Cinnamon Stars 1 LB powdered sugar ½ lb almonds, ground ½ lb English Walnuts ground 6 egg whites 1 T cinnamon ½ Tsp baking powder Beat eggs whites with sugar, adding sugar a little at a time. Beat for 15 minutes. Reserve ½ cup the this egg white/sugar mixture. Add nutmeats, cinnamon and baking powder. Chill overnight. Remove a small portion of dough and place on a heavily floured surface. Working quickly, press with floured hands about ½ inch thick or so. Cut with a sharp, floured star shaped cutter. Place on cookie sheet. (We use baking parchment covered cookie sheets) Spread a little dab of the reserved white/sugar mixture for frosting. I use the back of a spoon, put a dollop in the center and drag it out to the edges a little. Bake at 300 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes. Carefully remove from sheets. Cool. Store in airtight container. The thicker the cookie, the less chance there is of breaking a point off when you remove them from the pan. Top of the cookie, including the frosting will be lightly browned and crackled. (Of course if you break the points off, you can immediately eat the points and the broken cookies) By keeping the unused dough in the refrigerator while you work, it stays cold and does not get as soft and sticky. Karen JENTER Michigan USA

Lebkuchen My brother and I weren't fond of all the candied fruit in Christmas baking so my mom found this recipe in a magazine when we were kids. We still bake the same recipe every year, it must be about 40 years old now. 9 c flour 1 ½ tsp baking soda 3 tsp allspice 3 tsp nutmeg 3 tsp cinnamon 3 c nutmeats chopped, we use walnuts 3 c honey, warmed 3 eggs 12 oz dried pineapple ground, (grind with a little flour, so it does not get all sticky.) (you find this in health food section, it is like the kind in trail mix) (you can use candied pineapple, but you should dry it out a little and add some flour when you grind it) 3 Tbls lemon juice 2 ½ c brown sugar 6 tsp grated lemon peel blanched almonds Glaze: 1 egg white, beaten slightly 1 Tbls lemon juice 1 ½ c sifted powdered sugar Mix flour, spice and baking soda, set aside. Warm homey. Beat sugar and eggs. Add lemon juice and honey, beat well. Beat in lemon peel and 1 cup flour, add the rest of the flour, pineapple and nuts. Refrigerate. (My mom has kept the dough in the refrigerator or on the cold back porch for several weeks before she bakes them.) Roll on a floured surface for about ½ inch. Cut with an oblong shaped. My mom uses the same cutter she has used for years, it is a Spam Can. Place a blanched almond in the center of each cookie. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes. Glaze: Mix all ingredients. Brush glaze on the hot cookies as soon as they come from the oven. Glaze can dry out while you are using it. We keep it in a small bowl covered with a damp paper towel. Store cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread or apple, it keeps them soft. Cookies can be baked several weeks ahead and allowed to mellow. Karen JENTER Michigan USA

Spritz 1 lb unsalted butter-no substitutes 1 ½ c sugar 5 eggs 5 c sifted flour ¼ t salt 1 tsp baking powder 1 t almond extract Cream sugar and butter, beat well, until light in color. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add dry ingredients And mix well. Refrigerate for 1 hours. Force cookies through a cookie press fitted with desired design disk. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes, until edges just turn golden. Watch carefully as they can brown and burn quickly. +++++++++++++++++++++++++ Chocolate Spritzkuchen 1 c soft butter, no substitutes 2/3 c sugar 3 egg yolks ½ c chocolate syrup (I use Hershey's Syrup) 1 tsp almond extract 2 ½ c flour ¼ tsp salt Red maraschino cherries Green maraschino cherries Combine sugar and butter, add egg yolks and beat until light and fluffy. Add almond extract and chocolate syrup. Beat well. Add dry ingredients. Force through a cookie press, fitted with a disk that makes cookies in the shape of a wreath Cut green cherries in 8 strips, cut red cherries in 8 strips then cut each strip in half so you have about 16 pieces. I put 3 stripes of green on a cookie in the shape of holly and add 1 or 2 pieces of the red cherry like a holly berry. Bake at 400 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes, until the bottom is just slightly brown and cookie is set. Cool and store in an airtight container. My press has a disk that puts down about 8-10 little blobs of dough, they bake together to form a wreath shape Karen JENTER Michigan USA

