"Advent, Advent, a candle is lit - first one, then two, then three, then four - and then, the Christ Child is at the door." Children in the German-speaking world from Vienna and Zurich to Hamburg chant those lines in December.

The traditional fragrant evergreen Advent wreath has four candles - one for each Sunday of the Advent. It goes back to the mid-19th century, when Johann Hinrich Wichern, who headed a correctional home in Hamburg, decorated his prayer hall with a wreath - the very first Advent wreath.

The word "Advent" is of Latin origin and means arrival; it is the four-week period before Christmas Eve when Christians prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ.

Children in other parts of the world anxiously await Father Christmas or Santa Claus to come sliding through the chimney with a sack full of presents. But in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, it's the angelic Christ Child they look for.

In many parts of Europe, religion no longer plays as much of a role in people's lives as it once did. During the advent season, though, people like to return to age-old traditions. That can include going to church to enjoy music, both contemplative and cheerful. English tunes like "Last Christmas" and "Jingle Bells" have become staples in Germany, too.

Bustling markets

And in Germany as elsewhere, people lament the consumer frenzy - crowded inner cities, bursting shops, the hectic hunt for presents - in the weeks before Christmas. It might seem like a modern-day affliction, but a newspaper article dating back to 1785 offers a glimpse of the atmosphere at a Christmas market more than 200 years ago:

"These days, the market is so crowded that you can barely squeeze through the paths between the stalls. The students are loudest of all, and they are up to all sorts of rude antics. There is this old woman with a table heaped with ugly dolls - but the dolls are still selling like hot cakes. Incredible, the kind of money people are willing to waste!"

But the rush for presents doesn't have to ruin the Advent spirit. To honor the season, the Deutsche Welle Choir with its members from 20 nations has put together a colorful collection of popular and lesser-known holiday songs from all over the world - scroll down to download them.

Author: Suzanne Cords (db)