Christmas Around The World

GermanyBy

Hannah

Christmas Begins• Christmas preparations

often begin on the eve of December 6th.

People often set aside special evenings for baking spiced cakes and cookies, and making gifts and decorations. Little dolls of fruit are traditional Christmas toys. Froehliche Weihnachten is how you say Merry Christmas in Germany.

Traditional Foods

• The German Christmas tree pastry, Christbaumgeback, is a white dough that can be molded into shapes and baked for tree decorations.

Santa In Germany

• In parts of Germany, people believe that the Christ Child sends a messenger in Christmas Eve. He appears as an angel in a white robe and crown, bearing gifts. The angel is called Christkind. There is also a Christmas Eve figure called Weihnachtsmann or Christmas Man, he looks like Santa Claus and also brings gifts.

Recipes

• 2 1/2 tablespoons of golden syrup1/2 cup of butter1/2 cup of brown sugaregg yolk2 cups of plain flourlevel teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda, free of lumps3 level teaspoons of ground gingerdash on cinnamon, optionalextra flour for rolling pastrycurrants, peel, cherries and a little icing

Stand container of golden syrup in hot water to soften.Beat the butter and sugar to a cream, then beat the egg yolk.Beat in the syrup. Slowly add flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger and an optional dash of cinnamon.With floury hands kneed into a dough. Wrap in plactic and place in fridge for 1 hour, making it easier to roll out.Brush flour on the rolling pin and under the dough. Roll to an even 10 mm (1/3 inch) thick and cut out shapes.Place on a greased tray about 2 cms (3/4 inch) apart and bake in a moderately slow oven (180 degrees celcius/ 350 degrees farenheit) for about 12 minutes.Leave for a few minutes and remove with a spatula.Decorate with icing, pee, cherries etc.

Reference

• http://www.santas.net/aroundtheworld.htm