When our children were small St. Nicholas Day usually fell in the week between the First and Second Sunday of Advent. They would set their shoes by the front door for about a week before the 6th of December. Depending on whether they had been naughty or nice, they would wake up in the morning and find a piece of chocolate or some other treat or a switch if they had been bad.
On the 6th of December, they would find a plate full of candy, nuts, clementines, toys, and a Boxemännchen. These little men are made of sweet brioche dough. A roll snipped here and there to form the arms and legs, and a ball of dough for the head. If you don’t make them yourself, you can buy them at the bakery in all sizes, with or without sugar glaze. I like the plain ones the best.
In 1963 my siblings and I met St. Nicholas for the first time in Echternach. My father took photos of de Kleeschen‘s arrival by boat on the Sauer river and the procession through town to the market place. I shared his pictures in my 2015 post, Happy St. Nicholas Day – de Kleeschen kënnt op Eechternoach.
Since the children are grown and have left home, the week before the Second Sunday of Advent is our time to begin putting up decorations for the holidays. Unlike my cousins in the US, we don’t put up a tree as soon as the Thanksgiving leftovers have been cleared away. We’ve never had an artificial tree and wait until the week before Christmas.
I brought the decorations down from the attic on Friday and began with the lighted garland in the hallway.
My husband brought up the ladder from the basement yesterday and put up the outside garland before we worked on the lights and garland in the living room. He then left to do some errands.
My favorite part came next. The finishing touches. I get to do this all by myself – while listening to Motown Soul music. It gets turned up and no one is there to hear me sing or watch me dance while I move things around until I’m satisfied with the way everything looks.
Finally, this morning we lit the second candle on our Advent wreath.
May the peace of Advent be with you and your families.
© 2019, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.
Cathy, how beautiful!! It makes me smile to imagine you ‘decking the halls’ while getting your Motown groove on!!! Can’t even express how much i love this ❤️
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I knew you’d get a kick out of that part, Teresa. Love to all of you.
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Cathy, You have been so fortunate to be able to experience holiday traditions from more than one country. I love the idea of the plate of nuts, candies; etc. and the Boxemännchen. I can truly relate to the experience of the second Thanksgiving is done, almost to the point of neglect, that everything Christmas has to be brought out and exploited for commercial gain. I yearn for the days when that wasn’t the case. Thank you for bringing a different experience and perspective to the holiday that is Christmas, the days that lead up to it and the actual meaning behind it. Happy Holidays!
Brian
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Everyone should be as fortunate. It would make the world a better place. Thank you and Happy Holidays to you and Cheryl.
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Thank you!
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I am not familiar with Advent or St Nicholas Day so I enjoyed your post a lot. Your home feels warm and cozy with all the beautiful touches and ready to welcome Christmas. Merry Christmas to you and your family ~ Sharon
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Sharon, I always appreciate your stopping by. Thank you. Happy Holidays to you and yours. ~ Cathy
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These are such lovely traditions—and your home looks (and must smell) wonderful!
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Thank you, Amy.
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I love your collection of Santa Claus figurines! What is the oldest decoration or figurine in your collection, just curious? And Happy Advent!
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Our children were raised with St. Nicholas and not Santa Claus so my collection of Santa’s came later. The oldest piece is the red horned goat. With my being a Capricorn my husband couldn’t resist buying it when we found it at a flea market in Switzerland in 2009. It was made in 1958, the year I was born, by a German artist. Thank you, Janice, and Happy Holidays.
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Beautiful and Peaceful — Loved the warmness of the Home and Hearth. Merry Christmas Blogger Sister!
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Thank you, True. Merry Christmas to you, my Blogger Sister.
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So the secret is Motown Soul music! It shows. 🙂
I wonder where I can find a Boxemännchen in DC… Looks tasty!
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Maybe I can find an easy recipe for you to make them yourself, Michael. Yep, it’s all in the music.
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