In the Advent / Christmas season there is a lot of living tradition in the
valley basin occurs.
It starts with the women tying the Advent wreath together
at.
Around Christmas the Christmas trees are
at waning moon struck just before new moon and
then with handmade original Berchtesgadener
decorated Christmas decorations.
The custom ends with the “smoking out of the
houses” in the Rough nights at the turn of the year.
The four most important rough nights are called
* 20./21. December (Thomas Night)
* 24./25. December (Christmas Eve)
* January 31st, 12th / 1st (New Year’s Eve) and
* 5th / 6th January (Epiphany)
The housewife is not allowed to hang laundry
in these to dry otherwise let the evil spirits come there and misfortune bring
about the family.
Other highlights for many families of several generations
in the “Staden Zeit” are among others:
• “Klöckerlsingen / Kletzlngehn” (Alpine custom
from 15th century). The children go to the
Thursdays in Advent at dusk from house to
House and call “Kletz Kletz” to ask for small gifts.
• “Kramperllauf” (relic from the Celtic era).
On 5th / 6th December (Feast of St. Nicholas) draw “wild
Journeyman ”with him from house to house. Young fellows
feverishly look forward to this event all year round. She
must be unmarried and be either with fur
or constricted straw. Their loud bells and that
sometimes scary shouting goes to small children
through the marrow and bone. Families are waiting eagerly at home
until Santa Claus comes. They sing, make music or
read him a poem. But woe to the parents report
Santa Claus that the child is not good during the year
then it could be that the Kramperl is the child
takes away. But if the wild fellows were a pretty girl
recognize, then try to catch it with theirs
soot-smeared painted hands so that this should bring the young girl
happiness and a healthy blessing to children.
• For many men, old and young, this is
Christmas shooting is a great tradition. In the
Christmas rifle club are young men of
a godfather, mostly from the family, trained to shoot firecrackers.
Often they become the “firecracker” of an old family member
transfered. The firecrackers are not entirely harmless and
requires a lot of conscientiousness. The shooters shoot in
the week before Christmas daily from 3 p.m. and
thus announce the birth of Jesus Christ.
• Another very beautiful custom is the day of St. Lucia
on December 13th. In the collegiate church, the Darkness a
very atmospheric light procession
held. All believers go with a burning one
Candle in the church and thus honor Saint Lucia, the
Saints of light.
Visit the Berchtesgadener Advent, because there you can
experience these small and big events and enjoy
yourself.
The Berchtesgadener Advent usually takes place from
25.11. 25.11. until 31.12.21 takes place in the historical core of the market
Berchtesgaden.