The transcripts in this pack are:

• Räuchermännchen
• Christstollen
• Weihnachten
• Weihnachtskrippe
• Bergmannsfigur
• Lametta

To find out more, visit the AllThingsGerman Download Store.

The transcripts in this pack are:

• Weihnachtsmarkt
• Nikolaustag
• Lebkuchen
• Glühwein
• Nußknacker
• Heiligabend
• Dominosteine
• Weihnachtspyramide
• Spekulatius
• Das Christkind
• Schwibbogen
• Räucherkerzen
• Der Weihnachtsmann

To find out more, visit the AllThingsGerman Download Store.

We talk about the topics that we covered, and in particular about the Käseigel.  Back in June 2007 Maria promised to make one and 158 episodes later here it is:

Ein Käseigel

To finish off the series, we explain the word Wunderkerzen.

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So now, for the last time, listen to the podcast:

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Originally it was made from a substance called “Stanniol”, which is Tin (Sn) flattened to make it into a foil.

To add weight to the Lametta, lead or even silver were added.  Often this meant that it was used on New Year’s Eve for Bleigießen.  However, modern Lametta is often made of plastic.

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The confusion seems to have come about because of the different way that the protestant and catholic religions celebrated Christmas in the past.

The Weihnachtsmann is generally portrayed in a way that Father Christmas or Santa Claus is in other countries with a red and white gown and riding behind reindeer. Except that children do not leave out stockings for their presents – they do that with their boots for Nikolaus.

And whilst most films and even locally made television programmes will talk about the Weihnachtsmann, children are more usually asked “what did the Christkind bring you for Christmas”.

With the North/South divide making it easily possible for families to mix both traditions, adding a foreign element when other nationalities are involved just adds to the chaos!

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Coming originally from the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge) they are often used as part of Christmas decorations, such as Räuchermännchen.

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On becoming a father it was the duty of each man to make one of these figures, in the shape of a miner for a boy or an angel for a girl. These were placed in the windows of the houses and provided candlelight for the streets during the winter months when the miners would be going to and from their shift in darkness.

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Modern versions have electrical candles on them and can often be seen in people’s windows.

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Many families have their own model Weihnachtskrippe at home.  Some of these are self-made, others have been collected over a period of time with a new figure being added each year.  Typically, these are also passed down through the generations.

Surprisingly, they were banned in churches at the end of the 18th Century.

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Raclette is originally a traditional Swiss dish made from cheese.  A large piece of cheese is put near a fire and is brought to melting point.  When the cheese is soft and about to melt, a layer is scraped of and eaten with bread.

The modern raclette is an electrical table-top heater.  Small dishes are filled with chopped-up vegetables, eggs, sausage rings and other small pieces of food and then covered with cheese.  These are then placed under the element of the raclette.  Many raclettes have a metal top where meat or bread can be fried, some even have stone tops for cooking steak.

Foundue is probably the most well-known outside of Germany, also being a traditional Swiss dish.  Originally made by melting cheese and often wine over a flame, many people in Germany use the same form to heat cooking oil on New Year’s Eve and cook small pieces of meat in it.  Others melt chocolate instead and dip pieces of fruit in it.

Bleigießen is definitely not to eat, it is a tradition that families carry out on New Year’s Eve.  They buy small packets of lead – often together with a special spoon.  The lead cubes are placed on the spoon and held over a candle so that they melt.  Once the lead is molten, it is dropped into cold water where it sets into a new form.  The trick is then to decipher what the form means for each person for the coming year.

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