Show GERMANY I 1 Much of the worlds world's Christmas traditions is of Germanic origin not necessarily from the geographical geo geo- graphical Germany of recent times limes but from the areas of the central European heartland In Germany the feast of St. St Nicholas was celebrated on December December De De- cember sixth and he was represented represented as riding a white horse and md accompanied by his servant Rupprecht Rupprecht was a thin dark man carrying a sack in which to put bad children St S1 Nicholas of course carried gifts for the good children The custom of hanging stockings is said to have ha originated from the story about St Nicholas Nicholas' gift of a bag of gold old to one of the flowerless daughters which accidentally fell into a stocking hung near a chimney chimney chim chim- ney to dry When a large part of Germany moved b by the teachings of Martin Luther separated from the Itoman Roman Ro Ito man Catholic Church St S1 Nicholas Nicho Nicho- las was replaced by Kris Krin Kringle Kringle gle who was depicted as a ayoung ayoung ayoung young girl gul wearing a golden goldencrown goldencrown goldencrown crown and carr carrying ing a small Christmas tree the tree of light Kris Kringle was considered consid consid- ered a messenger from the Christ Chust- kind or Christ Child and md personified person the idea of gift giving gift giving tI r r. r 1 |