A Catalan German Christmas

Berlin (ACN).- “100% Catalonia”. This is what the Christmas season means to Marc Llop and Elke Schü?ler, a Catalan-German couple living with their daughter Matilda in Berlin. This year, they will spend Christmas in Mollerussa (next to Lleida) with Marc’s family. Matilda, who is not even a year old, will celebrate Christmas for the first time in Catalonia. But it will be Elke’s first Christmas in Catalonia as well. The Catalan caga tió, the Three Kings and the German Christmas cookies 'Plätzchen' will all be part of the family’s Christmas this year.

This Christmas will be a special one for Marc, Elke and Matilda. It will be Matilda’s first Christmas and Elk’s first Christmas in Catalonia. Marc will return home for the holidays after spending the past year in Berlin.

If Germany and Catalonia were to have a Christmas competition, Catalonia would win. “We are spending Christmas at home in Mollerussa. Our German grandparents are here all year, so for Christmas…there wasn’t any discussion”, explained Marc. Elke agreed with him. “Marc’s parents do not get to see the baby often, so of course we are spending the holidays in Catalonia.”

Elke’s parents, who live in Bavaria, are able to see Matilda more often. “My parents are sad that we won’t be coming for Christmas. Especially because of the little one, if it was just me…they wouldn’t care”, joked Elke. “My mom is hoping that we won’t be able to fly due to snow and we will have to come home to her house”, she added.

“For me, I cannot imagine Christmas here [in Berlin]”, said Marc. “We will probably always spend Christmas in Catalonia. It is very far and we will go for vacations”, said Elke. Elke has been informed that the caga tió will give the gifts this year. “The log will give the gifts. I have been told that it is ready and that grandpa is prepared”, she commented. 

In Mollerussa, the Llop family will celebrate Three Kings Day early and not on the 6^th of January. “Unfortunately this year we have to make some kind of invention because we cannot stay until Three Kings Day. We start work again in Berlin on the 3^rd of January”, explained Marc. Marc hopes that one day Matilda will be able to see the parade.

German Christmas traditions

In Germany, ‘Christkind’ (the baby Jesus) is in charge of the children’s’ gifts. But Elke does not think it is absolutely necessary for Matilda to receive gifts from ‘Christkind’ too. “Not necessarily, this year we will see how they celebrate in Catalonia”, she stated. She has learned about the traditions of the caga tió and the caganer, which she does find “a little strange…but fun”.

Some regions of Germany, such as Bavaria, celebrate Three Kings Day. But in Germany the kings do not bring gifts as in Catalonia. Instead, they go from home to home singing songs and write their initials and the date on each door.

In Germany, preparing for Advent- prior to Christmas-time- is much more intense than in Catalonia. Most homes have an 'Advendkranz', a fir wreath with red candles, one for each of the four Sundays preceding Christmas Day.

This year, Elke has not had time to decorate the house. “Since we will not be here on Christmas Eve, I think it is important that we continue the tradition of Advendkranz," explained Elke. She wants to teach German Christmas traditions to Matilda, but not until she gets a little older. This year she made the German Christmas cookies 'Plätzchen', which will be travelling with them to Mollerussa.