) the 6th of December and he was a real historical person who lived in the region of modern Turkey.
Regarding the shoes: we always just used our house slippers or the food was put in a bag that was in turn put in the shoe (most common were boots).
Regarding to the Christkind: I know no one who associates the Christkind directly to Jesus. It's more like a...kind spirit/angel of Christmas time who blesses children/families? And for most people here, the human form they most associate with an innocent and kind spirit/angel seems to be a blonde young woman? Idk, it's a nice imagery
Regarding the circus: I think circuses do the Christmas circus thing to better get over the winter (financially speaking). Most people I know boycott circuses with animals though. They are not that popular (anymore) afaik. That being said, circus Flic Flac is pretty cool and they don't have animals. But they also have Christmas events. So if you want to see a Christmas circus one day, go check them out :)
Its also Knecht Ruprecht in NRW
Additionally Krampus is more likely located at more south eastern countries/regions like Slowenia, Hungaria, Tyrol, Czechia, Slovakia, east Bavaria.. So South Germany is just at the outskirts of this rite.
Krampus ist hier in Österreich Standard :)
In Switzerland the figure is known as Schmutzli
The Christkind was actually pushed by the Protestants. Back in the Middleages you did Not get presents at the Holy nigth but at Nicolaus Day.
Wir haben als Kinder einfach die größten Schuhe genommen die wir im Haus finden konnten (also die von unseren Eltern), als Kind hatten wir immer die Hoffnung mehr zu bekommen, wenn der Schuh größer ist.
Da die Süßigkeiten eingepackt sind ist es ja auch kein Problem wenn die Schuhe genutzt sind.
Yep, we did that as well.
Although I like to watch Christmas Vacation on Christmas Eve, our family's favourite by far is Little Lord Fauntleroy, or "Der kleine Lord" in German. Such a sweet and heartwarming movie, such a classic, and with Sir Alec Guinness in one of his best all-time performances!
"Der kleine Lord" and "Drei Nüsse für Aschenbrödel" were actually the only films I thought of as Christmas movies popular in Germany, though I must admit that this probably also is due to my age, because they were around when I was a child.
Movies like "Christmas Vacation" or "Home Alone" only came out when I was in my late-ish teens and I had a Christmas-critical phase at the time, and while I'm aware that they are usually on TV around this time, I never had the impression that they had become widespread beloved Christmas traditions here.
Actually, the third movie I thought of as a "Christmas tradition" was "Die Hard". And recently, at least among my friends and acquaintances, "Love Actually" seems to have become popular.
I never heard of "Elf", though.
I missed that one, too in the list of the favourite Christmas movies in Germany. Definitely a favourite in our family also! But it has to be the one with Sir Alec Guinness.
(I just realized now that Obi-Wan Kenobi is the Earl of Dorincourt. 🤣 Oh my...)
@@jehib8533 Yep, those two, every single year. (23.12 is already booked to watch Der kleine Lord live). And "Weihnachten bei Hoppenstedts". Love Actually is something I might watch around Christmas, but it is not necessarily a stable, just one of a couple of movies I might watch around Christmas during my preparations or if I am in the mood.
Oh god yes! I totally forgot about that one! A beautiful movie! Haven`t watched it in quite a while though
@@DieFarbeLila88 23.12, 20:15, ARD. I can't wait, it will be the perfect start into the holidays.
I am surprised that the littel Lord was not on that list.
As for the boots: Usually you would use rainboots a) they are bigger and fit more and b) they are not as often worn as normal shoes. But also kid have to clean their shoes before Nikolaus comes around.
For sure in the video with Deana and Phil "Little Lord" was discussed 😊
That's a great idea for shoes to use! Glad to know shoes are normally cleaned first 😅
The story I was told is that Sankt Nikolaus will only gift children that know how to keep their things tidy. So the process of cleaning the shoes before that night is no simple matter of preparing the proper "dish" for the thing.
Also it was good manners to leave something for Santa. Either a selfdrawn picture, or some dry bread for the reindeers, or some hot soup for Santa.
@@PassportTwo The cleaning is an actual prerequisite to get your boots filled! Like there were years where my mom forced my brother and me to clean our shoes at 8pm since we hadn't done it during the day and tried to sneak out dirty shoes :D She was like "St. Nicholas will not put anything into dirty shoes, they need to be clean!"
@@CHarlotte-ro4yi allthough you have to add, that the boots only get cleaned from the outside, not the inside, which is what he refered to. But to that: have you ever seen a kid (not a teen) with stinky feet? I thought so. So, use those big shoes the kid nearly ever uses and stuff them to the rim. Also you could only put a "weihnachtsmann" into the shoes and present them a nikolaus-teller with the fruits,nuts and chocolates etc. you don't want to put into shoes. (also a parental supervision thing, as those allways stayed inside the living room for us, where the parents could see how much of the stuff got eaten how fast. And the rest (nuts, fruits) gets presented on christmas, either as part of the filling&sauce or for guests. *cough*
but how can obi wan kenobi be the grandfather of the little lord and is the little lord evil cause the sith using the title "lord" for there own?????
