h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well, although I've never done anything out of the ordinary at Christmas, Sol convinced me to take part. However, I'm not sure I know enough to tell to fill four journal entries.
We'll see. I'm going to cheat here and post what I wrote in a blog post a year ago and then I can expand in follow-up journals:

When was a child, I had no idea that a large part of the world celebrates on Christmas Day.

Now I don't remember much of my religion classes when I was a child, but somehow, I used to assume that Jesus Christ was born on 24th. Why else would it be called 'Heiliger Abend' (literally: Holy Evening)? It was only much later in my life that I learned that others say JC was born on 25th. Now, that came as a surprise. Until then, I had never wondered about the date. Plus, we all know that it isn't the real birth date anyway but was chosen to replace the heathen feast of winter solstice.

A few days ago I read the description of a German Christmas by an English friend who has lived here for decades. It brought back memories of Christmases long ago.

She was right: the Christmas tree was only put up on the 24th, and decorated by the 'Christkind'. We children were bathed, dressed nicely, then had to wait until the bell was rung and we were allowed to enter the large living room, with the candles lit and the presents under the tree.

Some years, it was the Christkind who brought the presents, other years, it was the Weihnachtsmann. We children didn't care who it was – well, my sister and I didn't, anyway. My brother used to be so scared of Santa that he hid under a chair or table during Santa's visit. Once he realised that Santa was about to leave again, he came out of his hiding place, grinned all over the face and waved Santa goodbye. Here's my brother when he was about three or four years old, a moment after Santa had left.
http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m536/Belh2g2/Bro252C2Bgranny.jpg
Gift-wise, it was a much smaller affair than it is nowadays.

I found a few photos of my childhood, and you can see the toys we got back then - and the joy they brought. This is my brother when he was about two years old – with the red telephone I had got for Christmas. He was totally absorbed in it.
http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m536/Belh2g2/bro252C2Btoy.jpg

Since my own children are grown-ups now, the 'magic' of Christmas is lost.

Still, looking back at my Christmases as a child, and those when my own children were small, I hope that for you the 'magic' is still there, somewhere.

In that sense: A Merry Christmas to all from 'little' me (I was two days short of four years old) and 'Santa Dad'.

http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m536/Belh2g2/me252C2Bsanta.jpg

The little girl doesn't remind me of you at all, Bel. But I think I can see some of you in "Santa dad".

I'm sure there are similarities, although I come more after my mum.

Those are wonderful pictures, Bel. Thanks for the trip down your 'memory lane'.

Yes, I'm glad I have those photos. My mum once gave copies to all three of us (ie my siblings and me).

I've got some great ones of the old folks.

My parents have all the photos, I only have a small collection.

I have all my dad's old photos, except for one album which has gone missing 1977 - 1982 approximately. I've been busy putting them all up on flickr.

He didn't take many - there were some years when he only took maybe 10 pictures. I suppose it was expensive to get them developed and printed.

It certainly was expensive. My dad wrote for a newspaper (in addition to his full time job) and he took photos, too, so he used to have quite a good camera when cameras were still a luxury. He took photos from my first day in school, and I remember that the parents of my classmates who wanted to have copies had to pay for the copies. Nowadays, you only pay a few cents for a copy, but back then it was a few D Marks.

In my family they took slides when I was growing up rather than photos, especially my Granddad (father's father). When he died my younger sister inherited his slides and she threw them all away! I'm still annoyed about that - I would have loved the chance to go through them all.

I've scanned in all the slides that my Mum took of us, but don't know what happened to the ones my Mum did. Looking at the year's slides was a Christmas tradition, as well as all the old slides too.

<BB<

I thought you said "In my family they took sides" - don't all families do that?

In my family it's everyone for themselves, especially when after the last potatoes at Christmas...

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Ah, slides. I think they were all the rage in the 1970s. Nobody I knew then took them.

There are no last potatoes in my family...they are already taken on sight

Oh, cool. Is it normal to get a personal visit from Santa in Germany then? In the UK he tends to come when we are asleep. In Russia you have to perform for him (poetry declamation, that kind of thing).

And I love the idea of being specially dressed up to meet the tree.

Cute photos!

It used to be normal when I was little. No idea how it is being done nowadays. I think it has shifted to Nikolaus (on 6th December), where some parents even hire somebody.

Perform for him? That seems a brilliant idea, though I'll pass on the poetry.

I always go to a hotel for Christmas (17 years now, so somewhat like family) so it would be fun for Santa - several hundred families' performances

It's what we did, too (not the hotel bit, the performing bit). We had to recite a poem, or play a tune on the recorder or something.

Back in the late 70s, we visited with a family near Passau during the Christmas season (after the 25th).

Every night, we lit the candles on the tree, held hands, and sang 'O Tannenbaum'. It was fun.

At home, we never sang to our tree.

poor sad tree, maybe you should cheer it up