German Christmas

 Christmas Eve in Germany is very festive and very gourmet. It earned him the nickname "full stomach awakening" or Vollbauchabend.

Christmas Eve is a packed holiday for Germans. Traditionnally, many families spend the day decorating the tree, preparing meals, and cleaning the house. At dawn, the families gather together around the tree. The children are waiting outside the room for presents delivered by Christkind. A bell is rung for them to enter the room, where the family sings Christmas carols before the gift-giving (bescherung) begins. Then some families go to the local church for Christmas Eve services, while other enjoy a delicious meal. 

Pork has long been the main dish in family's diet in honor of the sacrifice of the wild boar to the German god of war Wotan. Many pig-shaped cakes and sweet buns are baked at Christmas.

Today roasted turkey and stuffed goose are cooked, served with spicy fruit and vegetables, and preceded by ham and other grilled sausages.

Christstollen is a traditional German Christmas cake. Originally from Dresden, it is shaped like an elongated loaf and has a cake-like consistency. It contains candied fruit, raisins, spices, rum and marzipan coated with icing sugar.

One of the German culinary customs for Christmas is to prepare a witch's house of cakes and sweets, ressembling that of Anderson's tale "Hansel and Gretel."

Throughout December the Germans make delicious little shorthead cookies in the shape of stars, fir trees or Santa Clauses, which give off the scent of cinnamon, anise, cardamon, clove or vanilla. Children help their parents with baking, cut the dough using shapes, and decorate them with icing sugar or by passing a layer of melted chocolate on it.

Germans call December, 25th "Erster Feiertag", which means "first holiday". All the presents were opened on Christmas Eve, but the 25th is still a day when families get together, eat good food, and take time off from work.