Pfeffernuesse (Peppernuts) ¾ c light molasses ½ c oleo or butter 2 beaten eggs 4 ½ c flour ½ c sugar 1 ¼ tsp baking soda 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground cloves ½ tsp nutmeg Dash of pepper In a saucepan or in the microwave combine the molasses and oleo/butter, cooking and stirring until oleo/butter is melted. Cook to room temp then stir in the eggs. Sift flour, sugar, baking soda, and spices. Add the molasses mixture and mix well. Chill several hours or overnight. Shape into 1-inch balls. Baked at 375 degrees for 12 minutes. Cool. Roll in powdered sugar. Let set a few minutes, and roll in powdered sugar again. Makes about 4 ½ dozen cookies. Karen JENTER Michigan USA

This is my recipe for Springerele that is in our church cookbook, including the story about my Springerele molds at the end. 8 eggs room temperature 8 ¼ cups four 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp Anise extract or ¼ tsp anise oil ½ c water Anise seed optional 2 lbs powdered sugar, separated 1 tsp salt-optional In a medium bowl beat the egg yolks and 1 lb of the sugar, for 15 minutes on high speed with an electric mixer, gradually adding the sugar. In a large bowl beat the other lb of sugar and the egg whites for 15 minutes again adding the sugar gradually. Combine the yolk mixture in the egg white mixture bowl and beat until blended. Add the anise extract or the oil and the water. Mix the baking powder in the flour and add the flour mixture gradually to the egg mixture Mix first with a mixer and then with hands and a wooden spoon. Dough should be stiff, not dry, and not too sticky. If too dry add a little water, if too sticky add a little flour. Roll dough out until it is between ½ to ¾ inch thick. Press on the mold and cut out the cookies. Place cookies close together on a clean dish towel, sprinkled with anise seed (optional) Let cookies dry overnight. To bake brush each cookie with water and bake in a 325 degree oven for 15 to 18 minutes until the button is just starting to get golden but not brown. Carefully remove from pan cook and store in an air tight container. Depending on the side of your cookie molds, should yield between 5 and 7 dozen. I am fortunate enough to have, as one of my most prized possessions, 6 wooden Springerele molds that belong to my great grandmother Anna Dorothy Schaible Jenter, my grandmother Cora Grossmann Jenter, my two great aunts, Emilie Jenter Spafard, and Emma Grossmann Dresselhouse, and my dear friend Amanda Glatz. I learned how to make Springerele when I was a small girl, barely able to reach the counter. Each year as I take out my prize molds, I think of grandmothers, aunts and dear friends making Springerele too. My recipe call for beating the eggs with powdered sugar for 15 minutes with an electric mixer. Now my great grandmother, and probably my grandmother and aunts as young girls, did not have electric mixers, but each year patiently carried on the family tradition of mixing eggs, sugar, flour and anise by hand, a task that not man of us would create by hand today. In our world of microwave ovens, blenders and every modern kitchen aid known to man, I would, in a flash, give up all my modern kitchen conveniences for one change to spend the day at the elbow of my grandmother, my aunts and my dear friend, creating wonderful works of art, Springerele. Karen L. Jenter A few hints and tricks: We like our cookies crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside. By beating the sugar and eggs for 15 minutes, it makes them soft inside. To keep them soft, add a slice of fresh bread to the container. Change the slice of bread as needed. I bake my cookies on baking parchment paper. When you take them out of the oven, let them set a few minute and you can carefully peel the cookies from the paper. If you are careful enough, just brush off any crumbs and use the paper again. You can bake several sheets of cookies using the same paper. Discard paper for fresh if it gets ripped or brittle. Cookies can be baked ahead and left to mellow in the air tight containers. These cookies freeze well and pack very well for shipping and mailing. Karen JENTER Michigan USA

