Stefanie Kagone came to Sioux Falls from her home in Germany to work as an earth research scientist for EROS Data Center. Fifteen years later she reflects on the Christmas traditions of her childhood. In this Take A Moment segment, she visits about how she shares these traditions with her young daughters, Maya and Hanna.
“I grew up in Germany, the town is called, Leonberg, it is close to Stuttgart, near the top part of the Black Forest.
How we usually did Christmas at home, what I really always treasured, the tradition that I try to do with my kids nowadays. The Christmas tree was set up on Christmas Eve. It was part of the whole surprise, it was not just a decoration, it was part of the whole feeling you create.
We went to church on Christmas Eve and then my dad was kind of like Santa Claus, because in German we don’t have Santa Claus. It’s called the Christkind. It’s a little bit different.
So, he was Christkind or Santa Claus, and put the presents under the tree.
As little kids of course we believe Santa Claus was coming. We got up to our house, to the living room and we saw the tree lit up in real candles and presents and we had Silent Night playing, of course, the Christmas songs. It was this really, really, emotional, really great tradition that we had. I really treasure this, to this day.
We are doing the German Christmas at our home as well. Usually what we do is we go to church, while I drive the girls to church, my husband Eric, is Santa Claus and hiding the presents, or putting the presents by the tree. Then, when we come home from church, we usually eat, and then we have the big Bescherung, as we say in German. The big opening of the presents.”
