Elegant Wendt and Kühn Ornaments for Your Christmas Tree
Then, in 1987 we discovered our first Suspended Angels and Angels in a Ring in Germany.
Creating Your Own Santons Village
At the November 2014 opening of an exhibition of thirty Christmas nativity scenes and creches from around the world at the University of Notre Dame, Rev. Johann G. Roten, S.M., Director of Research and Special Projects at the University of Dayton, Ohio, delivered a lecture entitled: “The Crèche: A Celebration of Christmas and Culture.”
Roten spoke of the fact that crèches illustrate the close relationship between culture and religion and that there are "three fundamental ways of looking at nativity traditions, which can be categorized as “mountain” (Latin origin), “landscape” (German tradition) or “village".....
The 'village' is found in crèches of the French tradition, especially those of the Provence region.... All inhabitants of the village... come to the manger...." The 'village is an expression of the global village, but also of theological harmony. "We have on the one hand great unity and on the other great diversity around the baby in the manger.”
He speaks, of course, of the Provençal tradition of the Santons' Creche, where the biblical figures (in biblical dress) are celebrated by villagers of all kinds (in the dress of 18th and 19th century southern France) - young and old, rich and poor, and from all walks of life.
The 'village' of the creche is celebrated not only by its diversity of the figures, but also by displaying them in a true 'village' scene. It is common for families to build their own Santons' dioramas and for Provençal villages and towns to build even larger ones that are displayed during the Advent season and even in their museums year round.
The Carbonel Studios provide a schematic for creating a village with the larger size Santons (Size #3 - Grande) in the front and building up-hill with perspective, placing the smaller sizes (Size #1 -Cricket and Size Puce - Flea) further back.
Carbonel accessories - houses, wells, windmills, fountains, bridges, porticos, trees, etc. are all available for creating your display.
We have been collecting ideas on creating your own Santons - Nativity village on our My Growing Traditions' Pinterest Board on DIY Santons - Nativity - Dioramas. Enjoy!
Christian Werner - the Ring-Turner / Reifendrehen / Wood Carver at Work
With his woodworking workshop in Seiffen (Germany's Christmas Capital), the Erzgebirge, Germany, Christian Werner is one of only eight master craftsmen in Reifendrehen - ring-turning.
His work is truly exquisite!! You will want to read the German blog post available here (even though the article about Werner is a bit whimsical in Google translation it is worth the read and includes additional photographs of Werner). AND we know you will enjoy the video below of Werner at work in his Seiffen studio.
My Growing Traditions, of course, offers a selection of his folk art -
From left to right: the Bremen Town Musicians, the Bernese Mountain Dog, and a wonderful mixed-media Pack Donkey
plus sets of his Cows and Sheep
and we look forward to adding more in 2015.
Enjoy our Christian Werner Pinterest Board!
Christmas Tree-Toppers - Finials... a Tradition
The tippy-top position (or "crown"), on our Christmas trees invites a very special treatment. Decorative Christmas ornament tree-toppers (treetoppers or finials) have their origin in the Victorian era, when Christmas trees became popular in England. Wikipedia notes that in 1848 The Illustrated London News published a picture of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and their family around a Christmas tree topped with an Angel. Thus the Christmas Angel became the most common tree-topper. Christmas stars are very popular, as are elegant Christmas reflectors. Santas, and Snowmen are also commonly used. My Growing Traditions offers some of each from Inge-Glas of Germany (the oldest Christmas ornament company in the world).
Left to right: Spirit of Christmas Dreams, Twinkling Star Tree Top, Vintage Poinsettia
Left to right: St. Nikolaus' Tannenbaum and King of the Hill.
These glass finials and the elegant, simple, wooden Spanbaum (also known as span trees, wood shaved trees, chip or chipped trees, twilled trees, and curled trees) tree topper from the Erzgebirge (Germany's Christmas Center) that we happily carry this year for the first time, all require some special care when it comes to decorating your tree.
About.com - provides some useful "Tips for Topping the Tree"
- "When using glass finials, extra care must be used when attaching them to the tree. It can be difficult to attach and/or slide the finial onto the top branch of the tree, although it's a bit easier with an artificial tree. When using a finial on a live tree, one suggestion is to wire or attach a wooden dowel to the top of the tree and slide the finial onto the dowel.
- Be careful when adding the finial to the dowel or top of tree, make sure it is securely attached and is straight. (... a small amount of cotton batting around the wooden dowel will cushion the glass).
- If the finial has a reflector in the mold, they can be easily damaged by the dowel or even the tree top branch.... Make sure the dowel/tree branch doesn't reach the spot where the reflector is in the glass.
- Although the perfect scenario is having a beautifully decorated tree, with the top put on at the very end, in reality it's much easier to put the finial or tree-topper on first!"
