From Advent to St. Nick, sharing holiday traditions across Europe
We all celebrate the holiday season in different ways, whether it’s religious observances, gift-giving traditions, or gathering with family and friends. When we travel, we realize that other cultures have different customs than our own—including holiday traditions.
I asked our top Program Directors from our Holiday River Cruises to share with me how they celebrate the season. Although they come from different countries, several of their customs were not so diverse. For example, both Germany and France celebrate the Advent season in similar ways, as Program Directors Rita Zboron, from Leipzig, Germany, and Sylvie Royer, who lives in the Loire Valley in France, explain.
And just as children in America wait anxiously for Santa to bring them gifts, Germany, France, and Belgium also share a special gift-giving entity that brings treats to the country’s children during the holiday season. Program Directors Mireille Barten, who lives in Normandy, France; Rebecca Reiss, in Frankfurt, Germany; and Katy Huyskens, from Antwerp, Belgium; have shared with me how their culture defines Santa Claus.
Advent
The four candles on an Advent wreath symbolize the four Sundays of Advent.
In many countries, Advent is the official start to the Christmas season. It comes from the Latin word adventus, meaning “the coming,” and serves as the time of waiting and preparation before Christmas. During pagan times, the purpose of Advent celebrations was to banish the fear of darkness from the long winter nights. Today, the main symbol of Advent is a light (or candle), which evokes hope.
In Germany and Austria, many families display an evergreen Advent wreath with four candles, symbolizing the four Sundays of Advent. Rita Zboron says that families usually gather around the wreath on each Sunday of Advent, light a candle, and sing carols. This tradition was more important in the past, when the Christmas tree was not unveiled until Christmas Eve.
In France, families clean and decorate the house during Advent. It is a period of fasting—cheese, meat, and alcohol are not allowed—and when the season comes to an end, there are large celebrations.
St. Nicholas
Children place their shoes near the chimney in hopes that St. Nicholas will fill them with treats.
St. Nicholas of Myra is thought to be the main inspiration for today’s modern Santa Claus. The fourth century Greek Christian bishop was best known for providing gifts to the less fortunate. In Europe, (particularly the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, and Germany), St. Nicholas is portrayed as a bearded bishop in long robes.
On the night before St. Nicholas Day (December 6), children place their shoes near the chimney or window and sing a song to the saint before they go to bed. When they wake the next morning, their shoes are filled with sweet treats and gifts.
In Germany, Nikolaus is celebrated on a much smaller scale. Children place a boot outside their front door on the evening of December 5. When they wake, they will find sweets and presents if they were good … but a tree branch if they were naughty.
Sinterklaas
Sinterklaas wears bishop’s clothing—usually a red cape and mitre, carrying a crosier.
St. Nicholas is also known as Sinterklaas, the gift-giving figure celebrated in the Netherlands, Aruba, and Belgium. In the Netherlands, St. Nicholas Eve (also known as sinterklaasvond or pakjesavond) is when gifts are given to loved ones.
Much like France and Germany, children place their shoes with a carrot or hay in it (for Sinterklaas’ horse) in front of the fireplace and find presents in their shoes the next morning. Sinterklaas wears a long red cape, bishop’s clothing, red mitre, and carries a crosier—a long, gold staff with a curled top. He also has a large book that contains the names of each child—displaying who has been good or bad the past year.
Père Noël
French children leave a glass of wine for Père Noël near the chimney on Christmas Eve.
Père Noël visits the children of France and other French-speaking areas during the holiday season to bring gifts to the well behaved. On Christmas Eve, children leave their shoes by the fireplace with treats for Gui (French for mistletoe), Père Noël’s donkey, and a glass of wine alongside the shoes for Père Noël to enjoy. As long as the children were good, small tokens like candy, money, and tiny toys are left for them the next morning.
Experience the sights, sounds, and smells of the Christmas markets for yourself on one of our Holiday River Cruises.