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"Froehliche
Weihnachten"
The favorite daytime
meal on the day before Christmas consisted of "Bockwurst
und Kartoffelsalat" (sausage
and potato salad). This custom allowed the homemakers more
time to concentrate on the preparation of the
evening's more elaborate meal and the "Bescherung"
(present giving).
At dusk on Christmas Eve, friends would
gather and treated with "Feuerzangebowle",
a Pomeranian type of sweetened, spiced, and heated wine.
When the guests were
seated, they were served appetizers of "Kock Kase
mit Schwartzbrot" (cooked cheese spread with dark
bread), "Heringe Nach Hausfrauenart"
(pickled creamed herring) and Rugenwald tea sausage.
The hospitality rules were more relaxed than at other
times. Christmas was a time when family and very
close friends celebrated together and most non-family
activities were suspended for the week.
.Dinner
was by candlelight and began with "Kirschsuppe"
(warm cherry soup with dumplings). The main course was
"Pommerscher Gansebraten" (roast goose
with stuffing) served with gravy, "Rotkohl mit
Apfeln" (red cabbage with apples), and "Knoedel"
(potato dumplings). Many families also included
"Blue Carp", poached in vinegar and served with
horseradish and sweet whipped cream, boiled salt potatoes
garnished with parsley and butter. Dessert was
"Schokolade Pudin" (steamed chocolate
pudding with hard sauce) and "Klotternusse Keks"
cookies. Other delicacies of the season served as
in-between snacks, included"Christstollen" (long
loaves of bread filled with nuts, dried fruit, citron, and
raisins), "Lebkuchen" (spice bars),
"Reisbrei" (a rice pudding flavored with sweet
cinnamon), and white sausage,
The
goose was stuffed with vegetables rather than the bread
stuffing of Americans. To prepare a "Feuerzangenbowle",
you need red wine, rum, oranges juice, lemon juice,
cinnamon and cloves. All lights in the room should
be dimmed to provide the appropriate atmosphere. The
rum-soaked sugar is lit and as the flames leap up,
the sugar drips into the spiced wine.
Those
who do not eat well on Christmas Eve will be haunted by
demons during the night, therefore "Dickbauch"
(fat stomach) is a name given for this opportunity to eat
so well and so much. Christmas
Recipes
 The
Christmas tree, according to tradition, originated in
Germany. It is believed that Martin Luther began the
tradition of bringing a fir tree into the home. One
Christmas Eve he brought in an evergreen tree to his
daughters nursery for her to enjoy since the weather was
too bad for her to go outside. He decorated the tree
with candles.
The
tree has a mysterious magic for the children because they
are not allowed to see it until Christmas Eve. Usually
the children were occupied with the Christmas Eve church
service and when they arrived home the Christmas Tree
appeared, usually in the "parlor," that special
room that was only used for special occasions. The
tree was decorated with apples, candy, nuts, cookies,
tinsel, family treasures and candles. The presents
were placed under the tree. As the children entered this
fantastic room, carols were sung, the candles lit, the
Christmas story read and the gifts were opened. The
Christmas tree lights and candles were essential to the
Pomeranians' Christmas celebration.
According to legend, on Christmas Eve in
Germany rivers turned to wine, animals spoke to each
other, tree blossoms produced fruit, mountains opened up
to reveal precious gems, and church bells could be heard
ringing from the bottom of the sea. Of course, only the
pure in heart could witness this Christmas magic. All
others must content themselves with traditional German
celebrating, of which there was plenty. As a matter of
fact, there was so much celebrating that it had to begin
on December 6th, St. Nicholas Day.
As in many other European countries, on
the eve of December 6th, children placed a shoe or boot by
the fireplace. During the night, St. Nicholas, hopped from
house to house carrying a book of sins in which all of the
misdeeds of the children were written. If they have been
good, he filled the shoe or boot with delicious holiday
edibles. If they have not been good, their shoe was filled
with twigs.
The Christmas Rose (Die Wienachten
Rose) - A Christmas tradition in Pomerania,
that origination in about the 12th century, a time when
the populous still had not converted to Christianity and
Pagan customs prevailed. It is said that the German
Bishop, Otto Von Bamberg, made a visit to Stettin and
converted some of the residents. Many of the newly
converted Christians died because of their beliefs.
An old man who lived in a small village
near Stettin, was a Christian, but kept it a secret  out
of fear of persecution. However, one of his
neighbors betrayed him to the Pagan priests, which
resulted in him being jailed and sentenced to death.
The heathen priests taunted and ridiculed him, and said,
"If your God is so powerful, let Him make flowers
bloom here in the middle of winter," then you will be
set free. The old man prayed throughout the night,
but, in the morning he was led to the public hanging tree.
Lo and behold, there, under the old oak tree, flowers were
in full bloom. They were to become known as the
"Christmas Rose." With this sign the
Pomeranians accepted Christianity.
It is believed that the
Crossbeak, a rare bird that nests and broods in this
northern area at Christmas time, had carried the seed from
the south.
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