Am I the only German to have never seen a Christmas Circus Advert?
For us it was the biggest winter boots we had, so more sweets would fit in. Definitely regular shoes, no special Christmas shoes. Great side effect: the amount of candy is regulated by shoe sizes & does not get overwhelming when they're still small.
Having strong connections to the US, one day being in Rothenburg ob der Tauber we went to Käthe Wohlfahrt, the biggest Christmas decoration store one can think of with loads of tourists shopping there, and decided to get a pickle to finally meet the expectation. Standing at the cashiers, all customers, that seemed to be German ( by language, appearance, hair-do or what-ever) were asked for their ZIP-code. We, putting down the pickle onto the conveyer belt, were not asked. Someone buying a pickle can't be German😆
I love Käthe Wohlfahrt. When you go there in summer you are so confused when you get out and it's not cold, because it feels so much like Christmas in the shop. 😅
I inherited my pickle from my Oma. They were really popular about a 100 years ago.
other "strange" traditions might be related to celebrating for three days (germany/berlin):
on 24 the tree will be decorated and shown for the first time when the _Weihnachtsmann_ comes and distributes presents. to allow the entire family (children, parents, and those who came to watch _Bescherung_ for the children) to join and not someone having to stand in the kitchen, and because children are busy with the gifts and everybody eats _Stolle_ and all the sweets and _Lebkuchen,_ the christmas meal in the evening of the 24th often is _Kartoffelsalat mit Würstchen". the next two(!) days (25 AND 26) are official holidays and used for meeting the 'remaining' family, often maternal grandparents/relatives on one day and paternal grandparents/relatives on the other, and thus you have two real special meals on those days.
Yes, our family's tradition was very similar to that. Except that us kids helped decorate the Christmas tree on the morning of Christmas Eve, often with homemade ornaments we crafted out of colored foil during the Adventszeit. We usually ate Sauerbraten with Kartoffelknödel or Rouladen with Rotkraut and mashed potatoes on Christmas Eve. That meal was eaten before Bescherung. While us kids would wash up and get ready for bed by putting our pajamas and nightgowns on, the parents would be busy putting the presents under the tree. We were not allowed to come downstairs until we heard the little bell that signalled that Christkindl was here. Then we ran downstairs to open our presents. We did not rush in like American kids do and tear open the presents. The presents were handed out one at a time and opened by the recipients. When all the presents were opened, we listened to Christmas Carols and sang along to them. Since we lived in the same house as our grandparents, our grandparents were included in the festivities. Sometimes us kids would play quietly on the livingroom floor with whatever new toys we received. Eventually things would wind down and us kids went to bed while the adults had some Eierlikör and talked for a while before going to bed themselves. The next day we would visit our other set of grandparents and on the 2. Weihnachtsfeiertag we'd be at our aunt and uncles and cousins' house. Each time there were more presents and good food.
If I think about classic christmas movies the first thing that pops in my head is "Der Kleine Lord" (Little Lord), "Drei Nüsse für Aschenbrödel" and maybe "Kevin allein zuhaus", but as I am from an older generation, the latter one for me is still more of a "new addition". On the funny side I like "Weihnachten bei Hoppenstedts" (a Loriot classic), "Familie Becker - Alle Jahre wieder (also more of a satire like Loriot). I also like The Secret Garden (from 1993). For children I believe sometimes The Junglebook is played in movie theatres around christmas time. For me as an adult I like watching "Love Actually" and "The Holiday", as well as the Bridget Jones trilogy.
As a child we did not watch movies at christmas time. First of all I was already almost 10 when we had our first TV and that was in black & white, our christmas tradition was more reciting poems, playing instruments and singing for christmas, as well as going to the midnight mass.
I was surprised when you mentioned "Schöne Bescherung" as a christmas classic in Germany. Duh, I have never heard of that movie ... You see "classics" and traditions seem to vary tremendously depending on which generation you talk to. So are they really "classics" if people of my age for instance don't even know them? Or are they maybe just more of a modern addition ;-)
The three US classic christmas movies you mentioned I also know, probably because I have lived in the US for some years, I am not sure if they are that well known in Germany.
Christmas and circus? Uhm ... never heard about that.
Apple or Android? Both.
In our family the Christmas classic movie was always 'Little Lord Fauntleroy' alongside 'It's a wonderful Life'. Later our go to movies became the Austrian movies 'Single Bells' and it's follow up 'Oh Palmenbaum'.
I still try to establish the movie "Hogfather" as a tradition
@@blackshaddow5005 It's magic.
