Berks County, Pennsylvania—with Reading as its bustling seat—has long been a stronghold of Pennsylvania Dutch (German) culture, where Christmas traditions blended Old World customs with American innovation. From the mysterious Belsnickle prowling on Christmas Eve to the thunderous “shooting in” of the New Year, the holiday season in this region was marked by distinctive celebrations that have largely faded from memory.
The Pennsylvania Germans: Keepers of Christmas
While many early American communities were slow to embrace Christmas as a major holiday, the Pennsylvania Germans of Berks County steadfastly maintained their festive traditions. As diarist James L. Morris recorded on Christmas Day, 1843:
“Only the Germans continued to respect and properly celebrate the religious holidays such as Christmas, Good Friday and Easter.”
Morris further observed on Christmas 1842:
“Amongst the Germans it is a day ‘made much of’ as the saying is. Some few keep it strict as a holy day, while with the vast majority, it is only kept for pleasure, visiting, feasting etc. A Christmas dinner in Pennsylvania like the Thanksgiving dinner in New England is frequently made the occasion of a general reunion of the whole family, while it is also made the occasion of great slaughter among the Turkey tribe.”
The Belsnickle: Berks County’s Christmas Phantom
Perhaps no Christmas custom was more uniquely Pennsylvania Dutch than the Belsnickle (also spelled “Belsnickel”)—a fearsome, ragged figure who appeared on Christmas Eve to both delight and terrify children. Morris left us a vivid description from Christmas Eve, 1842:
“A few ‘bellsnickles’ or ‘kriskinckles’ were prowling about this evening frightening the women and children with their uncouth appearance—made up of cast-off garments made parti-colored with patches, a false face, a shaggy head of tow, or rather wig, falling profusely over the shoulders and finished out by a most patriarchal beard of whatsoever foreign form that could be possibly pressed into such service.”
The Belsnickle tradition had deep roots in the Austrian Alps, where a similar figure called Krampus performed the same role.
“Krampus is an evil spirit, or minor devil, most often clad in frightening fur. He has a long tail and a long red tongue and carries a rattling chain, birch branches, and a big black bag. Krampus’ purpose is simply to remind children to be good. What a perfect description of Berks County’s Belsnickel.”
Belsnickle
Christmas Superstitions and Folk Magic
The Pennsylvania Dutch brought with them a rich tradition of folk beliefs surrounding Christmas. Some of these practices had quasi-magical overtones:
“Load a gun with a bullet, cast on a crossroad on Christmas Eve, and it will hit the mark or bring down the game without fail.”
Weather prognostication was also tied to Christmas. Morris noted a popular saying: “It used to be said that a green Christmas made a full graveyard.”
Even the familiar “Xmas” abbreviation had deep religious significance to the Pennsylvania Dutch, representing the Greek letter Chi (χ), the initial of “Christ”—a tradition documented in local folklore studies.
“Shooting In” the New Year
One of the most beloved—and boisterous—winter traditions was “shooting in the New Year.” This custom, practiced well into the 19th century, involved bands of celebrants firing guns and muskets at midnight to drive away evil spirits and welcome the coming year.
Morris recorded the waning days of this tradition on December 31, 1842:
“A few reports of fire arms, attended by a few faint and feeble huzzas, was all we had this evening to remind us of the old-fashioned noisy and hilarious mode of dismissing the old and ushering in the New Year.”
He then recorded the recollections of older residents about the custom in its heyday:
“On these occasions a troop of some 30, 40 or even 50 jovial fellows would join in a band, equipped with powder, wadding and shooting irons, and after having appointed a captain to guide and direct them and a musician to blow music out of a conch shell… the line of march would be taken up for the nearest farm house, where a salute would be given, executed with a grand running fire precision, followed by a most hearty ‘wish you a happy New Year’ from the throats and open mouths of the grand troupe…”
“After all this the party is invited into the house where all manner of good cheer is set before them and with a hearty welcome too, that makes it even better than it would otherwise have been. Full justice having been rendered to the collation set before them, the party takes its leave, to make another call at the next neighbors where the same firing, huzzaing and feasting is again repeated… oftentimes consuming the whole night in this merry round of social greeting.”
