Christmas has been a holiday that has been talked about in Germany for generations, for much of the inventions and concepts, such as the Christmas tree, glass decorations and the like have originated from there. The traditions that are practiced in homes around the world, much of them had their start in Germany. There are many museums throughout the country that focus on Christmas, its history, traditions and culture, plus much of the works written by many authors. For instance, the Kathe Wohlfahrt Museum in Rothenburg ob der Tauber has a Christmas exhibit that covered half of its space including the basement.
But if you are looking for one place that solely showcases the holiday tradition outright, then perhaps as a travel tip you should check out this museum, located on Westerende 46 in the town of Husum- in beautiful Schleswig Holstein. Located along the North Sea coast, Husum has over 35,000 inhabitants and is one of a few towns that were largely spared the destruction in World War II, so one can see the historic old town in tact today. Much of the eateries and souvenir shops are located either at the market square or along the Harbor. The Christmas House Museum is only located two blocks from the harbor and one street away from the main highway going inward. In this historc building shown in the picture above, one can find all the Christmas traditions and their histories here.
The museum was founded by Alix Paulsen in 2008, as he purchased the building that was once the “Stadthaus” (EN: town house but not city hall for government) and converted it into three stories of Christmas displays based on the collections that came in during that time. The museum opened in December that year and judging by our visit in 2021, it has become a really tourist attraction.
The museum features three stories of Christmas exhibits that will take a couple hours to see but they will show visitors how Christmas was celebrated by the eras. They include the different galleries of Christmas trees, a gallery of Christmas items that existed before, during and after World War II, Christmas in a divided Germany before 1989, decorations through the years, and Christmas from the eyes of Theodore Storm (1817- 1888), a German author who originated from Husum and wrote several books, including one on Christmas. A theater with film on Christmas in a divided Germany before 1989 was also a treat to see.
The museum also offers a special exhibit based on certain themes. One year it could be the Christmas lights, the next year the Moravian stars, this year’s exhibit features the role of the dolls and how they made children happy at Christmas time.
When visitors are finished with touring the museum up and down, there’s the historic book store where thousands of books from different areas of the world and in different languages are available for purchase. If one is looking for a special book on Christmas and a certain theme, chances are likely one will find it at the bookstore together with different kinds of decorations and a special window decoration that is typical for Husum and areas along the North Sea.
Overall the museum had a well-structured setting where each gallery had a different theme. It was lucid and easy to find. The explanations per exhibit were easy to read and to understand, although English and Danish would have helped should international tourists decide to visit. The bookstore was also well-structured with books sorted based on categories but given the high volume of people visiting, chances are very likely that more space will be needed in the future.
The museum is conveniently located next to the market square and is only a few minutes by foot. According to their website they can be found at all market events, including the Christmas and yearly markets. It has made a name for itself and has become one of the main reasons for visiting Husum.
The Christmas museum covers all the aspects one needs to know about Christmas in Germany in the past and present. It includes all the literature on this special time of year including that of Theodore Storm. And as Storm mentioned in his works on Christmas: There’s always something very special about Christmas, whether it is with the presents, the happy Children, the food or family traditions. He’s right when he mentioned that all roads lead to Christmas Town. And that town is along the North Sea.
Check out the website of the Christmas Museum here: https://das.weihnachtshaus.info/
Some more photos of the museum can also be found here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/flensburgfiles/permalink/6382420601790477/
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THE FLENSBURG FILES 
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