Yes, We [my parents and I] first experienced meat fondue in the late 1950's in New Glarus, Wisconsin, a Swiss village, known for among other things, its lace. I believe it was at its hotel or inn. We thought it was great and soon my parents had a fondue pot or two, and even dishes for the meat fondue with depressions for each sauce. Great memories and great eating. Nomie -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] <[email protected]> To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Date: Saturday, December 02, 2000 11:12 PM Subject: Re: [GERMAN-LIFE] Real Candles >In a message dated 12/2/00 10:04:09 AM US Mountain Standard Time, >[email protected] writes: > > >> OK, first you need a "fondue" equipment (don't know whether it's known in >> > >For those of us willing to admit it -- IN the 60's this was HOT to do fondue! > One of my kids discovered a "NEW" restraurant in Phoenix Arizone which does >this, she thought she'd discovered something really NEW! SORRY KID we had >fondue parties when I was your age!!! We didn't DO the meat all that much >but know that it's essentially frying the meat in hot oil then you'd dip the >fried meats in sauces. (As I recall there were different 'friers' for MEAT >fondue as the CHEESE, and chocolate ones were over candles. I suspect this >fell out of favor when we noticed that dining on cheeses, chocolates and >FRIED MEAT wasn't all that HEART Healthy! -- marge > >______________________________

Today the Advents Season begins. Since I make all my own Greeting cards. I have a nice Advent poem. It is in German. I will write it in German and then the translation in English. May be some one can help me with the translation. Advent Im Tale sind die Blumen nun verblüht Und auf den Bergen liegt der erste Schnee. Des Sommers Licht und Wärme sind verglüht, In Eis verwandelt ist der blaue See. Wie würde mir mein Herz in Einsamkeit Und in des Winters Kälte angstvoll gehn, Könnt ich in aller tiefen Dunkelheit Nicht doch ein Licht des Tages sehn. Es leuchtet fern und sanft aus einem Land, Das einstens voll solcher Lichtern war, Da ging ich fröhlich an der Mutter Hand Und trug in Zöpfen noch mein braunes Haar. Verändert hat die Welt sich hundertmal In Auf und Ab- doch sieh, mein Lichtlein brennt! Durch aller Jahre Mühen, Freud und Qual leuchtet es hell und schön: Es ist Advent Advent In the meadow the flowers are out of bloom In the mountain there lays the first snow. The summers light and warms is no more glowing, The ice has transformed the blue lake. My heart would be very lonely And I would go fearful in the Winters cold. If I could not see in this darkness the light of the day. It shines far and soft from an other country That once was full of lights I walked on my mothers hand and had my brown hair in breads. The world has changed hundreds of times Thru Up and Downs, but look, my light is burning Thru all the years of trouble, joy and pain it shines bright and beautiful: It is Advent. Katharina _____________________________________________________________________________________ Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com

I'm looking for a recipe that we bought from a bakery when I was a child -- and they were a nutty, slightly spicy, golden cinnamon colored cooky that were cut into hearts and diamonds and round scalloped. Does this sound familiar to anyone -- Katharina you seem to know everything? This was the only cookie we bought and it was from a Swiss-German bakery that no longer exists. Thank you again. Claire

Hi Margaret, Thank you for the site on the advent calendar, it is just delightful. I have been printing the pages, I think they will make a nice reminder of what great traditions we German's have. Again, anyone, who has not gone to the site, try it out. Here it is again, thanks to Margaret. http://www.germany-info.org/xmas and select Advent Calendar Thanks again Karen JENTER Michigan USA

Hello everyone, I have had a lot of offline response to recipe for cookies, including Springerele, Cinnamon Stars, (Zimerstern), etc. I am off right now to the kitchen to stir up a batch of Springerele, this afternoon, but later this afternoon or early evening, I will be glad to share these a few other recipes with the list. Until later.... Karen JENTER Michigan USA

Hello List Members, Just wanted to share this link with all of you. It's most informative on German culture. Sincerely, Mark Overlock http://germanculture.about.com/culture/germanculture/mbody.htm