In Norway the TV classics during Jule Tide (Christmas) is "Dinner for one", where Miss Sophie, on her birtday, is served by James, the butler, who gets incredibly drunk after a while. The other is "Three nuts for Cinderella/Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel /Tři oříšky pro Popelku" from the former East Germany and Czechoslovakia. There is even a Norwegian re-make of it where Astrid S (famous Norwegian singer/ song writer) plays the lead character. (The original is still a must have).
And for the children it's hours of Disney stuff during early afternoon on Christmas eve.
And "Home Alone" is also a standard. Not "Titanic" as far as I can recall, although there are so many films on TV on so many channels that I don't know.
If you want to understand more about Sint Nicolaas or Sinterklaas, you want to be around the Northsea coast. Specially in the Netherlands but also parts of coastal Belgium and North Germany, this saint has many talents. Not only is he known for rescuing marriages of young woman, supplying gifts to the (poor) children that have been good all year, he is also patron saint of sailors and travelers. Well those sailors took out good saint to many places, but they stuck at those mainland coastal areas.
The season here starts not with Haloween which Americanization brought to Europe, it starts with Saint Nicolas arriving to these northern shores in November. In the Netherlands even on national television (just Google it). Form his arrival children are allowed to put their shoe at the chimney or any other replacement therefor (even paper shoe places in supermarkets work, isn't such a saint magic?).
The shoe (real or not) is not only a receptacle for things, it is a way of communication and even bribe! You put your shoe there for the saint or his helpers to find, but better put your wish list in to it so the saint knows about your hearts desires (careful now, the saint can do much but not all!). Then you can 'bribe' the saint a bit by adding a carrot for his horse or other items proving your admiration for the saint. If ... and only if the saint or his helper visits your house, this list and gift will be replaced by a small gift to you. Today if this is an edible item, it will be wrapped or packaged appropriate, in de old day people where less fussy about this. You could try this means of communication from the saints arrival all up to Saint Nicolas eve, but don be disappointed if there is not a gift on every evening, as the saint and his helpers have to cover many of their believers. Gueastimated those are well over 20 million people, of course many will deny this.
Then the evening before Saint Nicolas day or on the day itself, you should not be surprised by hammering of hands and fist on windows and doors. Often heaps of small sweets will fly through the air, and after recovering this racket, there will be presents for you delivered near the chimney, but front and back doors are also good drop-off places. Again there are many believers to service in only one night! Impossible for an elderly man with white beard on a horse that rides the roof tops unless there is a bit of magic and many helpers...
At least in my family tradition it happened this way, after this Christmas was more an serious and adult thing. Lots of food and being with loved ones, but no gifts. In our family Christmas gifts first occurred when we where on winter holiday in Austria and the Hotel owners felt sorry for us Dutch kids getting no presents while the German and Austrian kid did.
And of course there is Father Christmas (de Kerstman in Dutch) to take care of operations spanning from Dec. 24 to 26. Those are much more similar with what others in the world would do.
Traditional there where no Christmas movies like the kind watched in the USA, some families watch movies,particular movies even with Christmas, but not those dedicated You are talking about. In the modern world with streaming channels also American culture seeps in to Dutch families, so who knows what Christmas will be in 2122?
You are meant to clean your winter boots the night before St. Nicolaus Day. And those present are mostly nuts and citrus fruit. So it doesn't matter too much if they get a bit smelly. You peel them anyway. And sweets are packaged as well.
Was für mich zu jedem Weihnachten dazu gehört, auch wenn es kein Film ist eher eine Sketchreihe, ist "Weihnachten bei Familie Hoppenstedt" von Loriot.
Das Ding mit dem Zirkus ist wohl eher was damit die auch in der Winterpause Geld verdienen. Meine Mutter hatte auch in einem gearbeitet und die haben in Berlin immer ihren Winterzirkus gehabt. Zumindest glaub ich das es da war.
Ja, ich denke auch das ist damit die finanziell durch den Winter kommen, weil Zirkus sonst hauptsächlich im Sommer stattfindet. Die sind auch nicht jedes Jahr in jeder Stadt, sondern wechseln durch. Wir haben den nur alle drei oder vier Jahre, obwohl wir in einer Großstadt wohnen.
Christmas at the Hoppenstedt family is pretty black humor, especially when the grandfather buys a Nuclear Power Plant kit for the boy and he causes an explosion that makes a hole in the floor.
For me preperation on 5. Dez was cleaning my Winter-Boots (only on the exterior) thoroughly until they look nice, then place them outside the front door and go to sleep, upon waking up my parents would tell me before anything else "Guten Morgen. Der Nikolaus war für dich da, geh mal nachschauen" I was happy to see both my boots stuffed to the top with sweets, brought them in and looked through them, afterwards getting ready for school and taking some of them with me for later.
10:59
In German-speaking countries, Christmas has always been a religious festival.
The commercialization of Christmas is an American invention.
No, it's rather a family event, more comparable to Thanksgiving in US. Completly unreligious.
