I can’t recall who set the Lionel train set up, but it was probably in the early to mid '50’s, with the steam locomotive, gondola, tank car, coal hopper and a caboose. Then, probably in the late '50’s or early '60’s a GP7 was used. I think the motor burned out on the steam locomotive. The GP7 would pull anything; it had Magne Traction which, I think was an electromagnet that kept it adhered to the track and it prevented slippage. Anyway, that train set, in part, fueled my interest in trains at a very early age, along with being only feet away from the tracks of the prototype.
This year’s tree, including rollbys and onboard video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV8rKFdZo
Kevin
Yes he was
The first year I moved into my wife’s house the only thing that bothered me about Christmas was that she tended to over decorate. Then Hanukkah came in and it just got worse. Finally I got used to it and she has toned it down.
Now this may be a disappointment to some, but neither the Christmas Pickle ornament, nor the Christmas Village or a train under the Christmas tree is a German tradition. The origin of the Christmas Village is to be found in the Moravian Church, one of the earliest protestant churches founded long before Martin Luther, established in the former Kingdom of Bohemia and its crownlands Moravia and Silesia. The denomination always remained a minority in a region predominantly populated at first with people of Roman Catholic and later on, Lutheran belief.
A German tradition, however, is to set up a nativity manger, either under the tree, or on a console next to the tree.
Electric trains started to appear shortly before WW I, but hardly anyone other than the richest or noble families could afford them. I doubt that this could have been the basis of a tradition. After WW I, people were simply too poor to afford any toys.
The Christmas Pickle is solely an American tradition no German would understand.
Sorry if I have busted a few myths or stepped on someone´s toes.
Ulrich,
Maybe I was not clear or too “general” in my explaination or terms. Trees, trains and Christmas gardens are what Americans did with all these traditions centuries later.
And yes, I likely used the term “German” a little too broadly, but not everyone here in the US has a good grasp on European history… I kept it simple, it was still a long post.
I never suggested that these traditions ever came together the same way in Europe, or at the same times in history, as they did here.
But there is plenty of written and oral history right here in Baltimore, heavily German, Czech and Polish settled, to support my earlier comments.
Again, the melding of Christmas trees, Christmas gardens, and later electric trains is an American melting
Sheldon,
My post was meant to criticize you, but merely as an addition to what you have stated. I understand that people in the US are sometimes pretty quick in calling something a tradition from godknowswhere, hence my attempt to clarify some of the ongoing myths.
In Europe, we often have quite a different understanding of the word tradition. When we talk about family traditions, my family can go back into the 12th century, anything younger than 100 years would be as a nice custom, but not yet a tradition.
Just a quirk from someone from the old countries.
Havign been raised in the Moravian church, I’m very familiar with their traditions. Indeed it is they who more or less started the Christmas Village, or Putz. I also hang a Moravian star in my house. Adding trains was just sort of a natural evolution.
–Randy
Ulrich, I understand. I did tell a “simplified” version, so I too just wanted to be clear.
Yes, we are still a “young” country by European standards.
From the stories I have been told, many people who would have hardly known each other in the “old country” found they had lots in common once they came here.
And those already well assimilated into American culture often did not understand or notice the differences of those new to America, German, Czech, Polish - not all that much differenent to some 4th generation working class English speaking American in 1860 or 1900…
But eventually we shared each others customs, traditions, foods, and developed our own blended versions.
My family, Stroh, is German Lutheran, and came here in 1849, originally beer brewers from Kirn, Germany.
But, I also have a Great Grand Mother who was a Cherokee Princess…
Welcome to the melting pot…
Sheldon
PS - Pickles?, don’t know anything about any pickles.
I’ve been in a few, and also make dills and bread & butter pickles for my kids and grandkids, but they’re not Christmas pickles…it must be difficult to add the decorations, too, especially the lights. Do Christmas pickles have to be placed in water so they don’t shed their needles?
Wayne