Advent Calendar: December 18

Our 18th day of the Adventskalendar series on trees sans market takes us to the small community of Ladenburg. Located in Baden-Württemberg near the cities of Heidelberg and Mannheim, the town has 11,600 inhabitants but has a history that goes back to the Celtic and Roman Ages, when it was called Lopodunum. Emperor Trajan elevated it to city status (‘civitas‘) in 98 AD. The historic old town and its Fachwerkhäuser date back to the Late Middle Ages when Ladenburg was the capital of the Prince-Bishopric of Worms. Famous residents include Carl Benz, inventor of the first automobile. The Bertha Benz Memorial Route, named after Carl’s wife Bertha, runs through the town.

Ladenburg has one of the fanciest Christmas markets where it has a series of Fachwerkhäuser dating back to the Middle Ages and has not only a Christmas tree but also a Tannenwreth at the fountain. The Instagram page Heimatliebe Ladenburg was greatful enough to allow use of photos on this date. The photo above is the town square at the time of the Christmas market with the Christmas Tree and the historic town hall in the background. The photo below is of the Tannenwreath at the fountain, taken this year shortly after the snowfall, but missing the Christmas huts and all, for the obvious reasons…..

Reading up on Ladenburg’s history and its Christmas market makes it an attractive place for a visit someday, when the Corona Virus has passed and when life returns somewhat to normal. Ladenburg has a unique town hall and a unique history that makes it place to visit. Before preparing for a visit, one should take a look at a pair of websites:

Ladenburg City: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ladenburg

Ladenburg Christmas Market: http://www.weihnachtsmarkt-deutschland.de/weihnachtsmarkt-ladenburg.html http://www.weihnachtsmarkt-deutschland.de/weihnachtsmarkt-ladenburg.html

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As a surprise, I would like to go back to the meaning of the Christmas Tree and how they are used for celebrations for the holiday season. In Germany, we have the Advent Wreath (Adventskranzen), a type of Christmas wreath that features four candles, each one is lighted per week during the time of Advent until all four candles are lit by Christmas. There are many ways to make an Advent Wreath. Mine is one of the more traditional ones, with red candles, Froebel Stars and pine cones.

Yet a fellow blogger originating from Germany but now residing in the US, Annika Rieper, has a pair of articles about the Advent Wreath. The first one looks at the origins of the Advent Wreath and the types that exist in German households. The second looks at a multiple-step process of making an Advent Wreath at home. Both are easy-to-read but detailed descriptions and are laden with pictures. But from this blogger’s point of view, it is interesting and worth the read.

All about Advent Wreaths: https://morethanbeerandschnitzel.com/all-about-german-advent-wreaths/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=all-about-german-advent-wreaths

Making an Advent Wreath: https://morethanbeerandschnitzel.com/making-an-advent-wreath-in-america/