I visit family, not Jesus.There also have been gifts 200 years ago. They just got bigger and bigger.
One reason for the circus tradition might be, that in Europe circuses usually tour during the year and spend the winter time in their "Winterquartier" at home. In Munich (where i live) there is Circus Krone and they come home every year and have their "Winterprogramm" which coincidently starts on dec. 25th and goes till april (actually its 3 differnt programs that have a differnt composition of acts).
During the holidays parents have to do some sort of entertainment for the children and a circus might be one way. And it is easier if people don't have a work schedule.
Android for sure.
Interesting theory, maybe that explains the circus at Christmas time.
About the Nikolaus boot/stocking: we usually don't have a special stocking, BUT: it rarely is the everyday shoe, it is part of the tradition, that a winter boot is left in front of the door AND yes, children have to clean their boot the day before. The cleaning is part of the tradition and stinky, dirty boots are a risk to get a piece of coal instead of something nice. If you want to combine american and german tradition (and avoid food getting a cheesy smell ^^) you can put the Nikolaus gifts into a stocking and put the filled stocking into the boot. That would work fine.
About my smartphone: as most europeans I use Android
I'm kinda shocked that Nightmare before Christmas and The Last Unicorn weren't mentioned. They are good ones for the season.
The Last Unicorn is the nr 1 Christmasmovie for my family and for me Torfrock "Die Bagalutenweinacht" not a movie but just great
In Germany or the US? I am from Germany and never heard about either of this movies.
@@GnaeusDomitius Germany as well. And I'd say you're missing out on some good laughs and tears.
@@Xene4Games Okay, thanks! I will have a look at Nightmare before Christmas, the last one does not convince me from what I read :D
Unrelated to your post, "Die Geister, die ich rief" with Bill Murray I would also consider a Christmas classic.
"Home allone" is definitely NOT the most watched film (maybe "from Hollywood") at Christmas - I would bet it is "Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel" EVERY 3rd program is showing it - some several times from 6 am to midnight. (Even "Michel aus Lönneberga"
They were talking about "American" movies....an in this listing, I guess Home alone and Die hard are the most popular ones, since Love Actually and Der kleine Lord are British movie, the Astrid lindgreen movies/series are from sweden, Drei Nüsse für Aschenbrödel is a Czech/German production, and I don't even think that Christmas Vacation is THAT popular in Germany, it is certainly not one of those movies you will are likely to just stumble over. Even with Christmas Carol adaptations it is a toss up between which one is the most popular.
@@swanpride Maybe I have seen both ... not so much for x-mas - you Americans are different, but most of you are nice. *muah
@@swanpride Da hab ich wohl was falsch verstanden. ~_~ Hollywood zu Weihnachten - echt? (Da weiß ich, weshalb ich seit über 20 Jahren keinen TV hab.
Never heard of going to the circus at Christmastime🤔
BUT „Stars in der Manege“ is an important staple in TV (sat1), were German Stars are participating in Circus Krone in Munich.
The Circus is new to me as well as a german. 🤣
My guess is: Circus theme themselves to christmas time and try to occupy some attention from some.
Christmas Circus? I’ve never heard that. Must be a Rheinland-Thing.
Hi Donnie,
My boyfriend's father played St. Nikolaus since he was 16 years old, that's why he is really into the history of Nikolaus and Santa Claus. My boyfriend told me the whole story, so here's the short version:
St. Nikolaus, also called "Bishop from Myra", is the one who brings presents on the 5./6. of December.
During the church reform Martin Luther found it as a problem, that the person who brings the presents is religious. That's why he came up with the "Christkind" and the "Weihnachtsmann" ("Draußen vom Walde komm ich her...).
Coca Cola sometime hired an illustrator who took die story of the "Weihnachtsmann" and designed the costume for the "Santa Claus" which we all know today.
In German regions there are different adaptations from the "Weihnachtsmann". "Knecht Ruprecht" and "Krampus" are figures, who are used from parents as an educational method for their bad children.
The female "Christkind" is shown as a "Rauschgoldengel" because a supernatural appearance works better than a baby bringing the gifts.
Funfact: In delivered budget books from Martin Luther is written, that even after the church reform Martin Luther still had the "Bishop of Myra" coming for his own kids.
I hope this helps you a bit.
Greetings and nice holidays!
Jacky
Thats not correct. Martin Luther invented the "Christkind" because he rejected the veneration of saints. The "Weihnachtsmann" who is called Santa Claus, Sinterklaas, Saint Nicholas and by many more names around the world, was invented by the church as a counterpart to the Christkind.
Quick note on the movies. Ime another rather common one would be 'A Christmas Carol' which in Germany is usualy called 'Eine Weihnachtsgeschichte'. Which translated litteraly would be 'A Christmas Story', which might be part of the reason the movie of the same name isn't as well known in Germany.
