Germany

德國

Belsnickel is the German Santa’s dark enforcer, but he’s not nearly as evil as Krumpus or The Whipping Father. Instead he just wears fur from head to toe and gives good girls and boys candy and bad children coal and switches.

貝爾森克（Belsnickel）是德國圣誕老人的懲罰執行者，但他沒克拉普斯或鞭子老爹那么邪惡。他從頭到腳穿著毛皮，給好孩子們發糖果，給壞孩子們煤塊和一頓鞭子。

Many are decorated with a wreath known as an “Adventskranz.” These wreaths have four candles which serve as a sort of weekly advent calendar, as each Sunday marks the opportunity to light a new candle.

許多地方都裝飾有“降臨節花環”（Adventskranz）。花環上有四只蠟燭，代表著降臨節周歷。每周日都點燃一只蠟燭。四只都被點燃時就意味著圣誕節到了。

On December 21, St. Thomas Day is believed to be the shortest day of the year and anyone who arrives late to work is called a “Thomas Donkey.” They are also given a cardboard donkey and made fun of throughout the rest of the day.

12月21日是“圣·托馬斯日”（St. Thomas Day），據說是一年中最短的一天。任何在這一天上班遲到的人都被叫做“托馬斯驢子”，他們還會收到一個紙板做的驢子，并且被嘲笑一整天。

Like many places in Europe, the Christmas tree is kept secret from the children until Christmas Eve. The parents bring the tree in, decorate it with candies, tinsel, lights and toys, put presents and plates of candy treats under the tree and then ring a bell signaling that the children can enter. The children then get to eat snacks and the whole family opens presents.

跟歐洲許多地方一樣，在德國，圣誕樹直到平安夜才能讓孩子們看到。父母們把圣誕樹拉出來，裝飾上蠟燭、金屬亮片、彩燈和玩具，把禮物和一碟碟的糖果放在樹下，然后搖一下鈴，表示孩子們可以進來了。小孩子們便可以吃小吃，全家一起打開禮物。