Saint Nikolaus Day in Germany
by Wil Bosbyshell
Looking to my left, a German shepherd complete with festive Christmas neckerchief sat in the chair next to me. He was very polite, especially for a dog. To my right sat a German boy about 11 years old. There was one other dog further down the table, in addition to grandparents, parents and lots of kids of all ages.
I was seated at a long table with about 45 Germans in the local Brauerei. Several families from one neighborhood gathered together to celebrate Saint Nikolaus Day on December 6th 1987.
I was drinking beer, the dog’s had water and the kids had lemonade or Radler. If I wanted food or another beer I called for an auction. I simply lifted my empty beer stein; I didn't speak too many German words. The emcee would head over to a large Christmas tree in the corner and pull a branch off. The branches were decorated with beer, champagne, and Bratwurst. Holding the branch, he announced the auction. If I wanted a beer, I had to be the high bidder. Hilarity ensued. Controlled chaos with a laugh track.
All proceeds went to the neighborhood soccer club. The event featured sports awards both serious and humorous. Sports awards are the same the world around. The awards were sporadically interrupted by tree branch auctions. If I were bidding too high the German shepherd would put his paw on my hand to keep it down. Dogs know when you are getting carried away with the bidding.
My sister, Mary Helen, walked over at one point to tell me I was buying too many branches. I was staying with her and her husband, Kevin, in Bamberg Germany. Kevin was a US Army Armor officer commanding a tank platoon. I was an Army Artillery first lieutenant on a three month leave between duty stations.
After the awards, a hush fell on the assembled crowd. The door burst open, and two figures emerged from the falling snow outside. The man was the real deal: red coat trimmed in white fur, real beard, red hat, black belt and real black boots. Nothing fake or cheesy looking. Saint Nikolaus or Santa Claus was here in the flesh.
Saint Lucy was at his side with an embroidered full-length dress and a wreath of garland in her long blonde hair. St. Nikolaus had two sacks over his shoulders, one stuffed to the brim with Christmas presents and stockings. The other sack was slack, holding only long tree branches cut into switches. Saint Nikolaus stomped the snow off his boots, walked to the center of the room and made a solemn pronouncement.
I didn’t speak much German, but it was obvious what he said. He placed both sacks on the floor and called the first name of a child. A boy of about seven walked up and stood in front of Saint Nikolaus and Saint Lucy. Saint Lucy produced a book and began reading. She listed the bad things this boy had done during the year. It was a brief list.
Next Saint Lucy listed the good things that the young boy had done throughout the year. The good list outnumbered the bad list. The assembled crowd applauded and St. Nikolaus gave the boy a stocking of candy and wrapped gifts. Everyone toasted, “Prost!” The dogs even smiled.
The kids were called out one by one and they had all been pretty good this past year. About ten kids into the event a small girl was summoned before St. Nikolaus.
Saint Lucy launched into a list of her misdeeds. The crowd sighed and booed as the bad behavior was listed point by point. The girl looked nervous. Her bad list went on and on. She had been an unbelievably bad little girl. St. Nikolaus raised his hand. Saint Lucy stopped reading. He bent over and opened the sack of switches. All the adults, including me, were given a switch.
All the adults waved their switches as Saint Lucy continue reading the girl’s misdeeds. This was a blood thirsty crowd! St. Nikolaus had the girl step into the sack, but the sack was left on the ground around her feet. Saint Lucy began to read the girls good deeds, but it was a light and short list. The crowd chanted for the girl to be put in the sack and switched. I realized this was the girl's fate if the good list was shorter than the bad list.
Tears ran down the girls face but Saint Lucy pronounced that the girl had one good deed more than her bad deeds. The crowd booed; they were ready to switch her. She got a small stocking and ran quickly away back to her seat. One other boy came close to being switched. But all the kids had been good this year, though for some it was a narrow escape from being switched in the sack.
One parent near me assured me that bad kids had been switched in years past, but it was rare. He seemed disappointed with this year’s outcome.
Saint Nikolaus gave the last kid their stocking. He exclaimed a jolly, “Ho Ho Ho,” wishing all a Merry Christmas. Then, he and Saint Lucy walked out into the snowy German winter night.