Which one, though? 😉 Muppets? Or the one with Mickey Mouse and Scrooge McDuck?
Im shocked how many see a problem on the food in shoe thing. No kid will care about when being hyped as hell for the presents in it. Also the chocolate stuff is always wrapped in the plastic or tinfoil packaging. Nuts and oranges have a shell and apples should always be washed before consumption. Even the organic ones.
We also had some Christmas-style decorated huge socks hanging somewhere to also get filled with stuff. They existed only for that purpose. But as a child I really couldn’t care less about the shoe thing being not very hygienic or something…
A movie I always associate with Christmas (besides drei Nüsse für Aschenbrödel) is Michel aus Lönneberga (the first one), because of the christmas scenes at the end. Also for some reason we always watch one of the Harry Potter movies. Especially the 1st and the 4th one are great for that
Never heard of Michel aus Lönneberga! I'll have to look it up now 😃
Ya, Harry Potter is also popular to watch around Christmas time in the US...I think because of the snow in it? 😂
Michel is the best 🤣
@@PassportTwo Have you heard about Astrid Lindgren? Her children's books (and their film adaptations) belong to the most popular ones in Germany (Michel aus Lönneberga, Pippi Langstrumpf, Ronja Räubertochter, Karlsson vom Dach, and many more!).
two more movies that are shown each year around christmas time: _"die hard,"_ and _"the 5th element"_
@@PassportTwo He is just named Michel in German books. In Swedish and English his name is Emil.
Favourite Christmas Movies (I'm German):
- Christmas Vacation
- Scrooged
- Zwei Weihnachtsmänner
- The Family Stone
In Switzerland on December 6 Jutebags (gunny bag?) are getting filled instead of shoes. Most of them have something on it like a Samichlaus (Sankt Nikolaus, or a snow man...)
I adore Miracle on 34th street! (in German it's "Das Wunder von Manhattan") It's as much of a must see for me as much as "drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel, Sissi, Love Actually, or "the Holiday".
Dec 5th most children need to clean their shoes. And we put most of the treats next to the shoes (on a Christmas plate). Only treats with some sort of wrapping will be put directly into the shoes.
Miracle on 34th Street aka "Das Wunder von Manhattan" (The Miracle of Manhattan) is a thing in Germany! The original movie from 1947 and the Remake from 1994 are regularly broadcasted on different stations during the festive season. Also the "The Santa Clause" movies with Tim Allen are a thing in Germany.
8:45 yes, I had to clean my shoes for St Nikolaus. But they were just my regular shoes although I always put out my biggest boot in an effort to make sure he didn’t have any issues to fit everything he wanted to give me into my shoes😅 Hope that helps🤗
When I was a kid in kindergarten, getting beat (symbolically, I hasten to say!) by Knecht Ruprecht was like a knighting for a boy like me who had a reputation to lose. However, my dear mother, bless her heart, was always so embarrassed!
Oh wow! 😂 Ya, that would be a shock for us to see for sure 😅
You forgot die hard! Such a classic Christmas movie, gets you really into the mood
There's also a love for live-action fairy tales in Germany, especially Sundays on KiKa (Kinderkanal - children's channel) and over the holidays. One of the all-time favourites is "Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel", an old-fashioned version of "Cinderella".
It's actually a Czech movie, but it has been a staple of German Christmas since I was a kid, so in the 1970s.
We used our everyday shoes. We had to clean them before. Everything you put in there is packaged, has to be pealed or can be washed.
Back in the day St. Nikolaus shoes had to polish shiny, although you don't get anything iin it.
I am German, born in Berlin, raised in Brandenburg and now live in NRW. The first time I have heard of Krampus was when I played the binding of Isaac. xD
We use to put out our daily shoes on the eve of December the 5. Our kids have to clean BOTH of the shoes. And the Nikolaus only brings packed sweets. So no direct contact with the interior of the shoe.
Ok, as a german: I think the Christkind is mostly an anthropomorphic personification of the will to bring joy through gifting at christmas.
For me the typical christmas movie always was "Last Unicorn", mainly it was on TV every christmas and to this day I don know why.
And the whole Circus-thing surpirised me; I never heard of it...
Oh, and Android.
Dear Donnie,
when I was a kid we got little candies from Nikolaus in a little "Jute-Beutel (jute bag)" - it is called "Nikolausbeutel - St. Nikolaus bag". So if you do not want to use shoes, just try to get such little sacks. They looked like the smaller version of the bigger bag from St. Nikolaus. My brother and I had a blue bow on our little sacks and my siste a red one - so we cuold not mix them up ... I live in Bavaria (Lower Bavaria) and we also do not have "Krampus" we have Knecht Ruprecht instead but in Lower Bavaria some traditions from Upper Bavria and Lower Bavaria mix - so when I went to school St. Nikolaus and Krampus visited us whereas I only knew Knecht Ruprecht bevore ... But maybe because Knecht Ruprecht was not so scary and my parents did not want to frighten us in my family we preferred Knecht Ruprecht to Krampus ...