I am reading all of these very familiar Christmas traditions and I find it absolutely amazing and wonderful to imagine how long they have survived in countries very distant from their origins. I give tremendous credit to those people who were able to keep alive the beautiful aspects of their culture for those of us, today, to enjoy. It was not an easy feat. We arrived in the "New World" in a very recent influx of Europeans - the 1950's. Yet, even then it was very difficult to gather together all the trimmings that went into having a "real" German Christmas. We kept our tradition of celebrating on the 24th, but coming up with the familiar items that made the day special took a lot of work and imagination. Canada was totally Anglo as far as traditions went. The long needled trees were popular, and we always had a short-needled tree. Santa's and decorations were readily available, but no representations of the Christkind nor the intricately blown glass ornaments which in Germany were works of art. Candles were unheard of. And nowhere could one purchase Lebkuchen, Stollen, foilwrapped chocolate tree ornaments, or my favourite - marzipan ornaments. Until the immigrants set down roots and opened businesses to cater to the immigrant market, our traditions survivied orally. Some of my warmest memories come from the stories my mother told about Christmases in Germany while we watched her create the German food that could not be bought. Life as a new immigrant was hard --she worked sometimes six days a week. But she made time for those marvellous "blaetzli" and the heart-warming stories. Besides giving honour to our common and lovely traditions and memories, let us also honour the amazing spirit of those wonderful people who kept those traditions alive for us, somethimes through very difficult and challenging circumstances. Best wishes und ein herzlichen Weinacht's Gruss from Canada Elsa Kahler

In a message dated 03/12/00 17:02:39 GMT Standard Time, [email protected] writes: << Featured was a small town just off the beaten path between Salzburg and Vienna (I don't recall the name of the town) with a tiny church and cemetery. Apparently the cemetery was so small that the bones were kept in the graves for only a short time (12 years, if memory serves me) >> Hi Jayne This is the town whose name I was trying to remember, I visited it and was taken aback by the practice of digging up the remains and placing them on display, especially after such a short time. It was explained to me that not only was the churchyard so small that it could only contain a few graves but the biggest factor was the rock that lay only a few inches below the surface of anywhere in the town, this made excavations long and costly so the inhabitants solved the matter in a practical if somewhat bizarre manner. Did you see the McDonald's sign in Salzburg? Most appropriate that the city fathers had insisted on one in keeping with the rest of the street. Cheers Jack in the land of Robin Hood

Another story about bones: Last year about this time, my cousin and I were planning a trip to Europe -- Germany and Austria were our focus since we believed at that time that our gggrandfather and family may have been from Austria. We were trying to find out all we could about traveling in those two countries. One evening I was watching our local (Houston, Texas) PBS station and caught an hour-long travel show called "Rick Steves, Travels in Europe''. The focus of this particular episode was Austria so I watched, anxious to find out all I could about the country. Featured was a small town just off the beaten path between Salzburg and Vienna (I don't recall the name of the town) with a tiny church and cemetery. Apparently the cemetery was so small that the bones were kept in the graves for only a short time (12 years, if memory serves me), and were then taken out of the grave, cleaned off and placed in a small chapel. The chapel was shown and there were bones stacked against the walls and under the altar in a very organized manner -- all the leg bones under the alter looked like cords of wood stacked up. On top of the altar were the skulls of the departed -- decorated lovingly by family members -- and each skull had a name painted on it. The first skull that came into focus was that of Josef Steiner -- THE NAME OF MY GGGGRANDFATHER!! Chills went through me!! I was very moved by the sight of these skulls and bones -- and especially by seeing my ancestor's name on one of them! As it turns out, it was NOT my ggggrandfather's skull, but the coincidence was astounding! My cousin and I did visit Germany and Austria in May of this year and saw in Saltzburg a beautiful cemetery with many graves where multiple persons have been buried per grave. This is the cemetery that was featured in 'The Sound of Music' and is a lovely place. The graves are very small -- about 2 x 3 feet -- and are miniature flower gardens with beautiful crosses and other decorations on them. Our guide told us that there is one grave per family and when a person dies, the top of the family grave (where the flowers and other decorations are) is removed, the person's remains are placed in the grave -- on top of the ones already there -- and the grave is closed. After the grave 'settles', the decorations and flowers are placed again on top of the grave. There was nothing mentioned about the bones being removed from these graves, however, so perhaps that is a local custom as is the burial of one person on top of the other in Salzburg. Regards, Jayne

