-
- Enlarge image
- A German girl and a Polish boy decorate a tree with paper stars in Berlin.
- (© picture-alliance/dpa)
Thank you for giving my brother and me the opportunity to share our Christmas tree memory with you and the readers of TWIG (The Week in Germany).
Since the essay mentions our parents, I would like to mention that during World War II our Dad (Charles G. Reibeling) served his country with the 12th Armored Division B/56th Armored Infantry Battalion.
It was during his service in Germany that he met our mother, Agnes, in the town in which she was born and raised - Röttingen, in western Germany.
While our Dad was stationed in Germany, he and his company were billeted at the farm which was owned by our mother's parents. After the war, our mother came to America and later married our Dad.
Our beloved Mom passed away on December 4, 2001, and our dear Dad died on January 11, 2005.
Thank you again for allowing us to share with you, during this very special time of the year, just one of our fond memories of our parents.
Sincerely,
Charles A. Reibeling & Elaine A. Reibeling
-
- Enlarge image
- A family christmas in mid-20th-century Germany.
- (© © picture-alliance/dpa)
There is one "precious collectible" Christmas memory that I will never forget from my childhood, and one that I know my brother has not forgotten, that I would like to share with you. I have entitled it "The Locked Door."
For several days prior to Christmas Eve our living room was "off limits" to my brother and me. First, our mother would clean the room from top to bottom and hang the good curtains that were used only at Christmastime. Then the drapes, which she had taken out of her cedar chest, were ironed and hung. I can still remember the lovely smell of cedar that would permeate the air and linger in the room for days.
Afterward the door was locked from the inside so we could not enter; although we did at times try to peak into the room through the keyhole. We were told that the reason the door was locked was because Santa was coming and was going to work in the room. At that time, little did we know that Santa was indeed Mr. & Mrs. Claus - our mother and father.
Mother cleaned every room of the house and the decorating would begin. Every room, even the bathroom, had at least one Christmas decoration. After all this work had been completed the living room was decorated. First, a heavy wooden white painted box with all its attachments was brought from the basement.
-
- Enlarge image
- A family Christmas in mid-20th-century Germany.
- (© picture-alliance/dpa/HelgaLadeFotoagenturGmbH)
When our dad came home from service during World War II, he designed and made by hand the box and all the attachments. The attachments consisted of the tree stand, the manger, a set of white wooden steps which attached to the front of the heavy white box, a small organ made by my paternal grandfather, and two transformers.
The white box had a green wooden fence all around the top with a gate that opened and closed at the front where the steps leading up to the manger were placed as well as four old fashioned looking black painted metal lampposts. The Christmas tree stand and the manger were arranged on top of the white box. Two transformers powered all the lights of the tree stand and the manger, the lampposts, as well as the light sets on the Christmas tree.
The day before Christmas Eve, mother and dad would bring the tree (a real live tree, not an artificial one) into the living room and place it in the tree stand. The tree had been stored in water in the backyard since the first Saturday of December when it was purchased. Both mother and dad decorated the tree using lights and all kinds of ornaments. Some of the ornaments were from dad's childhood days and were kept in good condition by our grandma and then by our mother.
The last item to be placed on the tree was the tinsel and this was mother's favorite part of decorating the tree. The tinsel was hung - not in bunches - but each strand individually until the whole package had been used.
-
- Enlarge image
- A German couple with their new TV set in the 1950s.
- (© picture-alliance/dpa)
I will never forget how carefully and precisely she hung each strand. She took such great pleasure in hanging the tinsel.
When the tree was completely decorated, the very last task was for mother to place Mary, Joseph, the Baby Jesus, the wise men, assorted animals as well as all the other figures under the tree on top of the white wooden box. This was a very time consuming task because the figures were small and very, very fragile. Most of them were quite old and had been made in France and Germany.
For me, the real special moment of this Christmas memory came before we were allowed into the living room for the first time on Christmas Eve. Before we could see the tree and receive our presents, my brother and I would have to sing Christmas carols. I distinctly remember that two of the required songs were: O Tannenbaum and Ihr Kinderlein kommet. First we sang in front of the closed door to our grandma's bedroom, and then in front of the locked living room door. The singing would allow ample time for our parents to get into the living room, light the tree, make sure everything was in working order, and allow our father to get into position with his camera. Only when the singing was completed were we allowed into the living room.
I will never forget seeing a photo of my brother taken at the tender age of maybe four or five as he came running into the room. How cute he looked in his long red pajamas and the red and white crocheted slipper booties that grandma had made. His eyes were all aglow with the look of childlike anticipation.
Charles A. Reibeling & Elaine A. Reibeling