Maybe you have "Pelzmärtel" or "Pelznickel" instead of St. Nikolaus because in some protestant regions in Germany such an "alternation" to St. Nikolaus developed. I have a colleague who comes from the Nuremerg area and they have "Pelzmärtel" instead. Pelzmärtel comes on November 11th (instead of St. Martin) and you get boots with candy when you were nice but a rod whe you were naughty. So Pelzmärtel or Pelznickel were a mixture of St. Nikolaus, St. Martin, Knecht Ruprecht and Krampus ;-) Many greetings from Philipp
When I was a kid, we just put our regular boots out.
And you had them to clean in the evening of course.
This was the only time when I did this, my grandgrandmother was cleaning my shoes the rest of the year,.
1. Android
2. Fav Christmas movies: Die Hard, Love Actually, Bridget Jones' Diary, Little Lord Fountleroy, Scrooge with Bill Murray for the Christmassy feeling and Winnetou during Chrismas tree decorating.
You made my Day! I didn't thought about the "Nikolaus Schuhe" problem ;) if i'm onest. Grown up in Germany, as kid i choose the biggest shoes that i had. Mostly my "Gummi Stiefel" so "Der Nikolaud" can fill it up ;)
Hello from Friesland (and before Ruhrgebiet). Nikolaus and Knecht Ruprecht put some small presents into my shoes. The Christkind offered the presents in the locked livingroom and ringed a bell to get the Holy Christmasevening started.
And MY best film for Christmas ist Die Hard😉
We used to put our slippers out (when I was in elementary school, I once put a winter boot out for more candy 😅) and the food that is put in the shoes is wrapped anyhow: tangerines and oranges in their peel, you would wash or peel an apple before you'd eat it anyhow, nuts in their shells, chocolate in aluminium or plastic wrappers. You are actually the first person I heard complain about food in a shoe. But I guess if you grow up with it, you do not question it... perhaps you could buy those little Nikolaus plastic bags they sell everywhere and put the candy and fruit in there before putting it in a shoe, so it does not touch the shoe?
We have never been to the circus at Christmas, I don't know this tradition at all. At St. Nicholas a boot or shoe is cleaned and placed in front of the door. If you find it disgusting, then you can also put your little one a Christmas plate, for nuts, apples and so and only put something wrapped in the boot. Merry Christmas!
Agree, never heard of Christmas circus before. But it is quite common during winter time that the Circus people collect donations to feed their animals.
Wait, Nikolaus and Santa (der Weihnachtsmann) are 2 different people. Nikolaus comes on the 6th, brings some candy and thats it.
Santa is bringing presents on the 24th
in my childhood we took our streetshoes 2 or 3 pairs depending on the size of the shoes like 3 smaller pairs of shoes or winterboots and one small pair ... what a joy when it was time to sit down before going to bed and clean up ur shoes with "schuhcreme" and a brush ... "die schuhe auf hochglanz trimmen-" and they were always filled with chocolate/candys nuts and one small toy like matchbox cars or action figure for a boy .... and i remember that this was the only day in the year where u wake up at 3 am just to take a look in the dark ( that noone see what u doin) what the nikolaus may have brought... 🥰🥰 sweet sweet childhood ..
greets from berlin/ brandenburg ...
we've chosen our snow shoes as children. They weren't worn that much and were "big" which left much room for sweets ^^
Our parents made sure that we cleaned them before placing them in fornt of the door. But just from the outside.
But as they weren't worn that much and were aired regularly, they weren't stinky.
Traditional Christmas movies in my family are the little lord, Aschenbrödel and many more fairytales, like Frau Holle, Hänsel und Gretel, Schneewitchen, König Drosselbart, Allerleihrauh and so on.
And Michel and Pippi are really high on the list ^^
To the question, Android of course. Just as good as apple but only costs half (or even less) of it
As a German, I never heard of Christmas circus.
What about Adventskalender?:) I found out about it once my child started going to the Kindergarten. After so many years out children still expect us to follow this tradition.
I know a family who actually hide a cucumber in there Christmastree.
Who ever finds it first is allowed to open the first present.
But it's not common in the region I'm from.
In Germany, on December 5th, the children clean their normal winter boots, or their normal street shoes from the outside so that Saint Nicholas can see that you are a good child or something similar, some people argue about what exactly the purpose of cleaning is, here in germany they also sell prepackaged bags of chocolate in the shape of Santa Claus or Saint Nicholas. My mother always packed a few hazelnuts, walnuts and a small apple and maybe a small tangerine in it. From my 8th birthday there was always a small present, but I don’t know if that’s so common Or not.
