I have the fondest childhood memories of Advent back in Austria. It was the time when we counted the days until Christmas Eve by opening a new window in the Advent calendar each morning and by lighting a new candle on the Advent wreath every Sunday. We were kids; so the hustle and bustle of shopping eluded us for the most part, and so it always felt like a peaceful time as well. We got excited about the first dusting of snow, took evening walks bundled up, and looked forward to the holidays, which meant time off from school, getting presents, and starting a new year with celebrations that allowed us to stay up beyond midnight. It was a time full of anticipation and quiet pondering.
Austrian are predominantly catholic, so traditions are closely tied to the catholic faith. Advent, coming from the Latin Adventus meaning arrival, is meant to be a period of reflection, prayer and conversion in anticipation of the coming of Christ. It begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends sundown on Christmas Eve. And believe me for us children it was all about counting the days until we would get those presents. The Advent calendar and Advent wreaths were therefore much cherished. The Advent calendar apparently did not come into use until the 1800s, and prior to that families drew a chalk line for each day to mark the weeks until Christmas. But the history of the Advent wreath of evergreens can be traced back as a symbol in northern Europe long before the arrival of Christianity, and it was not used as a Christian custom until the 16th century. Before that the circle symbolized the eternal cycle of the seasons, while the evergreen and lighted candles signified the persistence of life during winter.
Religious or not, those four weeks before Christmas always made us children reflect somehow. Perhaps it was the cold weather, the short days, the scent of incense, the lights at the “Christkindlmarkt” (Christmas market). Somehow it was peaceful. But it was also the time to prepare for most anticipated event, the arrival of the “Christkindl” (the Christ child) who would bestow us lots of presents. We spent time with our families, singing carols, playing games, baking Christmas cookies, which included the typical hazelnut crescents and “Linzer” cookies, and creating star-shaped ornaments for the tree from straw and string.
But every year this quiet time got interrupted early on by two major events, one most feared and the other one most treasured. December 5th is “Krampustag” (Krampus day) in Austria, and I remember being very afraid when I was really little. Krampus is a demon-like creature often represented by the devil himself who is believed to accompany St. Nicholas during his visits to children, warning and punishing them if they had been bad. Originating in Austria and Hungary the myth also reached northern Italy, Croatia, Slovakia and Slovenia. Krampys carries chains and bells to announce his arrival, birch branches to dispense punishment and a basket to take the really bad children away. In a tradition where Christianity blended with old German Pagan rituals young men still get elaborately dressed up as devils and roam the streets frightening women and children. Each tries to outshine the other in size and fierceness. Large heads with glowing eyes and multiple cow or goat horns top fur-covered bodies. With tied birch branches in hand they scare the daylight out of small children and even the adults who go out to see them, as they cannot recognize who is under the masks. Let’s just say that it is important to not only dress warm, but to also have some padding around the hips and the behind, perhaps expecting a bit of bullying or retaliation from the past.
Now the following day, December 6th, provided an entirely different experience. It is when we celebrated “Sankt Nikolaus” (St. Nicholas) who came bearing gifts for the children, mostly chocolates, nuts, apples and citrus fruits, the treasures of Winter. In Austria Santa still arrives early, as it is the “Christkindl” (Christ child) who customarily brings the presents on Christmas. This is who we addressed our letter to, not Santa. Promulgated by Martin Luther to discourage the figure of St. Nicholas during the 16th-17th century Protestants changed the gift bringer to the Christ child and the date from December 6th to Christmas Eve. This tradition was adopted by the Catholics in the 19th century, but has in recent years been facing increasing competition from Santa Claus. Times are changing in Austria too, and these traditions remain stronger in rural areas, as many other customs.
As Krampus day and St. Nicholas day approach I wonder if children in Austria today are still filled with the same sense of awe and excitement we experienced. According to the Austrian Independent good old Saint Nick is not fading in popularity. Now where do I find that chocolate St. Nicholas? I would love to hear about your fondest memories of the month of December.
Cheers,
