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der Adventskranz = advent wreath
Do you know the difference between Advent and Christmas? Growing up, I never really understood the difference. I even got an Advent calendar from my grandmother every year, but nobody ever explained to me the difference very clearly. So you can imagine that it was a bit of a shock when I moved to Germany and found out: «Advent ist nicht Weihnachten!».
No, Advent is *not* Christmas. It is the time before Christmas.
Here's how I learned the difference. I used to conduct a small choir in Germany and they were very clear with me, because I didn't even understand this differentiation and I asked them to sing a Christmas song for an Advent concert.
Whoops. Wrong request, Frau Warner!
The response from the choir was clear: One may not sing Christmas songs during Advent. And one ceases singing Advent songs when Christmas arrives.
Fast forward a few years and many experiences later, and it is clear to me that Advent is a time of anticipation and of waiting. In Germany this time is approached specifically with a few wonderful traditions. One of these is the Adventskranz or Advent wreath. Here are three ideas for you to make your own.
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'Tis the season for concerts of the Messiah, composed by German composer Georg Friedrich Händel. (Which means I'm off to sing this weekend so I'm publishing this blog post early for you.) According to the legend, he locked himself in a room and composed night and day; according to his notes, he did write the entire piece in 24 days. The original autograph (what Händel wrote) was 259 pages long (source).
Here are 5 facts you might not have known about Händel:
1. Händel was born in 1685 in Halle, Germany. This was the same year Johann Sebastian Bach was born.
2. It's traditional in the English-speaking world to stand when the performers begin the Hallelujah Chorus. This tradition began supposedly when the Messiah was being performed in London and King George II stood. We've all been following suit ever since (source).
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One of the best parts of German culture is the Apotheke, the pharmacy! Not because of the prescription drugs, but because of the products you can buy there. And the freebies--don't even get me started. I once bought some facial care products and make-up and they gave me a HANDBAG. A HANDBAG!!! I still have it. Die Tasche ist fantastisch! I even got a tea candlelight holder one year and since it was Advent/Christmas, the candle holder was in the shape of a star. Ja, das habe ich auch noch.
Every time you go to the Apotheke they give you things for free! Wunderbar! The Apothekerinnen und Apotheker are extremely knowledgeable and sensitive to your questions, so go ahead and ask all your questions. It's all about service and care in the Apotheke, that's for sure.
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If you've been hanging around this blog for a while, which some of you have, you'll know how excited I get when it's German week at ALDI. Apparently it just was, but I missed it, as there was no more regular Frischkäse when I arrived, only the Meerrettich kind, which I don't like. Schade.
This week I did a huge Einkaufstour and went to ALDI and filled up the cart. Käse, Champignons, Paprika, Toilettenpapier, Taschentücher, Bratwürste--ich habe echt alles eingekauft.
When I reached the check-out there were only two people ahead of me, and one, a young man, was carrying only three items. In his hands he held a package of blueberries, a package of raspberries, and a huge stack of styrofoam plates.
"I'm just going to hold my items," he explained, "so go ahead and use the whole belt."
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This year is the Reformationsjubiläum, the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther nailing his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg, which was a key event for the Reformation. This day now symbolizes the beginning of the Reformation and the far-reaching effects that have reached around the globe. All year long there are activities all over the world to celebrate this anniversary, most especially in Germany.
They're celebrating the life and work of Martin Luther: the man who lived secretly under the name "Junker Jörg," gave us the word Rotzlöffel, and translated the New Testament into German.
Rotzlöffel
This descriptive insult translates literally to "snot spoon," and correctly translated, it gives us "snotty-nosed brat." How Luther helped this word get into better circulation, I have no idea, but you can find out more in Mit Feuereifer und Herzenslust from DUDEN.
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