There is not one method of doing the Nikolaus thing. You can put wrapped little presents or sweets into the shoes. There is also the Nikolaustüte as in a decorated paper bag where you can put nuts, sweets or tangerines in. Also you can get paper or metal Nikolausschalen ( bowls or plates) to put sweets or nuts in. It doesn't really matter as long as the Nikolaus has been to your house.
The Pickle thing sounds fun actualy. If i have Children one day i totaly do that.
My favourite American Christmas movie is a very old one with James Stewart named "It's a wonderful life". Gosh, I love this one so much, it makes me cry every time. And I am deeply happy afterwords. It is kind of fulfilling. Hach ja, ich liebe diesen Film.❤
Our Christmas movies are probably the "3 Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel", "The last Unicorn", and I think the Bully Filme. The last ones are also watched at New year's Eve
Another tip: On January 6th, 2023, the season of the "Swabian Almanian Fasnacht" begins in Southwest Germany and ends on February 22nd, 2023. In the Black Forest, Upper Swabia, Swabian Alb, Upper Rhine, Lake Constance and also in Switzerland and parts of Austria there are many "Carnival parades" on the often very beautiful medieval towns. For example in the city of Rottweil (yes the dog breed comes from there). Just look on the internet at " Schwäbisch Allemanische Fasnacht" there you will find out the dates and the background of this tradition.
„Christmas Vacation“ with Clark Grisworld from 1989 is a classic !!! Just saw you mentioned it. 😂
For the Nikolaus shoe question:
As my siblings and I were still kids, our parents had us clean the outside of our winter boots so they look nice and put them out for the Nikolaus. The little treats are never open stuff. It's some chocolates, maybe a small toy, but never fruits or berries or so that could get dirty from the inside of the boot.
Shoes are supposed to be cleaned by the kids the night before. You can use any shoes, but there are also socks like the ones you showed. This is not, however, a new adaption of American customs. When I was a small kid, about 45 years ago, we already had and used those kinds of socks that were placed at the doorknob of my room. And she had got them as a present from my grandmother, which means that they had been used for this purpose already by my father and his siblings.
could still be american. After the war there were many americans all over germany, and they may have had things to use for gifts, when germany was digging out their bombed cities.
I don't know what parents do this days but in my childhood we used our normal shoes. But they had to be clean! My mother did put a napkin in it so that the "food" meaning tangerines, nuts etc. wouldn't get in touch with the shoes inside.
Unpopular opinion: I almost always cry when Titanic is shown on TV. All that wasted airtime that could have been filled with good films!!!!11!!!eleven!
I have NEVER heard of any German considering Titanic a Christmas movie. And the reason we don’t know Elf very well is that German folklore does NOT have elves making Christmas gifts. In fact no elves at all.
And Home Alone is only popular with Germans who were like 10 years old in 1990.
@@kaesebrot73 I think they made Elf as an apology to the people older than 10 who had to endure Home Alone.
My aunt used to gift me a ticket for the christmas circus for christmas every year since I was about 8. So in my family it was a set tradition to go to the circus on the 26th. Sadly she passed away a few years ago and with that and the pandemic the tradition stopped, but it definitly was a big part of christmas for me growing up and I have never been to a circus at any other time of the year. The performances never really centered around christmas though except for a bit of christmassy decoration in the tent. I guess it was just associated with christmas because of the "magic" feeling about it.
I'm a 43 year old German and this is the First time i Heard about Christmas Circus.
Prefer Android.
Favorite movie for Christmas: Love Actually, 3 nüsse für Aschenbrôdel, Christmas Vacation, Die Hard
German here: My all time favourite Christmas movie is The Polar Express. It's so charming, has a "believeable" aesthetic, not like other movies where Christmas is visually very bright and neon. The story feels simple but has so much depth and the message behind it is very wholesome. And the soundtrack!
Same.
With just 18 years, it's way to young. Trains not going on tracks is not really "believable".
@@holger_p Visually believeable. It's still fiction. Visually as in not overly saturated.
Favorite Christmas movie: definitely "Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel" - it's a must. Cinderella standing up for herself, what can be better?
In my native region of Northern Germany the Weihnachtsmann brings the presents.
Christmas + circus - no. But Holiday on Ice was big in my childhood.
Android (well, a cheap Chinese version on my cheap Chinese mobile)
Bei uns warens die normalen Schuhe. Aber die Geschenke vom Nikolaus waren immer in einem Säckchen.
oder zumindest eine Serviette (mit Weihnachtsmotiv) oder noch ein zusätzlicher Teller daneben (meistens hat eine Mandarine den Schuh schon genug gefüllt, und die hat ja ihre eigene "Verpackung" :-)
8:20 We, as in me and my siblings, always used our normal shoes... Well, as a smart kid, of course you use the biggest boots you have. God bless Gummistiefel ( rubber boots) xD
It´s no christmas until Hans Gruber has fallen off from Nakatomi-Tower. "Now i have a submachinegun... Ho Ho Ho!" 😄
Honestly I have never heard of Krampus before until i saw an American video about that tradition a few years ago.
