Cullman, Alabama, celebrates Christmas German-style
Cullman's Christmas celebration has a distinctly German flavor, exemplified by its massive Christmas Pyramid. (Christmas in Cullman / Facebook)
They say there’s no place like home for the holidays, but few places in the world know how to celebrate the season quite like Germany. Alabamians can get the best of both worlds – with traditions near and far – during Christmas in Cullman. The monthlong celebration pays homage to the town’s German heritage with a series of events to help locals and visitors alike get in the Christmas spirit.
Cullman was founded by German refugee Johan Gottfried Cullmann from Frankweiler (then Bavaria) in 1877. Cullmann initially lived in Cincinnati, Ohio, but soon began thinking about creating a colony where immigrants could work and live together. He bought passage on a boat to Florence, Alabama, and met with the governor to present the idea. From there, he was given men and horses for his expedition through north Alabama. A few years and a few thousand colonists later, Cullman was born.
For the past few decades, Cullman has been celebrating in style with a full schedule of events known as Christmas in Cullman. The annual lighting of the Christmas Pyramid takes place the day after Thanksgiving. Known in Germany as the Weihnachtspyramide, this traditional German decoration is a multilevel pyramid in which each segment represents seasonal elements through wooden figures and scenes. The top is crowned with a large fan.
Typically, the seasonal décor is hung from the ceiling or set on a table, but since Cullman’s pyramid towers more than 30 feet in the air and is the tallest such structure in the U.S., it stands alone near the Cullman County Museum. Pyramid-level themes include the Nativity, nutcrackers, Santa and snowmen, angels and Cullman’s heroes.
Cullman’s Christmas celebrations continue into December with the annual Christmas Parade Dec. 2. The parade kicks off at 6 p.m. from Busy Bee Café and ends its route at Depot Park, with the annual tree-lighting. The ceremony includes music, crafts for children, pictures with Santa, food and the lighting of the town’s 72-foot tree.
If you’re still not convinced that Cullman during the holiday season is an absolute must, its Christkindlmarkt should do the trick. Modeled after a traditional German Christmas market, Cullman’s rendition features a collection of wooden tents housing local vendors. You’ll find everything from holiday ornaments to gifts and handmade items. Stroll through the outdoor market with a warm glühwein in hand and let your European Christmas dreams come true.
Though not part of German traditions, another event that’s fun for the whole family is the Sportsman Lake Winter Wonderland Christmas light display, held on select dates through Dec. 30. Pile into the car with friends and family to see more than 1 million lights and themed displays. To add to the festivities, there’s a Christmas train, carriage rides, snow machine, hot chocolate and photo booth.
This story originally was published on the SoulGrown website.
