Would your family like to celebrate St. Nicholas Day this year? At our house, it's always been a nice start to a busy month.
Making Stutenkerle or “Bread Guys” is a fun, easy, and reasonably healthy after-school activity on December 5th.
Afterwards, the kids can do what German kids are doing: clean their boots and put them out for St. Nicholas.
On December 6th, our kids’ boots were full of things to get their own presents organized.
- Gift bows or
- tags,
- ribbon,
- a roll of wrapping paper.
- And a chocolate St. Nicholas.
And the Bread Guys!
In the Rhineland, there are no Stutenkerle for December 6th, because people celebrate St. Martin’s Day with Weckmänner.
Note to foreigners like me: Fortunately, St. Martin’s Day is in November, so sometimes you are lucky enough to find something like Bread Guys for early December. You might have to re-name them. 🙂 But they taste good anyway!
Bread Guys make breakfast VERY cheerful.
In the part of Germany where I live, you can buy Weckmänner in the bakeries, in November, for St. Martin’s Day. The word sounds like “Men who wake you up.” I’m still waiting for someone to explain that to me. . . 🙂
Where my husband’s family is from, they have Stutenkerle “Bread guys” for St. Nicholas’ Day on December 6th.
What, no German bakeries?
The easy way to do this:
- refrigerator biscuit dough from the grocery store* and
- raisins,
- sprinkles,
- almonds,
- red hots,
- or whatever you have for decoration.
*Fun fact: “Knack und Back” is the German name for those refrigerator rolls that you smack (“Knack”) on the counter and they pop open. “Back” means bake.
Stuck for ideas for those shiny clean boots? How about a copy of. . . . [you saw that one coming, didn’t you? 🙂]
What, no German bakeries?
How to Make Bread Guys the Easy Way
The easy way to do this:
- refrigerator biscuit dough from the grocery store* and
- raisins,
- sprinkles,
- almonds,
- red hots,
- or whatever you have for decoration.
*Fun fact: “Knack und Back” is the German name for those refrigerator rolls that you smack (“Knack”) on the counter and they pop open. “Back” means bake.
Stuck for ideas for those shiny clean boots?
How about a copy of. . . . [you saw that one coming, didn’t you? :)]
LOST WITH LEEKS
A Seven Kingdoms Fairy Tale, Book 2
Argh! Crown Prince Nero is lost again. That’s what he gets for trying to fly a hot air balloon. Thanks to his fairy godfather’s gift, every map and compass goes kerflooey as soon as Nero touches it.
Even worse, his royal mom has just kidnapped St. Nicholas.
If Nero can’t find his true North in a hurry, he’ll never rescue him before St. Nicholas’s Day!
Available at online stores and wherever books are sold (or borrowed!) including:
Apple Books (audiobook)
