Saint Martin

November is Saint Martin time here. I've attached a photo of Jay in his Saint Martin's Day parade. Yes, in his Halloween costume. Hey, it's warm!

I didn't know his story until I moved here. St. Martin was a rich guy who came across a poor beggar freezing in the snow and gave the him half of his coat. After the people heard about him, they wanted to make him a bishop. But Martin didn't want to be bishop, so he hid in a goose stall. The geese were really loud, and the people found Martin and he became a bishop.

Now, the first thing I ever wondered when I heard this story was "why only half his coat?" Apparently most Americans come to this same conclusion....

Saint Martin's time has several traditions- a goose dinner (celebrating the goose stall), Weckmaenner (yeast bread "men" with wooden pipes- more on that later), and the very best- the Martinszug. This is a parade of children through the neighborhood with homemade lanterns. The kids sing songs and parade through the town, usually following a horse with "Saint Martin" riding it. After the parade, the kids return to the preschool or elementary school, sing more songs in front of a bonfire, and watch a reenactment of Saint Martin and the beggar. Afterwards, everyone drinks tea amd eats Weckmaenner. On their way home, the kids stop into various shops and sing their songs for some candy. (so there is a German version of trick or treating!)

The kids all make their own lanterns in preschool. Jay and Nils both made theirs. Okay, Jay made his, but I suspect Nils' teacher had a big hand in making the lantern. I have to take a close up photo of them and post it later.

OK- the Weckmaenner. They have a pipe because one year, a very sleepy baker (they do have to wake up before dawn!) accidentally placed the piece that was supposed to be a bishop's staff on the St. Martin's cake upside down. Thus, a pipe was born. Here is a link to a photo of one: http://www.gerderath.com/images/weckmann.jpg