I'm assuming that "watering mother" was to tend the plants on the grave. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ralph Vest" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, December 03, 2000 1:23 PM Subject: [GERMAN-LIFE] German Graves | I visited friends in Germany in 1999. We were there the last part of June, through the middle of July. One afternoon Waltraut, pronounced Valtrout, for those who do not know, said, " I have to go water mother." I thought that was a strange statement, but she ask if we wanted to go along. Always wanting to experience new things, we said yes! | She took us to a beautiful little cemetery in Welmershirchen, her home town, and her mother's grave. I was so impressed with the cemetery. a small church on one side with a steep slate roof,(fairy tale looking) and the plantings in the grave lots, with attention given to every detail. A line of large slick bark trees down the middle, and many evergreens planted. Most of the stones were different than you see here. Some were slanted back a few degrees, which made them eaiser to read. And again much attention to detail on the stones. Waltraut, said the cemetery was at least 200 years old, and maybe older. No doubt the prettiest cemetery I will ever see. Some experience! | Ralph Vest |

They stopped making the lead icicles because a potential health hazard for children that ate them or put in their mouths around when lead paint became an issue. We also saved them from year to year and I still can't stop the habit of doing with the vinyl or plastic or whatever they are made of. I used to be able to throw the lead icicles on the highest branches so it would hang but not this plastic stuff -- it's too light and the static cling to your clothes. But it still looks pretty. Claire ----- Original Message ----- From: "Peggy Proctor" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, December 03, 2000 8:37 AM Subject: Re: [GERMAN-LIFE] Real Candles As a child in the US, we had the kind of icicles you are talking about. Heavy and easily broken if pulled to hard. We tried to press them out straight and saved them each year. That part seems the same. I think the heavy ones went off the market during WWII. The metal was used for the war effort. I wonder if they weren't made out of tin foil???? That was saved for the war effort. Along with chewing gum wrappers. The wrapper back then had some foil. Peg from Indiana ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike and Dorie Brennecke" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, December 03, 2000 8:17 AM Subject: Re: [GERMAN-LIFE] Real Candles > We always had icicles from Germany to put on our tree--silvery strands about > a foot long that Mom always draped in little clumps so they really looked > like icicles. The ones in the US are made of plastic and just don't have > the same effect because they aren't heavy enough. The German ones we had > were really metal, kind of like foil, and much heavier so they hung really > straight. It turned out they were leaded, and I guess they stopped making > them because the lead was dangerous or something. But we loved them, and > when we couldn't get them anymore, Mom used the ones we had over and over > until they just fell apart! Dorie > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Heinz L. Zulauf <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Saturday, December 02, 2000 7:39 AM > Subject: Re: [GERMAN-LIFE] Real Candles > > > > <<Heinz you live in Germany, let us know what you do on Christmas evening, > > or a story what come to mind, from other Christmas evenings.>> > > > > Katharina, > > > > your description is as good as it can be. It's so typical that there isn't > > very much to add. > > The procedure you describe used to be the same when I was a child (must be > > centuries ago). The husband and the children used to sit around somewhere > in > > the bedroom (or any other room a family might have had) and the wife used > to > > prepare the tree in the living room. We didn't have candies on the tree > (may > > be we couldn't afford it), and some the ornaments must have been at least > > one hundred years old. Electric candles just didn't exist but we had a lot > > of silvery lametta (angels' hair) and wooden ornaments. We used to go to > the > > Christmas service at around 5 p.m. > > By the way, the whole procedure is still the same, noew as our children > have > > left and live in their own homes. My wife and I still have a smallish > > Christmas tree with real candles and lametta and my sons come to see us in > > the afternoon and celebrate Christmas Eve with us. The Christmas Dinner > > habits have changed a bit since money is no longer at short supply. We now > > use to have a Swiss meat fondue instead of "Frankfurter" or "Wiener", but > > other