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CHRISTMAS

German word of the day: der Weihnachtsbaumschmuck

You have to know this great German word that should come in handy pretty soon - and may (or may not) involve a Christmas pickle.

Der Weihnachtsbaumschmuck is written on a blackboard.
Photo: Francesco Ungaro / Unsplash + Nicolas Raymond / flickr

Around the world Christmas trees are decorated and lit up with colourful baubles and traditional figurines. In Germany, these decorations are called “Weihnachtsbaumschmuck”. 

The first part refers to the German word for “Christmas”, der Baum is “tree” and der Schmuck comes from the verb schmücken, “to decorate”.

The noun “Schmuck” can therefore have many translations; on its own it can mean jewellery such as necklaces, hoops and rings, or it can mean decorations, which is the meaning used in relation to this time of year. 

The word also has an underlying sense of something that is beautiful and tasteful. Der Weihnachtsbaumschmuck or der Christbaumschmuck therefore translates to Christmas tree decorations.

READ ALSO: How Germany invented Christmas as we know it

A Christmas tree with decorations in Weißenfels, Saxony-Anhalt.
A Christmas tree with decorations in Weißenfels, Saxony-Anhalt. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/dpa-Zentralbild | Sebastian Willnow

The custom of decorating Christmas trees first began in Germany in the 16th century, where evergreen trees were adorned with apples and nuts. Martin Luther was then credited with adding lit candles to the tree to represent stars.

Nowadays, Christmas trees can feature everything from baubles, fairy lights, tinsel, candy canes and figurines. Traditionally, people in Germany do not put their tree up until the 24th or December, which is also their main day of festive celebration.

However, it is getting more common to put the tree up a few days or even weeks earlier, in order to fully enjoy the decorative “Schmuck”.

What Christmas tree decorations are popular in Germany?

Traditionally, ornaments made out of wood, such as the popular figure of the nutcracker or hand-blown glass, usually baubles, are hung up on the tree. The classic bauble, or “Christbaumkugel” replaced the apple decoration and is thought to have been invented in the glassblowing region of Lauscha in Thuringia.

Angels are another common feature on Christmas trees in Germany, specifically representing the Christkind, which is the angel figure delivering presents in many regions of Germany, taking over the typical role of Father Christmas.

Other decorations include symbolic ornaments, such as the ladybug, a common symbol for good luck in Germany and birds, representing peace and wisdom.

However, the belief that Germans hang up a Christmas pickle hidden in their trees for someone to find is largely a myth. Nonetheless, you will still be able to find kitschy Christmas pickle decorations around Christmas markets and shops in Germany, as well as the hand-carved or glass classics –  Käthe Wohlfahrt is the most popular company selling Christmas decorations in Germany year-round. 

READ ALSO: Are Christmas pickle ornaments really a German tradition?

Examples:

Jetzt, wo wir unseren Baum gekauft haben, ist es an der Zeit, ihn mit Christbaumschmuck zu schmücken.

Now that we’ve bought our tree it is time to decorate it with Christmas tree ornaments.

Viele glauben, dass die Weihnachtsgurke in Deutschland ein traditioneller Weihnachtsbaumschmuck ist.

Many believe the Christmas pickle to be a traditional Christmas tree decoration in Germany.

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GERMAN WORD OF THE DAY

German word of the day: Tagundnachtgleiche

This March equinox marks the astronomical beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere, and occurs on the 20th this year. Did you know there are two German terms for this day?

German word of the day: Tagundnachtgleiche

Why do I need to know ‘Tagundnachtgleiche’?

You may hear this word a lot on Wednesday, and then probably not again until the autumnal equinox comes in September.

More of a novel term than one for everyday use, Die Tagundnachtgleiche is one you can use to impress German speakers with your knowledge of heavens and the earth, and your expansive vocabulary.

What does it mean?

Tagundnachtgleiche is the German word for equinox, which is the day when the sun crosses the celestial equator, making the day and night equal in length and also marking a change of seasons.

Alternatively the word Äquinoktium is also used for equinox.

Each year contains two equinoxes: a spring equinox (Frühlings-Tagundnachtgleiche or Frühjahrs-Tagundnachtgleiche) and a fall equinox (Herbst-Tagundnachtgleiche).

The spring equinox, which falls on March 20th this year, marks the beginning of spring. From this day forward, daylight hours in the northern hemisphere will continue getting longer until the summer solstice.

READ ALSO: Seven signs that spring has arrived in Germany

The word equinox comes from Latin and literally means “equal night”, meaning that the night is equal to the day (or more specifically that the hours of darkness are equal to the hours of daylight.)

In this case, the German term leaves nothing to be deduced. The word is a short phrase put together – Tag und Nacht Gleiche – meaning “day and night equality”.

Equinox traditions

The Spring Equinox and the beginning of the spring season is cause for celebration in cultures around the world, and is often linked with traditions related to rebirth, renewal and fertility.

Among pre-Christian Germanic tribes such as the Saxons, a spring Goddess called Ostara, was celebrated on the Spring Equinox with a feast day and other traditions such as planting seeds or decorating eggs. Traditional symbols for Ostara included rabbits and ducklings.

It is widely believed that some of these traditions were later adopted and Catholicised, leading to the creation of Easter (Ostern) as we know it today. 

Use it like this:

In diesem Jahr findet die Frühlings-Tagundnachtgleiche zwischen dem 19. und 20. März statt.

This year the spring equinox is between March 19th and 20th.

Glückliche Tagundnachtgleiche!

Happy equinox!

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