December = Advent
There was the Advent wreath, 4 candles for the four Sundays before Christmas, 1 candle lit first Sunday - two the second and so on
The Advent Calendar - each date covered with a picture and opened on the correct date - they came from just an illustration behind each "window" to some with verses or a treat to be collected, as simple or as elaborate as one wanted them to be.
Our dolls disappeared by and by - sometimes in the morning one would find scraps of material or a little strand of silvery substance, evidence that the Christkindle�s (Christ child) helpers were working with Mother on secret projects.
The aunts took us for evening outings, window-shopping and enjoying the Christmas displays in the high end stores.
In the old part of Frankfurt was the Christmas Market, booth of small gifts, but primarily food-items: Lebkuchen and other baked goods, candies, decorations, candles, and such holiday items, one could get the Frankfurter version of hot-dogs to snack on, hot cider and hot chocolate was available, of course we went with family at least once, in the evening - aromas and the festive atmosphere exiting.
And then the baking began! Mother and the Aunts all got together and baked, cinnamon stars and ginger-snaps and sugar-cookies of all sorts, coconut macaroons, it was organized chaos.
My sister Carola and I were given some dough and child-size rolling pins to make our cookies - always too much flour was added and they came out in the consistency of clay, but so what, they were ours. We also were put to work on the adult baking, favorite was to skin the almonds, they popped out so easily and, when not enough supervision happened, we would pop them at each other - usually got caught very fast, almonds were expensive.
Papa would sneak into the kitchen and glean the slightly burned cookies that happened.
Day before Christmas eve, one room in Grandparent�s apartment was off limits - generally the dining room,
and the Christmas tree appeared, we were allowed to help decorate it, except for the lighting, real candles
called for caution, they needed to be placed carefully. Opa was the "candle-master", he decided where to place them.
We were left with a lot of anticipation.
Next story: Christmas