By Keva Hoffmann Boardman —

Christmas lights and decorations are going up all over town. I love all the green, the red, the shiny and the bright. Our German town founders did too.

The tradition of putting up a Christmas tree goes back to 16th century Europe. Germanic-speaking Christians brought fresh-cut evergreens into their houses and decorated them. Not the first time that people celebrated with trees; older cultures like the Druids, Romans and Vikings used trees to celebrate during winter solstice festivals. The German Christian Christmas tree had evolved from the Medieval practice of the “Paradise Tree”. A fir tree was decorated with apples and communion wafers on Christmas Eve and used as the central prop in the “Paradise Play” which told the story of Adam and Eve’s fall into sin and the promise of the coming Savior, Jesus. A tree, the cross, figures in this story as well.

The 16th century Christmas trees were decorated with baked goods and fruit. The first recorded decorated tree was in Riga, Latvia, in 1510.

The first recorded Christmas tree with a New Braunfels connection was reported by our well-known teacher, mayor and lawyer Hermann Seele, in his book, Assembled Writings. It was on December 14, 1843, that Seele’s ship landed in Galveston. A stranger in the Republic of Texas, Seele was feeling a bit lonely and homesick on Christmas Eve. He attended the Episcopal church Christmas Eve service. It was decorated with fresh dark green cedar garlands and well-lit with lamps and candles. Seele delighted in the feeling of his home country and in the choir’s beautiful songs.

Nostalgia set in and Hermann Seele found himself strolling the streets of the East End to see if perchance there was a Christmas tree he could glimpse through the window of a home. He did find a candle-lit tree and after gazing at it for a while, he returned to his lodgings a happy and more settled young man.

Also in Assembled Writings, Seele records the story of December 24, 1844. Here, Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels is the hero by providing Christmas spirit and cheer for the children encamped with their parents at Indianola. The immigrants of the Johann Dethardt were camped in a grove of live oak trees for protection from the foul weather and access to firewood. Prince Carl decorated a small live oak with candles and presents for the children on their first Christmas in Texas. To accomplish this wonderful gift, Prince Carl had to have bought small presents and Christmas candles in Galveston before he sailed down to meet the immigrants at Indianola. Surely, that Christmas on the beach in 1844 was a precious and delightful memory for all.

Ferdinand Roemer, in Roemer’s Texas, wrote about his Christmas experience in New Braunfels. It is the first recorded Christmas that was celebrated on the Sophienburg Hill. For those who do not know, the Sophienburg Museum stands on that hill and is where the Adelsverein (Association) built their log headquarters. Named the Sophienburg by Prince Carl in honor of his fiancé Sophie, this is where the officers of the “Verein” were quartered. In 1846, geologist Ferdinand Roemer was passing through New Braunfels and was told by John O. Meusebach to ask Lt. von Coll for a place to stay within the “Verein Building”. Roemer writes, “According to a custom at home, Christmas Eve was celebrated in the company of the jolly companionship of the Verein’s officers around a richly decorated and candle-lit Christmas tree, for which a young cedar (Juniperus virginiana L.) was used.”

No mention is made of what was going on in the immigrant homes within the town, but I suspect that they, too, were gathering around their own freshly cut cedar trees. The tradition of cedar Christmas trees decorated with cookies, fruit, small gifts and candles was widespread in our founder families and carried on even after the addition of shiny glass ornaments. Funny thing, they used to sometimes use Spanish moss as icicle-like decoration.

Today our decorations go up around Thanksgiving. Back then building fronts were festooned with green cedar garlands the week of Christmas. The Christmas trees were put up that week as well, but no child ever saw the tree, or their gifts, until Christmas Eve. The big reveal of the decorated and candle-lit Christmas tree with presents was a magical and wonderful moment.

The Sophienburg Museum invites you to another precious, time-honored Christmas tradition in New Braunfels. On Friday, December 5, our German-speaking St. Nikolaus will visit on the eve of his feast day. It’s just $10 a family and a fun way to learn the story of St. Nikolaus, get a chance to take a photo and chat with him, make a kid’s craft and enjoy the Christmas decorations throughout the museum. Sophie’s Shop will also be open for purchasing German and other gifts.

Please RSVP at 830-629-1572 to reserve your family’s place at the 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. session.

My wish for you is that during the flurry of events and things we do during this holiday season, you stop and experience at least one moment of wonder and magic. Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Sources: Sophienburg Museum: Assembled Writings, Herman Seele; Roemer’s Texas, Ferdinand Roemer; Oscar Haas Collection.

