merry christmas all!

[Muddy]

Hallicher Grisctdaag

Pennsylvania Dutch for Merry Christmas!

Haven't used German or Dutch in a long time, but it looks like the literal translation is "Holy Christday". Is that the way PA Dutch actually refer to it Tim? Is the German concept of "Weihnachten" not recognized at all?

Sorry for all the questions, but Mennonite and PA Dutch culture is interesting to me. We have many Mennonites in central VA and many do celebrate the old German "Weihnachten" traditions on Christmas Eve, versus the more American celebration on Christmas day.

Alot of the German traditions followed the families over here. I would say most "English" here celebrate just like you and I. I believe the Mennonite and Amish focus more on the true meaning of Christmas often not even putting up trees or giving gifts.

PA Dutch being a bastard version of German doesn't always mean the same thing. Even with in the language there is different dialects.

The PA Dutch that my grandfather would have used would be different then the PA Dutch my wife's grandmother would have used. Even though only 30 minutes and a county line separated them.


One difference in German to PA Dutch is Krampus vs Der Belsnickle.