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Gingerbread, candy canes and Christmas trees
The roots of some Yuletide traditions
I have a friend who claims that Germans invented Christmas. He may be right. Over the last couple of weeks, as I’ve enjoyed the Advent season, I’ve seen or participated in many traditions with their origins in Germany.
For example, last weekend I visited a German Christmas Market here in Austin, where I sipped mulled wine and ate currywurst while listening to a German band play Feliz Navidad. Well, it’s Texas.
Aside from the musical selections, the market was pretty authentic. After all, it’s put on by the German Texan Heritage Society which is a Goethe certified institution. So they are pretty invested in making it real.
There were traditional market huts with displays of ornaments imported from Germany. Other vendors sold nutcrackers, advent calendars, stollen, gingerbread and lebkuchen. Festooned fir bows and decorated Christmas trees abounded. There were dogs politely walking on leashes and even a guy dressed like a German policeman.
Then, a couple of days ago, I made my very first Gingerbread House, pictured above. Last night I visited the Austin Trail of Lights. And this weekend I’ll get some candy canes to distribute to my art students next week.
