“There used to be more tinsel” – Christmas in Tyrol, Austria in the old days

Christmas is approaching, the most beautiful celebration of the year for many. Many years ago, a friend of mine asked how Christmas used to be celebrated in Tyrol, Austria, and so a reflective journey into a bygone era that was very different from today began. Not much has changed in how Christmas is celebrated. With my friend’s permission, I have translated the interviews and will post them on my blog on different days.

At a time when many worry if they have enough presents under the tree, I would like to share some stories of older Austrians who all lived in the same area where I was raised many years ago.

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Agnes Wippler, born in 1925 (†2021), grew up in Zirl

The fact that Agnes was already over 90 at the time of the interview was not noticeable to the cheerful woman. She had been growing up in a time that was anything but easy, she nevertheless spoke of a happy childhood. Unlike others in the village, she always had enough to eat at home because her parents had a farm. As a child, she helped clean the corn and delivered milk, for which she received one shilling (7 cents). Agnes took her final exams at the Bürgerschule (Public school) in Innsbruck while the sirens wailed because of an imminent bomb attack.

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“Agnes, how did you experience Christmas as a child?“

“During the Advent season, we children went to church in the morning before school, a very Christmassy mass. The men’s choir sang so beautifully. We always had a lot of snow.

The father has fetched the Christmas tree in his own part of the forest. He had already looked in the summer to see which one was suitable. He also cut a small tree for the old couple in our alley, they couldn’t get one themselves. The tree was hidden from us children in the barn until Christmas Eve.

On Christmas Eve, the living room door was locked. Of course, we looked through the keyhole but never saw anything. On this day, there was no work, only the cattle were cared for. We had to wait patiently in the kitchen, which was very hard for us. The grandmother secretly lit the candles and rang the bell after the Christmas child had left. The tree was full of colorful baubles and a lot of tinsel. There was an electrical shop in Zirl, that sold things like that. We sang “Silent Night” and unwrapped the presents. Most of the time we got little things like socks and gloves. The grandmother knitted all this secretly during the year. She was a very nice woman.

Sometimes there were also unusual gifts. Once I got gold earrings! Probably because the ophthalmologist in Innsbruck had said that earrings would be good for my eyes, which were constantly watering. It was true, when I wore these, they didn’t tear anymore. My brother once got a leather bag. The gifts were provided by my uncle, who traveled a lot as a postman. Of course, that I found later when I no longer believed in the Christ Child.

After the gifts, a hearty meat soup with noodles was eaten. There were also sausages in it, which my father got from the butchers in town. My father was an official meat inspector and emergency veterinarian, although he had never studied. He was called the “Viech-Engel/Animal-Angel”. Smoking* was also done on Christmas Eve at the farm, I think a total of three times during Advent. There was an old pan that was heated on the stove. Where they got the incense from, I don’t know. Every room was smoked, including the stable, and an “Our Father” was prayed in each case. My grandmother said we do this so that everything stays healthy. It was a special atmosphere back then. A very nice time, especially for us children.”

* Smoking has been a tradition in many different cultures for thousands of years. Smoking is a ritual that is intended to drive away evil spirits and appease good ones, as well as to “carry the wishes of those smoking to heaven”.