“Around the Sophienburg” is published every other weekend in the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung.

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By Keva Hoffmann Boardman —

The small dining/living room was stuffed with my eight aunts, seven uncles, Grandma and Grandpa, and my cousins. I think there were about 13 of us kids at the time. It was Christmas. Grandma’s tree was decorated with old ornaments that were not like our 1960s ones. And there were bubble lights — magical, colored-liquid-filled tubes of glass that absolutely mesmerized us.

The night before, Christmas Eve, we had all bathed and washed our hair (not a daily thing) and donned our Christmas finery. I always had new red patent leather “Sunday” shoes; I would get new white patent leather ones for Easter. Then we’d pile into cars and drive to church.

Christmas Eve in the little stone country church was an event full of familiar carols, candlelight and the pungent but refreshing smell of cedar. Some of my aunts would sing in the choir up in the loft. The church was filled with folks we only saw when we came for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. They were mostly “cousins” and relatives of my Grandpa and Grandma’s families. The highlight of the service was at the end when men, usually my uncles, would hand out a white paper bag, with “Merry Christmas” stamped in red on it, to each child. Inside were oranges, apples, pecans, a peppermint stick, possibly a chocolate Santa and a small toy. Do you remember the metal clicker toys?

But now it was Christmas Day! We had eaten a huge lunch around one long table made of several tables and wood planks. Everyone always sat in the same place, kind of like we do in church. My cousin Becky and I always sat at the end on the piano bench. After lunch, all the leftovers were put away and every dish was handwashed, dried and returned to the cupboards. Then the tables were cleared and taken down, the chairs moved all around the edge of the room, and again, families moved to their oddly pre-ordained places. Then we waited.

Knock, knock, knock.

St. Nikolaus was at the front door. We could see him through the glass. My cousin Becky would begin to whimper. She always cried when St. Nick came. This year, some of us were on a quest to find out if St. Nikolaus was REAL. Last year, we were all agreed that he could have been Uncle Leroy dressed in a costume. He had been missing from the room.

“It’s not Uncle Leroy,” I whispered to my cousins, “he is sitting over there.” We all began counting-up the uncles. “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight….and Grandpa!” We looked at each other in shock. But at that moment, an aunty had let HIM in the door.

St. Nikolaus was dressed in a red coat, boots and had a beard…sort of like Santa, but definitely not Santa. For one thing, he was quiet and spoke little. And, he was not at all jolly. He had a bag and a stick and he walked slowly with purpose.

Cousin Becky was crying for real now. The two of us always sat on the bottom stair of the stairs that led to the upstairs dormitory-like bedrooms. Mom was one of six girls and three boys and the upstairs was divided into two large bedrooms. Four of the families gathered had slept up there the night before.

“Shhhhhh….,” I told Becky and put my arm around her.

St. Nikolaus began walking around the room and stopping at each child. He looked at you with a frowny, stern face, and yeah, he was a little scary. But I never cried like Becky did. As he circled the room, each of us waited in stillness for our turn to “face-up and fess-up” to St. Nikolaus. He had come to see if we had been good. “Do you obey your Mother and Father?” “Do you go to church and say your prayers?” In light of his commanding presence, you had to tell the truth.

As soon as he had passed, each of us let out an audible sigh then began to once again take a look around the room to see who was missing. One of the boys snuck out the kitchen door and checked the back porch. Another went to see if there was a strange car parked around the house. But all to no avail. We couldn’t find one clue that would let us know who or what was St. Nikolaus.

“Merry Christmas!” said St. Nick as he went out the front door.

Now you’d think that we would just run after him and see where he went, right? But that was all part of our parents’ ingenious plan, because at that point, presents mysteriously appeared in front of us which totally distracted us from continuing our quest. Ripping paper, giggles, loud voices, laughter, “thank-yous” and hugs had become much more important.

St. Nikolaus had come and gone and we kids were no wiser.

Fast forward 20+ years, and I had my children hang up their stockings on December 5th to see if St. Nikolaus would visit. They dutifully wrote him a letter telling them if they had been good or bad and requesting desired gifts. Their St. Nikolaus always visited in the dead of night and filled their stockings with chocolate oranges, candy canes and a little toy. Except the one time he left them only one piece of chocolate and soap. The soap was for keeping a civil tongue in their mouths; it seems they had been terribly disrespectful to their parents and each other.

