Mountaineer Santa, hairy monsters
SANTA Claus climbing down a skyscraper in Berlin and a parade of terrifying monsters in Bavaria.
The run-up to Christmas in Germany this year has included the usual displays of dazzling lights and festive markets, but also some unusual celebrations.
In Berlin on Sunday, a Santa Claus shunned the traditional chimney and used a rope ladder to climb 100m down the side of the famous Kollhoff Tower to deliver presents to surprised children inside a 24th-floor cafe.
The children watched in awe as Santa greeted them through the windows before making his way inside to distribute presents.
Konstantin, a young boy who received a beach ball, a ninja toy and cuddly reindeer, said: “He climbed through here, then he was at the door. He opened it and came in.”
In the Bavarian town of Kirchseeon, residents dressed as hairy, masked monsters marched through the streets in a traditional Perchten parade on Sunday.
The processions are usually held over the shortest and darkest days of the year when Perchten monsters sing and dance to ward off the darkness and call nature back to life.
Parade leader Wolfgang Uebelacker said: “The 12 nights after Christmas are the struggle of light against dark.
“The light will win with the help of the Perchten, and nature will wake up again.
“People used to say that the corn next year will grow as high as the Perchten jump.”
He said the tradition dated back to the preChristian era, though experts disagree on exactly where and when it began. – Reuters