I actually have a pickle in my tree now, because I found one a few years ago in a TKMaxx and had to laugh so hard about the twisted story behind that.
Favourite movies? Aschenbrödel (duh!) and A Christmas Story! It's such a shame, that that movie is not more popular in Germany.
We always used our standard shoes on Dec. 6th.
As kids we were told to polish etc. but never used "special shoes" just for this tradition. Most things are wrapped anyways and you can wash the apple anyways.
I neither think it's dirty inside. I bet you wash your feet when showering and change socks daily?
It's considered to be good to not wear shoes dialy so moisture can evaporate and they won't smell bad etc.
As a child in germany in Rhine region I place a special Christmas plate out side. Not shoes. If you were bad you got a lump of coal and a switch. That's what I got one year and I was convinced that he made a mistake and of course not trying to be greedy put out a smaller plate which he filled to the brim.
Weihnachtszirkus is a pretty young tradition. It started in the 1980th.
The funniest thing about this pickle thing is that germans started importing this tradition from the US because they saw it on the internet (not necessarily as a german tradition just as a fun thing to do on Christmas)
And you can now actually buy these pickles in stores for your Christmas tree
So it's kinda self-fulfilling
Never heard or seen someone doing this. 😅
You are wrong. Have a look at Wikipedia. There's a german catalogue, with a Christmas Pickle. This catalogue is from 1909 - way before the internet.
@Andreas G. K. so where am I wrong tho?
Almost anyone in Germany wouldn't know about it if it hasn't been starting to be a trend in america which influenced us, that's what I said and it's true
I found an focus online article about the start of this tradition claiming two possible heritages: some believe it's because of a soldier in the american civil war, some believe it was of poor bavarian
Guess we'll never know until further evidence is provided
My parents actually own one of them. We still have the original packaging from 1876, made in Thuringia.
@Tiorthan Quickstep I've found a very interesting article regarding this topic matching what you just said
The christmas pickles were indeed made around that time in Thuringia
But how it actually became a trend in america is kinda unclear
Might be because frank winfield woolworth imported christmas tree ornaments in the 1880s from Thuringia and in order to better sell them he made up the story that's a trend in germany to hang up this pickle and the one who finds it gets an extra present
Another possible explanation is a story regarding a german ex-pat in the US who fought in the civil war, was nearly dying and wanted a german pickle as his last meal, the story goes that after eating a whole glass of pickles he magically recovered and because of that americans started hanging up pickles as kind of a lucky charm
But if you want to read it yourself it's called: "
Die Weihnachtsgurke - deutsche Tradition oder amerikanischer Mythos" in the "Welt"
We used the winter boots. St. Nikolaus is normally when it stars to get really cold and the children have to wear boots outside. So normally we take the boots cleaned up from last year. And the treats are also in a plastik bag so fruit etc is not touching the inside of the shoes.
I think that Hogfather (Schweinwachtsmann) is the most German English story/movie one can imagine. If one is sufficiently proficient in both languages all the German/English puns are just hilarious. So Hogfather and the other Discworld movies are a must watch for the holidays. Foodwise, German Christmas absolutely requires rotkohl on the savory side and marzipan on the sweet side. As fall was usually a time for storytelling and knitting after dark, getting new socks at that time was a thing. So traditionally, getting treats stuffed into new handmade socks used to be common as was putting out plates with grass for Nikolaus's donkey which was then replaced with treats.
Since 2007, every Year 😍
Yup. Every year, my Dad (74) and I (47) still get together on Christmas Eve, eat our Würstchen and potato salad, exchange gifts, and watch Home Alone 1&2 on blu ray. We've been doing it for at least 15 years, but still laugh ourselves silly at the bumbling robbers. 🤣
We once tried to keep count of the numbers of times those guys SHOULD HAVE died from the injuries they received. I don't remember the exact numbers... The first one came in at under 10, but the second movie we were at around 20. That was so fun. 🤣🤣🤣
We always used our normal shoes. But it's part of the tradition that you clean the shoes otherwise you don't get treats just coal. Because clean shoes show that the child is well behaved/ does their chores.
I always thought "Die hard" was the most watched Christmas movie.
For me it is and always will be "Kevin allein zu Hause - Home alone"
a classic Chrismas movie in Germany is *Der kleine Lord*. Always on air on the last Friday before Chrismas!
My parents used to place a Christmas plate outside with all the goodies and inside the shoes theyd only put a chocolate Nicholas, one of those milka ones wrapped in aluminium
Android. Happy First Christmas to your little one!!!!
Our Christmas movie is every Year the "little Lord" -- Der kleine Lord.
Growing up; we had a special festive red sock (that was similar to St Nikolaus Boots) that hung on the outside of our bedroom door. Filled with candy; fruit and other little snacks.
It was hidden by our mom for the rest of the year 😉