St. Nikolaus is a custom that the German immigrants brought to Texas. His feast day is December 6th, but it is on December 5th, St. Nikolaus Eve, that we put up our stockings and wait for his visit. Here at the Sophienburg Museum & Archives, we celebrate this tradition each year. Families can come to the museum at 5pm and 6pm on Thursday, December 5th. Cost is $5 per family and you need to call the museum and make a reservation for your preferred time. St. Nikolaus will visit with the children and they will make an ornament. You can then tour the museum which has been decorated for the holidays. Photos are encouraged, especially photos with St. Nick!

It is a great traditional start to the joyous Christmas season.

“Around the Sophienburg” is published every other weekend in the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung.

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By Myra Lee Adams Goff — (Originally published December 13, 2006)

I am sure you have seen our beautiful lighted Comal County Courthouse. The Grand Dame of Main Plaza buildings is 125 years old. In December 1898, the courthouse was inspected and given the seal of approval by the Commissioners Court. A translation of an article in the Neu Braunfelser Zeitung, done by Robert Govier, Ph. D., for the Sophienburg, states:

“On Christmas Eve a splendid picture was made by our new Courthouse whose many rooms were lit by electric lights in such a manner that the warm glow emanated from its many windows, reaching far into the night from the three-story building.”

From that same translation you can get a fair picture of what downtown New Braunfels was like at Christmas time. Druggist Bruno Voelcker, on the corner of San Antonio and Castell (Red Stag), had the latest gift — a Kodak — for sale. He stated, “You can get pictures with it.” Then you could hop over to the Phoenix Saloon and buy fresh pig’s feet. You could then finish up your day by watching the New Braunfels Fire Department Band marching “snappily” down the street and listen to their concert on the plaza.

Much later, in 1936, Bill (Willie) Vollmar, proprietor of Vollmar’s 5¢ to $1 Store, located where the Art League is now, is given credit for first bringing Santa Claus to town. Santa Claus arrived not by sleigh but by train! He was welcomed at the station by a crowd of hundreds made up of parents and children. After a formal appearance on the plaza, the jolly old guy made his headquarters inside Vollmar’s store. It was a huge marketing success for Vollmar and the other downtown businesses also profited from his vision.

Vollmar was born and raised in Seguin, and he and his wife Alice moved to New Braunfels in the early ‘20s. First, he was a shoe salesman at Jacob Schmidt and Son and then was manager of the Values Store. By 1932, he had saved enough money to buy the store from his employers, and he opened Vollmar’s 5¢ to $1 Store.

The Vollmars had no children of their own, but they loved them. The Christmas season was special to “Uncle Willie.” My friend, Pat Langston (was Patsy Harmon), who lived downtown in her early years, shared with me her first visit to the “real” Santa at Vollmar’s at the age of five. Having seen only pictures of the fat, jolly elf in magazines and books, she was shocked by a six-foot very thin version. Oh well, he brought presents.

Langston told me other memories she had that related to Vollmar’s Store. How many of you remember perfumery like the “over-the-hill” Tigress, Woodhue, and Tabu? Then there was that remarkable Tangee lipstick that came in pink only, but turned different colors on different people. Pat described the wonder-inducing candy cases at the front when you entered the store with their array of tempting sweets and chocolates. During the summer, she was allowed to buy a new tin bucket with a shovel for her family’s annual vacation to the coast.

Some people just make you laugh and Willie Vollmar was one of them. He could tell comical stories for hours and was president of just about every club in town. He eventually sold his variety store and started working for Krueger Motor Co. At Christmas, he would dress up in a Santa costume and go deliver new cars. After work, he would visit children and grandchildren that he knew from the past — still dressed as Santa, of course.

Christmas in old New Braunfels was wonderful and magical. Hope your Christmas this year was just as precious.

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By Tara V. Kohlenberg —

You might think it too early to speak of Christmas, but Halloween is over, Main Plaza is decked out in lights and we are now enjoying Wurstfest, the Ten-Day Salute to Sausage! Can Christmas be far behind? I think not. So, in keeping with the Sophienburg Museum & Archives’ mission to share our history, here is a look at some of the most popular German Christmas traditions and how they have carried over to current day New Braunfels.