than this most of the traditions have survived. > > Any more questions? > > > > Heinz > > _________________________ > > Heinz L. Zulauf > > Flotowstrasse 9 > > D-64287 Darmstadt > > Germany > > e-mail: [email protected] > > > > Visit my Private Homepage > > "The Classical Music Site" > > http://myweb.vector.ch/zulauf > > _________________________ > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Katharina Hines" <[email protected]> > > To: <[email protected]> > > Sent: Saturday, December 02, 2000 1:07 PM > > Subject: Re: [GERMAN-LIFE] Real Candles > > > > > > The town I visit last, in Hessen, they had real candles on the Christmas > > tree in church for the Christmas service. > > As a child our church had two very big Christmas trees in the Church. > > Each one had real candles on them. > > There were 3 Christmas services in the evening and one at midnight. > > Before each service all new candle would be placed on the tree. > > > > My family also has real candles on the christmas tree. > > In the States you put a tree up around Thanksgiving. > > In Germany you don't buy the tree till a few days before Christmas. > > As a child , I was told ' stay in your room' from late afternoon till > > Christmas eve, because the Christ-child( Christkind) will come tonight. > > With out you knowing, your parents prepare the Christmas tree > > (Weihnachtsbaum0.The Ornaments varies from one household to an other. > > Ranging from home-made, all-natural and bought ornaments. > > We always had candy on the tree, the candy we could eat off the tree, till > > the tree came down. We would call it "Plündern " > > After sun set we would go the Church service. > > After we came home, we had to wait, till all the candles on the christmas > > tree where lit. Then a little bell would ring, and we could enter the Gute > > Stube (living room). > > The family sings Christmas carols ,read the Christmas story, or read > > Christmas poems. Then the Bescherung (gift opening) got started. > > After that we would eat the dinner. > > Some families eat the dinner before the Bescherung. > > Heinz you live in Germany, let us know what you do on Christmas evening, > > or a story what come to mind, from other Christmas evenings. > > > > Katharina > > > > > > >In Germany our friends don't decorate their tree until Christmas Eve and > > >they > > >do use real candles. Remember they are using beeswax candles which burn > > >very > > >slowly and don't drip much. They also only put about 12 candles on a > tree > > >and someone is in the room at all times when they are lit. Jerilyn > > > > > >Jerilyn Lappin Koskan > > >Cook Co., Illinois > > >[email protected] > > >FTM user > > > > > >BREWER-Daniel Belmont, OH, Northumberland, Indiana and Jefferson, PA > > >DAVIS/DAVIDSON-Marium/Mary b1803 Bucks, PA Mother Rachel Greene > > >DUSATKO-Barbara, Anton late 1800s Butler, NE > > >DYE-William, David, Daniel in Monroe, OH early 1800s. > > >FISHER-Joseph, b abt 1805 OH, last Morgan, OH 1850. Wife Judith Lappin. > > >Children John, Knight, Elizabeth, Thomas, Hannah, Mary, Rachel, Ruth > > >GRAY-Ogden b 1850 Morgan, OH, d Fulton, IL. Children - Ogden, Lafayette, > > >Mary A., Cornelius, Elizabeth, Rachel > > >GREENE-Rachel, b abt 1770, Bucks, PA > > >HANNA-Archibald, d 1793 Westmoreland, PA Children Hugh, William, Hannah, > > >Mary > > >(wed Robert Williams) > > >KIRK-Elizabeth, Quaker, daughter Joseph Kirk/Judith Knight, wed Robert > > >Lappin > > >abt 1790. Chester & Fayette, PA Belmont, OH > > >KOSKAN-Vaclav, b 1850s Czechoslovakia d Butler, NE > > >LAPPIN-PA and OH late 1700s/1800s > > >LEAK/LEEK-MD & Eastern, OH in late 1700s and 1800s > > >MITCHELL-Thomas Mitchell, b 1770s Greene, PA -d Monroe, OH. Daughter > Maria > > >wed William Dye. > > > > > >MONROE-Nicholas Monroe, b PA, died Belmont, OH early 1850s. Children > > >Curtis, > > >William, John, Samuel, Mary (Hendershot), Eleanor (Maring), Rebecca > > >(Murphy), > > >Miller, George, Richard. > > >MONTGOMERY-Daniel, d 1842 Vinton, OH Family to Wayne, IL Wife Alice > Lappin, > > >Children William, Mariah, John, Elizabeth, Rachel, Letticia, Ruth, > Euphemia > > >OATES-Sarah Elizabeth born Lewis, WV, adopted Samuel McCluster - to > > >Decatur, > > >KS Parents supposedly Elizabeth Puffenbarger/Benjamin Oates > > >SLUSHER-Frederick, b PA, lived Monroe, OH, d Wayne, IL > > >SMITH-Aaron 1755/Anna Foster Bucks, PA Children John, Amos, Hannah, > Samuel, > > >Charles, Mary > > >STARBUCKS-John and Ann Lappin of Belmont, OH > > >STARKEY - b 1810 PA, wed Belmont, OH > > >TODD - Wm. & Rachel Lappin, d late 1800s Morgan, OH > > >WADSWORTH-Alcinda, Martha, Wm., Rachel, Emily, Ruth b Belmont, OH > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________ > > _________ > > Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : > http://explorer.msn.com > > > >

