Coronado Eagle, Volume 6, Number 47, 29 November 1995 — Christmas With A German Touch Is In Coronado [ARTICLE]

Christmas With A German Touch Is In Coronado

by Susan Tubielewicz

In Germany, according to Rita Wadleigh, Christmas celebrations start at the begining of December. On December 6th, St. Nickolus Day, children place a pair of shoes in front of their door the night before, and when they wake up, on the 6th with little gifts in their shoes. Ibis takes the place of the American Christmas Stocking. Four weeks before Christmas, we light an advent wreath. This wreath is comprised of four red candles surrounded by a ring of pine needles. The first Sunday, four weeks before Christmas one candle is lit. The following Sundays an additional red candle

is lit, when all four candles have been lighted, Christmas has arrived. On Christmas Eve, all the children are sent to church, with a supervising adult, while someone decorates the tree. “My father always cut a huge tree that practically filled the room,” said Mrs. Wadleigh. After church, everyone indulged in a festive dinner, which mainly consist of fish/seafood. Then, her father would ring a bell and he would lead everyone to the huge Christmas tree room. Around the lavishly tree, decorated with hundreds of lighted candles, there were small tables loaded with presents for everyone.