Christmas and New Year's Day in Bayerisch Eisenstein, Bavaria

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The first weekend of Advent is the beginning of the Christmas season in Bavaria. In our country, Bayerisch Eisenstein, in the heart of the Bavarian Forest on the border with the Czech Republic, that's how the season goes. This weekend will start decorating and appears in people's homes. Colored lights are almost unknown here, but white lights are very common – strings of white lights draped around the balcony or fall down like icicles, drapes or outdoor trees. AutumnGreen decorations, pine cones and candles are dressed. On Saturday there is a Christmas market in Waidlerhuette, our local "Village Hall", the sale of decorations, gifts, cakes and biscuits, homemade grappa. The ladies of the village cook large quantities for each event and would shame WI markets. They produced their very personal cookbook.

The first weekend of Advent, when the big day go off the Christmas markets in cities – NurembergMonaco, Regensburg and Passau markets pretty easy from here – two years before we have all season (especially the hot wine!) To ensure that you should visit! Even if you can not buy up large markets draw Christmas is the most important function of most of the Christmas markets, especially the smaller, socially – groups of friends and families gather to chat and enjoy the delicacies and mulled Various brulè available in the wooden huts of the local clubs and societies,Farms and small producers. The markets, as darkness descends and continues until mid-evening. In December, small towns and villages have their Christmas markets on a weekend or even a day.

Sixth December is the feast of St. Nicholas. But 'Santa Claus is actually the evening of December 5, with his companion, a little' to 'devil' Krampus. "Nicholas brings small gifts, nuts, oranges and apples to the houses of the village children.Sometimes the children recite a poem or play that song for him. Nicholas then lists the good things and bad, the children made during the year, often in the form of a rhyme. The Krampus punish them if they have been particularly bad this year! An old tradition in Bayerisch Eisenstein "Nigel". Children or adults in the square on the evening of December 5, dressed as Krampus and make fun of others and then expelled. Children like it becausemust try to escape.

In mid-December, before the holidays began, our country had a big Christmas party for the whole village in the town hall. The ladies baked again, and various bands and singing in the village provide entertainment – from kindergartners sing "Christmas Cooking" men of the forest Regenhuette local singing songs.

Christmas really starts in Bayerisch Eisenstein, December 21 with a concertin the beautiful Catholic Church of St. John of Nepomuk. A brass ensemble played haunting music, songs, punctuated by harp music.

The December 23 was attended by over 1,000 visitors – residents of the village and the surrounding area guests on vacation – the first International Christmas Market in Bayerisch Eisenstein. The international theme was chosen to mark the location of the village in the middle of Europe and the border with the Czech Republic,previous site of the barbed wire of the Iron Curtain that eventually died Dec. 21 when the Czech Republic joined the Schengen area. In addition to the specialties of Bohemia from abroad, the visitors enjoyed Bavarian specialties, including English Mince Pies (organizers of the British market, Margaret Leach and Martin Holborow), Belgian waffles, soup, Thai, Hawaiian Fruit Punch, French crepes and many others, all the villagers and provided thenearby Zelezna Ruda. 'S village was made available to musicians.

Christmas service was held in the Protestant churches and Catholic, December 24, restaurants and all closed early to allow their employees to spend at least part of the evening with their families. Sterr British guests at home (25 of them!), sat on a early Christmas dinner at a restaurant in the village – now an annual event.

On Christmas Day, December 25 restaurants were all openfor business again and skiing on the Arber was in full swing.

Boxing Day December 26 is the traditional time for the country 'evening' – with displays of traditional dances by adults and children, traditional music and highlighting the Schuhplattler.

The local singing group performed songs Bavarian and international, 27 of mulled wine and wafers 29 and Saturday was the day accompanied by large, noisy Bayerisch Eisenstein Apres SkiParty, which was a sell signal.

The new year has, as usual, with a huge display fireworks in the village and welcomes the season has been mixed through the village's New Year's Day Concert rounded waltz Bavarian czech, polkas and marches, with a reading by Mayor Thomas Müller.