Christmas as it used to be
Memories of my childhood
The memories of our father, Johann Egger, fondly known as "Post Hansi," are with us every day. We miss him deeply, yet through the many cherished moments we shared, he remains alive in our hearts. We often think back to the stories he told us about his life and childhood. One Christmas story, in particular, moved us deeply and brought both reflection and joy. We have written it down and would like to share it here in his own words. We hope you enjoy reading it, and we wish all our friends and guests who come across these lines a joyful and peaceful Christmas!
The Post children in the 1940s. Hans Egger, third from the left.
Our father, Johann Egger, in 2015.
From 1942 to 1969, we celebrated Christmas in the 'old Post,' the inn across the way in Zellbergeben. Family life took place on the ground floor, where the guest rooms, kitchen, and the so-called Labe (the Tyrolean term for the toilet) were located. The bedrooms, children's rooms, and bathroom were on the first floor. Weeks before the holiday, the children talked excitedly about their wishes, wrote them down, and placed the little letters on the windowsill.
The 'Gasthof' was popular with guests from near and far.
The corridors were so long that Hansi could ride his bike through them.
On Christmas Eve, cooking took place all day. Traditionally, every year, there was noodle soup with sausages, Zillertaler Krapfen (savory filled pastries), sweet Krapflang (fried pastries), and Mogschob'n (stale white bread served with milk, poppy seeds, sugar, and cinnamon), which was eaten from a bowl. Additionally, there was pretzel soup made from old, hard salted pretzels. These were layered in a bowl, alternately sprinkled with "schriefem" cheese—this refers to streaked "Graukas," a tangy cheese specialty from the Zillertal—and then doused with hot beef broth. This type of casserole was prepared the day before, generously garnished with chives, and served warm.
On Christmas Eve, we indulged to our heart's content for up to two hours. The entire family gathered at the table: father, mother, myself, and my three siblings—Hermann, Siegal, and Helga. Also present were my parents’ siblings who lived in the house: uncles Franz, Max, Ferdl, Vinzenz, and Rudl, who had returned from the war, as well as my aunts Anna and Thresal. In addition, there were a few servants and the kitchen staff.
In between, people would go "Rach'n," a tradition still practiced during the Rauhnächte (the Twelve Nights of Christmas). We prayed through every room in the house – except one. The Christkindl had locked that one.
The large Stöckler family with Hansi's paternal grandparents, sitting in the middle.
During the Rauhnächte, the longest nights of the year, the tradition of Rach'n gia (smoke blessing) is alive in the Zillertal. On December 24th, December 31st, and January 5th of each year, the head of the family leads a prayerful procession through the house, the barn, and finally around the house and barn, carrying a censer.
In the iron pan, glowing coals and incense were placed. Following the family head was the mother, carrying the Weichbrunnkessel (a bowl of holy water) and a sprig of fir for sprinkling the water. The "Nadl," the grandmother, held the rosary and led the prayers. The rest of the family followed behind, praying together for the health of both the household's residents and the animals.
This is where Hansi's maternal grandparents lived: at the "Welschen," in the center of Zell.
When the big cowbell rang, everyone knew: the gift-giving was about to begin. The presents were modest. Each person received a plate of homemade cookies, oranges, and apples. There were also gingerbread cookies, which were very popular at the time. One child was delighted with a pair of wooden skis, with screwed edges. The hickory skis made from ash wood were the most expensive.
Another time, we received a new sled. Sometimes, there was a sweater, new ski pants, gloves, or a hand-knitted hat. And plenty of walnuts.
The tree was decorated with Christmas baubles, candles, tinsel, porcelain bells, and wooden ornaments. There were even star-shaped sprinkles.
In the days before Christmas, a "Dogglmacherin" (slipper maker) would stay at the house for an entire week. She made a pair of "Doggln" (slippers) for each family member, which were also brought by the Christkindl. I particularly fondly remember the shared prayers.
Compared to today, everything was very simple. The dishes were made from basic ingredients – but prepared with great effort, and there was plenty of it.
No one thought or felt they were poor. Everyone was as happy as they are today, even though many places have much more under the Christmas tree now. By the way, the cowbell still hangs in the Posthotel to this day.
Johann "Hansi" Egger
Hans Egger was the father of Christina Binder-Egger. In his story, he reminisced about happy Christmas days spent with his extended family. The Stöckler (Egger) and Rieser (Wallischen) families, from whom Hans' parents, Johann and Theresia, descended, had lost their farms due to the economic crisis and the war. They all found a new home with "Hansl and Thresal" in the "old Post."
We miss our father every day.