Church Celebrations and Christmas Music
Churches played a central role in Berks County’s Christmas observances. The Washington Street Presbyterian Church in Reading was known for its beloved musical tradition:
“The Annual Christmas morning Cantata by the Community Chorus under the direction of Mrs. Pearl James was for a number of years one of the musical high-lights of the Church’s life.”
The Moravian community, with strong ties to Berks County, held particularly memorable celebrations. One historical account describes a Christmas Eve gathering at the famous Sun Inn in Bethlehem:
“The occasion was a Christmas Eve celebration and the participants were as colorful as the setting itself. There were wounded continental soldiers who were recuperating in the homes of the Moravian Brethren; there were French and Welsh travelers; there were Moravian Sisters and towns-folk; and finally there was the distinguished General Pulaski and his staff. The whole episode was characterized by the open-hearted hospitality that is truly Moravian.”
Winter’s Social Season
The Christmas and winter season was a time of heightened social activity throughout Berks County’s history. In the difficult year of 1864, as the Civil War wound down:
“The tension and strain of these exciting times let up in December, 1864, and Reading celebrated with a number of balls and parties. They seemed to herald the prospects of peaceful times to come.”
Even as far back as the Revolutionary era, Reading’s winters were marked by festivity. In 1777:
“Reading was gay with card playing, sleighing, parties and dancing… Penn Square animated because of influx of Philadelphians.”
Winter activities like sleigh rides were cherished traditions. The Berks Hiking Club organized memorable outings:
“A sleigh ride ‘down Morgantown way’… A more successful ride took the hikers out the Pricetown Road to Weber’s Hotel for dinner and dancing. Still another used a school bus to pull the sleigh! After deep snows, groups went to Antietam Lake for skiing or sledding.”
Amish Christmas
The Amish community of Berks County observed Christmas in their own distinctive way. Their celebrations emphasized simplicity, family, and faith over commercial excess—traditions that continue to this day in the Plain communities of Berks County.
Hamburg’s King Frost Carnival: Welcoming Winter
While not strictly a Christmas tradition, the town of Hamburg in northern Berks County developed its own unique winter celebration: the King Frost Carnival, held annually beginning in 1910. As one account described:
“The arrival of King Frost has been celebrated in this North Berks Community for 55 years… It still survived; revised and rejuvenated at intervals… the town’s merry, noisy and musical way of saying ‘hello’ to winter.”
The carnival featured parades with costumed participants, including “Goblins, Witches, Gypsies, and Fortune Tellers,” a King and Queen of Frost, and festive dances at Armory Hall.
Charitable Christmas Traditions
The spirit of giving was central to Berks County’s Christmas observance. During World War II, local organizations rallied to support troops overseas:
“For Christmas 1943, students prepared 700 greeting cards for use in Army and Navy hospitals.”
“Council also sent out at Christmas time, 1,505 Christmas Cards to persons in the service.”
The Berks Hiking Club continued this tradition of holiday charity:
“The club entered philanthropic activity by playing Santa Claus to the children of the Berks County Tuberculosis Sanatorium on Neversink Mountain. Members contributed money for clothing, toys, and candy. Then the group hiked up the mountain and presented the gifts to the youngsters.”
Christmas Weddings and Special Occasions
Christmas Day was considered an auspicious time for important life events. Church records reveal that weddings were sometimes performed on Christmas Day itself, such as when Reverend William Boas married Abraham Phillippi to Susanna Kremer on December 25, 1787 in Reading.
Land donations for churches were also made on Christmas. The original log structure for the Northkill Lutheran congregation was erected on ground donated on Christmas Day, 1745, by Gottfried Fidler.
Conclusion
The Christmas traditions of Reading and Berks County reflect the rich tapestry of Pennsylvania Dutch culture—a blend of German piety, folk custom, and American adaptation. From the fearsome Belsnickle to the joyful gunfire greeting the New Year, from candlelit church services to turkey dinners bringing families together, these traditions shaped generations of holiday memories.
While many of these customs have faded—the Belsnickle no longer prowls, and the “shooting in” of the New Year has fallen silent—their spirit lives on in the community gatherings, church celebrations, and family traditions that continue to mark the Christmas season in Berks County today. The echoes of those long-ago holidays remind us that the true essence of Christmas—faith, family, fellowship, and generosity—remains timeless.
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