From the time that St. Nicholas and his companion, Krampus, arrive until Epiphany, January 6th, when the Wise Men appear, there is one long month of excitement and joy for the children of Austria. The Christkind (Christ Child) brings them their gifts on Christmas Eve and he even helps to decorate the tree. These people have carp for supper on the festive evening and their bounteous dinner on Christmas Day with roast goose and all the fixings is similar to the food served in other European countries.
In Austria, many of the folkways, enjoyed for centuries, have been preserved and adapated to contemporary life. Tradition dies hard even under oppression and war, especially in countries where there are many isolated villages. There, the simple pleasures of life are limited to the entertainment which the people provide for themselves. As a result, in these far-off places, customs dating back to the Middle Ages have been nurtured and preserved for posterity. Tracing the carol tradition in the countires of Europe from the time of St. Francis and Jacopone in Italy, through succeeding centuries, we find in Austria a heritage of Christmas folk music rare in its charm and beauty. The refrains of many of their simple songs are delightful imitations of the sounds emanating from shepherds' instruments. Although they are not lost, the pity of it is that few of these truly melodious gems are seldom heard except in Austria. In recent years, however, the widely known Trapp family has introduced some of the choicest to North American audiences. Because of her great love for song, the musical tradition of Austria is unusually rich and varied.
It was in 1818 in the Alpine village of Oberndorf that Franz Gruber, a school teacher, and Father Joseph Mohr, the village priest, produced one of the best loved of all Christmas hymns: "Silent Night! Holy Night!". Although the story of this beautiful carol has been related many times, like the story of Christmas itself, it is ever fresh and inspiring.
"In with the good luck; out with the bad", is the spirit in which misfortune is smoked out of house and stable at this time of year. The animals are blessed and fed extra portions of food. The "smoke blessing", as it called, is also given to each member of the family by the head of the household. Greens of many kinds are enjoyed both their beauty and as signs of hope for the forthcoming spring; besides, they have a partaicular significance in banishing the demons that lurk in the darkness during the gloomy days of winter. The tip of a spruce or a fir tree was often decorated with colored paper, nuts, and apples, and then hung upside down in the corner of the best room, which was referred to as "the Lord God's Corner". While kissing under the mistletoe is believed to be distinctly English on character, a custom long known in parts of Austria was often enjoyed at inns and taverns where people spent New Year's Eve. Greens were used to decorate the rooms and a large wreath was hung from the ceiling in the parlor or largest room. Lurking in a dark corner was a strange character known as Sylvester, ancient and ugly in appearance. He wore a flaxen beard and a wreath of mistletoe on his head. Whenever anyone in the room, passed beneath the evergreen wreath, this old man would jump out from the shadows and bestow a rough kiss and a hug on the passer-by. But, when midnight came, Sylvester was driven out. This folkway is believed to represent the banishing of the old year. |
