Preservings $20 Issue No. 26, 2006 - Home at Plett Foundation

Hutterite Life
Hutterite Christmas Traditions
Dora Maendel, Fairholme Hutterite colony, Portage la Prairie
“Ihr feiert drei Tage Weihnachten?”
(You celebrate Christmas for
three days?) Our German visitor
was incredulous. “Ausgerechnet
ihr -- mit eurer starkgeprägten
Arbeitsethik!” (You (Hutterites) of
all people -- with your strong German
work ethic!) A history student
from the University of Berlin, Bodo
Hildebrand made extended visits to
Manitoba during the late 80’s for
the field research of his doctoral
dissertation on the Hutterite education
system. In 1988 he experienced
his first Canadian winter and spent
Christmas with us.
His previous visits occurring in
spring and summer, Hildebrand was
overwhelmed by the sheer volume
of farm work. A career university
student, he found it back breaking
to help weed watermelon and load
turkeys.
He was duly astonished, therefore,
to learn that Hutterites treat
both Boxing Day and the day after
as Sundays, including a morning
church service, an afternoon of
relaxation and leisure and a brief evening
vespers service just before supper. The second
and third days especially, will be enriched by
visiting with family and community members
from distant colonies.
The three morning church services traditionally
include specific lessons: the New
Testament story of Jesus’ birth from Luke’s
Gospel on Christmas Day, followed by teachings
about the faith and devotion of the shepherds,
Hannah and Simeon. A teaching about
the Old Testament prophecies elaborates on
the Messiah’s effect on people, with special
emphasis on the joy and gratitude we owe for
the miracle that made it possible for us to live
in Christian Community as sisters and brothers.
This is combined with an exhortation to be of a
forgiving spirit, willing to share and serve the
community in whatever capacity.
Inasmuch as these Holy Day teachings
constitute a reminder to be thankful, Christmas
for Hutterites might be described as an
extension of the Thanksgiving Day theme, not
unlike the way Hanukkah is for Jews and the
Christmas Eve feast of twelve meatless dishes
with wheat a central part of the festive table
for Ukrainians.
Singing is an important aspect of Hutterite
Christmas celebrations, and many carols
of German origin are part of every family’s
beloved repertoire, including “Lobt Gott, Ihr
A group of young people making sausages at Fairholme colony.
Christen allzugleich” (O praise the Lord, ye
Christians all), “Silent Night”; “Ihr Kinderlein
Kommet” (O Come Little Children) and “O
du Fröhliche” (O thou joyous Day). There is
a strong tradition of Saturday evening family
singing and group singing with a major focus
on participation, but today there is also an
increased emphasis on choir singing. At the
school Christmas concert and after Christmas
Day dinner many colonies will enjoy songs by
the young people as well as the children. In
some colonies the children join the adults for
a candle lit Christmas dinner in the Essenstubm
(adults’ dining room), a festive departure from
the norm of taking their meals in the Essenschul
(children’s dining room).
Since relationships are so pivotal to Hutterite
community life, it’s no surprise that
much of the preparation revolves around foods
to be enjoyed during the holiday as well as
for months to come. In a very real sense, the
primary purpose of these preparations is to
enhance people’s appreciation for Christmas,
thus strengthening community and family
relationships.
In a Hutterite community one of the major
jobs before Christmas, along with the Fall
cleaning of homes, community kitchen, church
and laundromat, is Schwein schlochten (hog
butchering). It marks the shift from outside
work to inside or winter kinds of work and
is the culmination of much of the annual
farm work, from making Sauerkraut to doing
chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese. Just a
few decades ago this meant two full weeks of
plucking geese alone, in addition to the daylong
jobs of chickens, ducks and turkeys.
Although a Canadian population uninitiated
to the palatable delights of goose has
largely eliminated commercial goose production,
Advent still marks the full-scale return
to indoor winter activities such as knitting,
crocheting, cross stitching, wool carding,
quilting and sewing. Summer months busy
with gardening and canning, often only leave
time for mending and repairs.
Whether Schwein schlochten occurs in
November or just before Christmas, one meal
of the Heätzwurst (heart sausage) is saved
as the dinner entree for the second or third
Christmas Holiday. While the noon meal on
both those days is rich and delicious, neither
is quite as sumptuous as the actual Christmas
Day dinner of roast duck or goose -- often with
a glass of homemade dandelion or chokecherry
wine. Sometimes a Schnapsl is served - for the
women a smidgen of fruit flavoured brandy and
for the men a finger of alcohol.
Heätzwurst is always broiled, and served
with potatoes and gravy, baked parsnips and/or
carrots, steamed sauerkraut and Tschweschpen
Mues, a special dessert/side dish of stewed
Preservings No. 26, 2006 - 87