Fröhliche Weihnachten from Germany!

So far, my favorite country that I've visited in Europe is Germany. I've always been a fan of the Bavarian lifestyle and the allure of all the small towns...and the brats and brews :)

My brother-in-law just so happens to come from a German background. He and my sister even spent their honeymoon in Germany! A few days ago I was at their house and was taking a gander at the Christmas tree and ornaments.  I was able to spot my favorite ornament which was a stack of pancakes. Well, with the last name of Pankake it only seems appropriate. Thinking back to when I was at the gardens looking at the many trees from around the world, I remember coming across some interesting facts about a few traditions that Germany possesses.

One for instance is the production of glass ornaments. In 1847, a man named Hans Greiner began producing the first glass ornaments in Lauscha, Germany. Sure enough, I was able to visit this town during my tour and even brought home some ornaments which are now hanging from our tree! Originally, the inside of the ornaments were made to look silvery, first with mercury and lead, later with a special compound of silver nitrate and sugar water. Tinsel was also a very popular form of decor. All of this was created due to the towns location in a river valley. The resources were easily accessible, such as wood for burning, sand and real silver (for the tinsel).

A very old Christmas eve tradition in Germany was also originated around the time of the glass ornaments. This tradition involved hiding a pickle ornament deep in the branches of the Christmas tree. In the morning, the child to spot the pickle first would receive an extra gift. The first adult who finds the pickle traditionally gets good luck for the whole year. I was unable to find the pickle on the tree at gardens which left me frustrated.

one of the Lauscha glass bulbs on our tree

Legend has it that Martin Luther created the first lighted Christmas tree. He was inspired by the glistening vision of starlight that would filter through the trees in the woods. To recreated this vision, he cut down many trees, brought them home and placed candles on the branches so that he could share the beauty with his friends and family.