Christmas celebrates the birth of Christ. The four weeks leading up to Christmas is called Advent, which serves as a time of anticipation and preparation for the birth and coming of Christ. In Germany you will often see Advent wreaths (Adventskranz). The tradition of Advent wreaths was begun by German Lutherans in the 16th century. The wreath is made of four candles set down in a base of pine branches, dried flowers and Christmas ornaments. Here in New Braunfels, Advent has traditionally been celebrated by Lutheran, Catholic and Protestant denominations, but is being seen more in other denominations now as well. Each Sunday in Advent, which begins November 27 this year, a candle will be lit on the wreath, lighting one candle every Sunday until all are lit. Sometimes, a fifth candle will be lit on Christmas Eve.

The Advent calendar (Adventskalendar) is the countdown to Christmas for German children. Every day for the four weeks before Christmas, a window in the advent calendar is opened to reveal a poem, candy or a small gift. Advent calendars flood shops across Germany during this season. Here is New Braunfels, Advent calendars can be found at Sophie’s Shop at New Braunfels’ Weihnachtsmarkt.

St Nikolaus Day (Sankt Nikolaus Tag), also called the Feast of Saint Nikolaus, observed on 6 December, is the feast day of Saint Nicholas of Myra. It is a favorite holiday with German children. St. Nikolaus is not the jolly, old, bearded Santa that we know. He is a little gruffer, taking more interest in the children behaving and learning their prayers. On the night of December 5, children clean and polish their boots and leave them outside the door before going to sleep. Next morning, they find their shoes filled with nuts, candy, and small gifts from St Nikolaus. Here is New Braunfels, children hang stockings. St. Nikolaus visits the Sophienburg Museum on December 5, to find out if the children have been good. Call the Sophienburg to RSVP for your family now.

Some of the most wonderful things associated with Christmas in Germany are the Christmas markets. (Weihnachtsmarkt). The origins of outdoor Christmas markets can be traced back to the German-speaking part of Europe in the Middle Ages. The opening of most European Christmas markets coincides with the beginning of the celebration of Advent in late November or early December. A few thousand Christmas markets are held all over Germany each year. The sights, sounds and smells are unforgettable.

Stollen, Lebkuchen and Glühwein, the foods & drink that soothe the longing for German Christmas treats, can be found at the markets. Stollen is a traditional German Christmas pastry. More like a bread, it is made with dried fruits, nuts, and spices and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Lebkuchen, another special German Christmas treat, resembles gingerbread. It is made with honey, spices and nuts. The Christmas season is not complete without a steaming cup of Glühwein, a necessity for warding off the winter cold chill. In New Braunfels, Stollen and gingerbread are sold at the markets more than Lebkuchen. Likewise, Glühwein is not served as often as Wassail.

Here in Texas, our Christmas is rarely cold. Or snowy. And it has been known to rain. In fact, we can wear short sleeves and flip flops well into December, but that doesn’t stop us from having a Weihnachtsmarkt. In New Braunfels, our Weihnachtsmarkt was born of the need for a major fundraiser to benefit the Sophienburg Museum and Archives and the idea of sharing the history of the German village Christmas markets here in New Braunfels

The first New Braunfels’ Weihnachtsmarkt opened in December 1989. While desiring the market to resemble those in Germany, directors knew it was wise to stay within the realm of New Braunfels, Texas. Our market is similar in that visitors can do all their Christmas shopping in one location, choosing from a variety of artisans and vendors selling European and American Christmas ornaments and decorations, food, clothing, toys, antiques, jewelry, and more. The biggest difference is that our Weihnachtsmarkt is always held indoors in deference to security needs and possible winter storms with high winds. The bulk of the workload is carried by hundreds of dedicated volunteers. Even though it is a busy time of the year, people willingly volunteer because the event benefits the Sophienburg Museum and Archives.

This year’s Weihnachtsmarkt takes place Friday, November 18 through Sunday, November 20 at the New Braunfels Convention and Civic Center. It really has become much more than a fundraiser. Following on the heels of Wurstfest, the event kicks off holiday shopping in New Braunfels. The glittering Star Party Gala on Thursday night offers VIP Early Weihnachtsmarkt Shopping while enjoying an evening of cocktails, delicious hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction and entertainment. The first holiday party of the season, this is a night that you do not want to miss. On Saturday, children can enjoy a morning full of fun and festivities with Santa himself! Breakfast with Santa offers a classic Christmas experience, featuring a delicious breakfast, arts and crafts, and photos with Santa. He is also available for photos during Market hours on Saturday and Sunday. We hold tightly to our German traditions here in New Braunfels. Come experience Weihnachtsmarkt to see why. www.newbraunfelsweihnachtsmarkt.com

Sources: Sophienburg Museum and Archives

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