Mary-Ann: Thank you for alerting us to this great treasury of German goodies! I wish you and your loved ones a great Holiday season. Kindest regards, Judy Hughes [email protected] ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, December 03, 2000 7:17 AM Subject: [GERMAN-LIFE] recipes for german xmas cookies > Hi, > you will find recipes for german xmas cookies by searching at > www.alltheweb.com > At the search line type in "german christmas cookies" . Yummy:)) > Happy first Advent! > Mary-Ann >

I visited friends in Germany in 1999. We were there the last part of June, through the middle of July. One afternoon Waltraut, pronounced Valtrout, for those who do not know, said, " I have to go water mother." I thought that was a strange statement, but she ask if we wanted to go along. Always wanting to experience new things, we said yes! She took us to a beautiful little cemetery in Welmershirchen, her home town, and her mother's grave. I was so impressed with the cemetery. a small church on one side with a steep slate roof,(fairy tale looking) and the plantings in the grave lots, with attention given to every detail. A line of large slick bark trees down the middle, and many evergreens planted. Most of the stones were different than you see here. Some were slanted back a few degrees, which made them eaiser to read. And again much attention to detail on the stones. Waltraut, said the cemetery was at least 200 years old, and maybe older. No doubt the prettiest cemetery I will ever see. Some experience! Ralph Vest

Eligius is the name of Dec.1. in German. If it is very cold on Eligius, the cold weather will stay for 4 month. Dec. 4. is Barbara 's day The frost after Barbara's day is ok. before the buds will freeze. Dec. 6. is St Nikolaus day The winter will be very hard if it rains on St. Nikolaus day. Dec.7. is Ambrosius day Dec. 22 is Florian's day If it is nice one Ambrosius day, Florians's day will be very wild. Dec.24. If it snows on " Heiligabend" Christmas eve, Christmas is not very far. Dec. 25/26 If it is green for the Christmas time, it is going to snow at Easter time. If it is very windy over the Christmas days, the fruit trees will have plenty of fruit the next year. Is the night very clear of Christmas, there will be hope for a fruitful year. If the crows stay in the clover at Christmas, at Easter they will stay in the snow. If Christmas is clear, there will be a good wine year. Green Christmas, white Easter. Is Christmas white, the winter is going to belong and hard. Dec. 31. If it is clear and light on New Years eve, the New year it standing in front of the door. If it is very cold thru the Advent's time, then the cold weather is going to last for 18 weeks. In December only ice flowers (frost on the windows) should bloom, and the Christmas table should be only green. If the weather changes in Dec. very often, the winter is going to be like a little child (not very cold). The earth needs a cover, so she can sleep peacefully. These are just some things I found in one of my grandmothers books. Katharina _____________________________________________________________________________________ Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com

Thanks for the on-line advent calendar. It is truly enjoyable. I will open it daily. Ingrid F. IGF