Over the Garden Fence: A German Christmas at the Harvey School
We are almost ready to greet the public as people come to peek around our one-room schoolhouse at 1120 Caldwell Road south of Bucyrus — about a mile west of Ohio 4. That date for "Remembering Christmas" is Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m.
"Froehliche Weihnachten" may be uttered as you enter the door; that's Merry Christmas in German. Our board has prepared a 2021 version of gifts. These will not be beneath the tree as in earlier visits. They will be given to you in a sack, just a common decorated brown bag.
We have a special afternoon visit with Saint Nikolas, or Santa, in the form of Chris Whitmore. When this man dresses it is in the European style with a rich, radiant, ruby red long coat. Soft, white fur trimmings, glasses, a staff and a real beard all help bring home a Kriss Kringle feeling. You can stand beside him in his hickory rocker and get a photograph. He will share a candy cane.
Inside this year, a new visitor will bring the art of making Moravian stars. Those are the folded versions with from six points to as many as 100. Kathy Scott plans to bring materials for visitors who may want to try their hand. She is bringing an historical account of how the star made its way to America. These "Herrnhuter Stern" were made in Niesky and Kleinwalka, Germany, in the 1830s.
Outside, a family effort to bring the story of the Christ child's birth will be set in the storage shed. Lori and Mike Dishon and their family will depict the holy family; there may even be a few animals settled in. We will have music using the piano and some CDs.
We are not serving German cookies, stollen nor warmed cider. If you recall, last year we held a virtual event with the camera strolling through stations as we shared. With a bit of COVID reserve, we have decided not to have a common share table with many goodies.
The brown bags will hold an assortment of German-related items. You can count on edible goodies. There will also be lyrics to German hymns, a bit of history about a Christmas man who roamed the countryside with a tree over his shoulder, a bundle of sticks in his left hand and prepared sacks on his back. There is an account of how the Moravian star came to America. Our history explains how a tree at William and Mary College in 1842 was filled with Moravian stars.
Every sack will carry historical notes on carved nutcrackers. In a few sacks there will be a red coupon. If you receive that coupon you are a winner of a nutcracker. We have planned a sack per family in the spirit of the Germans who made their way to Crawford County and settled here creating a rich agricultural and educational history.
You do not have to wear a dirndl nor your lederhosen. Warm winter clothing is fine. Leave the costumes to us. Please come to Harvey One-Room School this coming Sunday to see touches of German history tucked around our humble decorations. The privies are cleaned, open and decorated. Perhaps we will see you this year.
Mary Lee Minor is a member of the Earth, Wind and Flowers Garden Club, an accredited master gardener, a flower show judge for the Ohio Association of Garden Clubs and a former sixth grade teacher.
This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Over the Garden Fence: Harvey School with touches of Germany