Saint Nicholas and the Christkind
This charming vintage German postcard of Saint Nicholas walking hand-in-hand with the Christkind celebrates Christmas as experienced by children in many parts of the world (especially the Netherlands, Germany, and the Ukraine).
The Christkind brings presents on Christmas Eve. As we noted in an earlier blog entry the Christkind is the Symbol of the Nuremberg Christkindlmarkt. Especially in Bavaria the German Christmas Markets are known as Christkindlmarkts (after the Christ Kind - or Christ Child). "The Christkind is a sprite-like child, usually depicted with blond hair and angelic wings. Martin Luther intended it to be a reference to the incarnation of Jesus as an infant. Sometimes the Christ Child is, instead of the infant Jesus, interpreted as a specific angel bringing the presents, as it appears in some processions together with an image of little Jesus Christ. It seems also to be rooted in the Alsatian-born myth of a child bringing gifts to the baby Jesus. Children never see the Christkind in person, and parents tell them that Christkind will not come and bring presents if they are curious and try to spot it. The family enters the living room, where the Christmas tree has been put up, for the opening of presents (the Bescherung) when the parents say that they think that the Christkind who has brought the presents has now left again. In some traditions, the departure is announced by the ringing of a small bell, which the parents pretend to have heard or which is secretly done by one of the adults in the family." - Wikipedia
St. Nicholas symbolizes generosity and brings presents on December 6th (St. Nicholas Day). We remember telling our children when they asked if Santa Claus was real, that he was the spirit of giving. This year Inge-Glas offers for the first time this ornament of St. Nikolaus
Saint Nicholas Day is celebrated with unique variations in many different European countries: "The tradition of Saint Nicholas' Day, on 6 December (19 December in most Orthodox countries), is a festival for children in many countries in Europe related to surviving legends of Saint Nicholas,.... The American Santa Claus, as well as the British Father Christmas, derive from these legends. "Santa Claus" is itself derived in part from the Dutch Sinterklaas." - Wikipedia
He may arrive by horse, donkey, or boat, and, in areas of the world where Saint Nicholas is prominent, his day, not Christmas, is the primary day of presents. Shoes or stockings may be left out for him the night before, to be found the next morning filled with small gifts, cookies, and sweets. Thus, in Germany, both Saint Nicholas and the Christkind bring small gifts - one in honor of the Christ Child and one in honor of a venerated Saint. In America, many of us enjoy spreading out our traditional Christmas, enjoying Saint Nicholas Day, during the early part of Advent, as a special time to share the importance of generosity and giving.
Wendt and Kühn Santas and Pixies - Christmas is Here
Wendt and Kühn is especially known for their Classic Angels and Flower Children. Yet, Wendt and Kühn provides us with even more with their charming pieces for creating Christmas displays.
The Large Santa Claus with Toys - the toys come separately, so that you can tuck them into his bag - is 6" tall and more than majestic! He makes a perfect centerpiece for your Christmas table.
Add the Ore Mountain Pines, the Grünhainichen Angels with Tree, and the Angel with Candle to complete the theme.
The Santa Claus with Candles is magical shown here with the Small Angel with a Star and an Angel in a Ring ornaments.
and is wonderful displayed with the Pixies by his side.
Wendt and Kühn Santas are simply essential to Christmas!
The Shepherd's Fair, Istres, Provence, 19 November to 7 December 2014
Every year the town of Istres in Provence celebrates the Shepherd with a two week festival traditionally held in the warmth of late fall/early winter. Founded in 1964, the Shepherd's Fair is a feast of Provençal tradition. Thousands of people attend to enjoy everything pastoral: homage to the transhumance (the seasonal migration of livestock, and the people who tend them, between lowlands and adjacent mountains),
sheep dog trials, music, crafts, food, and a wonderful parade and closing ceremony. All are clearly in love with Provençal tradition, and especially the costumes.We truly enjoyed this video of last year's festival - it is well worth the watch and takes one back to the Provence of the world of Santons.
We enjoyed seeing the "Santons" we are so familiar with: especially the White horses of the Camargue, The Drummer (Tambourinaire), The Gardener, The Old Woman from Arles, the Women from Arles, the Shepherds, Sheep, and Goats.
Discovering the Festival and its celebration of the importance of the Shepherd in Provence, certainly made us pleased that we offer the Shepherd's Gift Set. The Shepherd Gift Sets are available in Sizes #1 (Cricket), #2 (Elite), and #3 (Grande) make a nice addition to your collection.
Save money with each set, which includes the Shepherd, the sheep dog, a sheep, and a hand-shaved tree (Spanbaum) from the Christmas village of Germany, Seiffen.
