National Adult Literacy Database

December 17, 2012

Irene-Ann and her mother celebrate at the Spring garden Road ALP Festive Potluck

This week, the stories are written by students with the Halifax Community Learning Network. The story below was written by Irene-Ann Hinde, from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Irene-Ann works on her literacy skills with a tutor at the Spring Garden Road Adult Learning Program in Halifax.

My Mother’s Memories of her Childhood Christmas

by Irene-Ann Hinde

My mother grew up in the East of Germany in the East Prussia.  There they had early snow and had lots of it.  It was fun for the children in the wintertime to go skating, skiing and tobogganing.

Kounigsberg had a lake in the middle of the city.  In the winter the city kept the ice free from snow and installed loud speakers around the lake so the public could skate with music.

Her Christmas memories started with the first Advent four Sundays before Christmas.  Every Sunday afternoon the family (her mother’s parents, my mother, her sister and grandma and grandpa) got together for coffee and cake.  As a center piece on the table was an Advents wreath with four red candles.  On the first Advent Sunday one candle was lit.  After coffee her father played the Zither, and they all sang Christmas carols.  After singing the candle was put out.  Every following Sunday another candle was lit.  That meant the light got brighter to Christmas, the birthday of Jesus.

My mother enjoyed making Christmas cookies with her mother.  My mother’s Aunt lived in the country and sent Christmas trees for her parents, one large tree for the parents and one smaller tree for the 2 girls.  The parent’s tree was decorated with white candles and ornaments; the smaller tree had colored candles and sweets as ornaments. The children did not see the trees until Christmas Eve after they came home from church.  After a light supper the Weihnachts Mann (Santa Claus) came sometimes to give the children a gift if they had been good.  The children had to recite a Christmas Poem for him in front of the Christmas tree with the lit candles.

Than the gifts were opened and everybody looked what was on their “Bunte Teller” a plate with goodies, chocolates, Christmas cookies and Marzipan.  With Christmas music, laughter and a happy feeling that it was possible to be all together.  We ended our Christmas Eve.  Christmas Day is another story.