German Language Blog

Hallo!

Silvesterabend is right around the corner und da sind einige New Year’s Eve customs I’d like to share with you. In this post I’ll talk about a fortune telling custom.

Es gibt viele Angelegenheiten to welcome a new year. Manche Leute use this opportunity to make new resolutions. Sie wissen schon — new year, neuer Anfang. Others like to use an ancient and more subjective custom — they have a need to know what’s in store for them. They want to be prepared for what lies ahead.

Zum Beispiel, one method people use to predict the future is called: Bleigiessen (the pouring of molten lead) — Now here’s something I haven’t done in a long time! Pouring lead to predict the future is a ritual that can be traced as far back as the Greeks.

Bleigiessen ist eigentlich sehr einfach. To do this, you will need a small amount of lead (you can also buy a kit, but I’m not sure if you can buy it in the States), a bowl of water and a candle. Here’s what you do: you put a piece of Blei unto ein Löffel and hold it over die Flame einer Kerze. Once the lead has melted, pour it into das Wasser; the water will shape it into a specific form. You then pull out the shaped form and hold it up against the candlelight, so that you can see its shadow against the wall. The form of that shadow will tell you what to expect in the future. Selbstverständlich, it is left to one’s interpretation. This is just for Spaß; so don’t take it too seriously!

There are many forms that can be created once the Blei hits the water. Here are some Beispiele:

• Herz – sich verlieben (falling in love)
• Hut – gute Nachrichten (good news coming your way)
• Kreuz, Kreuze – Tod (death — yikes!)
• Kuchen – ein Fest steht bevor (an opportunity for celebration)
• Kuh – Heilung (healing)

For more examples, go to: http://www.silvestergruesse.de/2-2-1-bleigiessen/index.html

Note: For lack of a better picture I used the one from: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleigießen

Bis bald,

Nathalie

Hallo! Ich hoffe es geht Ihnen gut.

Da ich last time von Glühwein wrote, dachte ich das Sie es maybe selbst ausprobieren möchten (falls Sie kein Rezept haben). Es ist ziemlich easy to prepare, and Sie können natürlich die ingredients nach Ihrem Geschmack verändern.

Zutaten:

• ¼ l Wasser – water
  
• 1 Stück Zimt – cinnamon
  
• 4 Nelken – cloves
  
• 1 Stück Zitronenschale – lemon zest
  
• 60-80 g Zucker – sugar
  
• ½ l Rotwein – red wine
  

Veränderung: Man kann das Wasser weglassen und ¾ l Rotwein mit den Gewürzen erhitzen.

Vorbereitung: Die spices werden mit dem Wasser 5 Minuten bei low heat gekocht, dann wird der Zucker darin aufgelöst. Man gibt den Rotwein dazu and heat it until it almost boils. The spices werden herausgenommen, before you serve the wine. Man kann in jedes Glas eine dünne Zitronenscheibe geben.

Enjoy und Prost!

Nathalie

Guten Tag!

Another Jahr has passed. I stare at the Christmas tree in disbelief, “Where has the time gone?” Yes, it is indeed Weihnachtsabend again, and my family and I are decorating unseren Weihnachtsbaum. We always decorate it on Christmas Eve. You might think, “Right, what a procrastinator!” Would you like to know why we wait until Christmas Eve?

Well, there is a good reason. We wait because it is not only a tradition in my family; it is also a German tradition. Weihnachtsabend is when you decorate the tree and exchange Geschenke. Although, like everything else, it might not necessarily be the way everyone does it.

In truth, I am not writing this post to talk about Christmas decorations and presents. I am writing this post to talk about a special event that happens while decorating the Christmas tree – the very last step.

Nun da stehe ich, in front of the tree. It’s time to put on the last Weihnachtsbaumschmuck – the angel, but not just any angel! The place of honor on top of our tree goes to the Nürnberg Engel. Die Geschichte of the Nuremberg angel ist eine schöne, but traurige story.

The story goes like this: a long time ago there was a goldsmith who lived in Nuremberg with his lovely wife and children. This goldsmith was a very respectable and diligent worker. One day, his only daughter died from a fever; the family was heartbroken. He thought, and thought about a way to cheer everyone up in time for Christmas Eve.

Am Weihnachtsabend, his wife entered the Raum where the Christmas tree stood; she looked up and saw this angelic being with her daughter’s face. Her face was carved out of beeswax, her curled blond hair was real, and the golden wings were made from real feathers. The beautiful dress and golden apron were crafted in the typical Bavarian tradition. Die Mutter fell to her knees and thanked God, truly believing that ihr Kind was now safe in Heaven.

Ever since that time, it has become a German tradition to put an angel on top of the Christmas tree as a sign of God’s joy.

It is my great joy that I wish you all eine Frohe Weihnachten.

Bis bald,

Nathalie

Vocabulary:

Weihnachtsabend – Christmas Eve

Weihnachtsbaum – Christmas tree

Ein Geschenk - a present or gift. PLEASE be careful not to say, “Ich habe ein Gift für Sie!” because it means, “I have some poison for you!” You would put yourself into a…hum…very awkward situation.

Weihnachtsbaumschmuck – Christmas tree ornaments, or decorations.