I bought more branches for dinner, I had no idea how much money I spent. Several boys and I had a water fight in the bathroom. I had stopped drinking beer, not being able to keep up with this German crowd. More awards were given, and we sang Christmas carols. The words were German, but the tunes were the same ones I knew by heart: Silent Night is the same song halfway around the world.
Merry Christmas.
I was drinking beer, the dog’s had water and the kids had lemonade or Radler. If I wanted food or another beer I called for an auction. I simply lifted my empty beer stein; I didn't speak too many German words. The emcee would head over to a large Christmas tree in the corner and pull a branch off. The branches were decorated with beer, champagne, and Bratwurst. Holding the branch, he announced the auction. If I wanted a beer, I had to be the high bidder. Hilarity ensued. Controlled chaos with a laugh track.
All proceeds went to the neighborhood soccer club. The event featured sports awards both serious and humorous. Sports awards are the same the world around. The awards were sporadically interrupted by tree branch auctions. If I were bidding too high the German shepherd would put his paw on my hand to keep it down. Dogs know when you are getting carried away with the bidding.
My sister, Mary Helen, walked over at one point to tell me I was buying too many branches. I was staying with her and her husband, Kevin, in Bamberg Germany. Kevin was a US Army Armor officer commanding a tank platoon. I was an Army Artillery first lieutenant on a three month leave between duty stations.
After the awards, a hush fell on the assembled crowd. The door burst open, and two figures emerged from the falling snow outside. The man was the real deal: red coat trimmed in white fur, real beard, red hat, black belt and real black boots. Nothing fake or cheesy looking. Saint Nikolaus or Santa Claus was here in the flesh.
Saint Lucy was at his side with an embroidered full-length dress and a wreath of garland in her long blonde hair. St. Nikolaus had two sacks over his shoulders, one stuffed to the brim with Christmas presents and stockings. The other sack was slack, holding only long tree branches cut into switches. Saint Nikolaus stomped the snow off his boots, walked to the center of the room and made a solemn pronouncement.
I didn’t speak much German, but it was obvious what he said. He placed both sacks on the floor and called the first name of a child. A boy of about seven walked up and stood in front of Saint Nikolaus and Saint Lucy. Saint Lucy produced a book and began reading. She listed the bad things this boy had done during the year. It was a brief list.
Next Saint Lucy listed the good things that the young boy had done throughout the year. The good list outnumbered the bad list. The assembled crowd applauded and St. Nikolaus gave the boy a stocking of candy and wrapped gifts. Everyone toasted, “Prost!” The dogs even smiled.
The kids were called out one by one and they had all been pretty good this past year. About ten kids into the event a small girl was summoned before St. Nikolaus.
Saint Lucy launched into a list of her misdeeds. The crowd sighed and booed as the bad behavior was listed point by point. The girl looked nervous. Her bad list went on and on. She had been an unbelievably bad little girl. St. Nikolaus raised his hand. Saint Lucy stopped reading. He bent over and opened the sack of switches. All the adults, including me, were given a switch.
All the adults waved their switches as Saint Lucy continue reading the girl’s misdeeds. This was a blood thirsty crowd! St. Nikolaus had the girl step into the sack, but the sack was left on the ground around her feet. Saint Lucy began to read the girls good deeds, but it was a light and short list. The crowd chanted for the girl to be put in the sack and switched. I realized this was the girl's fate if the good list was shorter than the bad list.
Tears ran down the girls face but Saint Lucy pronounced that the girl had one good deed more than her bad deeds. The crowd booed; they were ready to switch her. She got a small stocking and ran quickly away back to her seat. One other boy came close to being switched. But all the kids had been good this year, though for some it was a narrow escape from being switched in the sack.
One parent near me assured me that bad kids had been switched in years past, but it was rare. He seemed disappointed with this year’s outcome.
Saint Nikolaus gave the last kid their stocking. He exclaimed a jolly, “Ho Ho Ho,” wishing all a Merry Christmas. Then, he and Saint Lucy walked out into the snowy German winter night.
I bought more branches for dinner, I had no idea how much money I spent. Several boys and I had a water fight in the bathroom. I had stopped drinking beer, not being able to keep up with this German crowd. More awards were given, and we sang Christmas carols. The words were German, but the tunes were the same ones I knew by heart: Silent Night is the same song halfway around the world.
Merry Christmas.
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