Advent Calendar - 11 December
Time for a little sarcasm, I suppose, with Erich Kästner's classic "Christmas Carol, dry-cleaned" (1928)*
Morgen, Kinder, wird's nichts geben! ------------------------------------------- Tomorrow, kids, there'll be no presents
Nur wer hat, kriegt noch geschenkt. ---------------------------------------------- Just those who have are given to.
Mutter schenkte Euch das Leben. ------------------------------------------------ Your mother gave you life at one point
Das genügt, wenn man's bedenkt. ------------------------------------------------ Come to think, that's quite enough.
Einmal kommt auch eure Zeit. ------------------------------------------------------ One day perhaps your time may come
Morgen ist's noch nicht soweit. ----------------------------------------------------- But gifts tomorrow there'll be none.
Doch ihr dürft nicht traurig werden. ------------------------------------------------ But you still must not be sad now
Reiche haben Armut gern. ----------------------------------------------------------- Rich people like poverty.
Gänsebraten macht Beschwerden. ----------------------------------------------- Turkey gives you indigestion
Puppen sind nicht mehr modern. -------------------------------------------------- Dolls are old fashioned anyway.
Morgen kommt der Weihnachtsmann. ------------------------------------------- Tomorrow Santa brings his presents
Allerdings nur nebenan. -------------------------------------------------------------- But he'll only go next door.
Lauft ein bisschen durch die Straßen! ------------------------------------------- Run about the streets a little!
Dort gibt's Weihnachtsfest genug. ------------------------------------------------ There'll be Christmas there galore.
Christentum, vom Turm geblasen, ----------------------------------------------- Christendom from spires trumpeted
macht die kleinsten Kinder klug. -------------------------------------------------- Will make the smallest children wise.
Kopf gut schütteln vor Gebrauch! ------------------------------------------------- Shake head well before you use it!
Ohne Christbaum geht es auch. -------------------------------------------------- You'll survive without a tree.
Tannengrün mit Osrambirnen - ------------------------------------------------- Electric light bulbs on the spruce boughs -
Lernt drauf pfeifen! Werdet stolz! ------------------------------------------------- Learn to despise it and be proud!
Reißt die Bretter von den Stirnen, ----------------------------------------------- Tear those blocks off from your heads
denn im Ofen fehlt's an Holz! ------------------------------------------------------ For you can do with fire-wood!
Stille Nacht und heil'ge Nacht - -------------------------------------------------- Silent Night and Holy Night -
Weint, wenn's geht, nicht! Sondern lacht! ------------------------------------- Cry not, if you can, but laugh!
Morgen, Kinder, wird's nichts geben! ------------------------------------------ Tomorrow, kids, there'll be no presents!
Wer nichts kriegt, der kriegt Geduld! ------------------------------------------- Who won't get gifts, gets patience, though.
Morgen, Kinder, lernt fürs Leben! ----------------------------------------------- Tomorrow, kids, you learn for life.
Gott ist nicht allein dran schuld. ------------------------------------------------- God is not to blame alone.
Gottes Güte reicht so weit ... ------------------------------------------------------ God's love reaches far and wide...
Ach, du liebe Weihnachtszeit! ---------------------------------------------------- Oh good gracious yule-tide!
I couldn't ascertain the exact topic and author of this image, but found it online under the topic of 'poorhouse'.
The way the poor are huddling in stables of sorts seemed to me particularly fitting.
*Based on the popular children's song "Morgen, Kinder, wirds was geben", the first stanza of which goes:
Tomorrow, children, there'll be presents
Tomorrow we will all rejoice.
What a bustle, what excitement
Shall there be about the house.
One more sleep and then, hurray
We all wake to Christmas Day!
Morgen, Kinder, wird's nichts geben! ------------------------------------------- Tomorrow, kids, there'll be no presents
Nur wer hat, kriegt noch geschenkt. ---------------------------------------------- Just those who have are given to.
Mutter schenkte Euch das Leben. ------------------------------------------------ Your mother gave you life at one point
Das genügt, wenn man's bedenkt. ------------------------------------------------ Come to think, that's quite enough.
Einmal kommt auch eure Zeit. ------------------------------------------------------ One day perhaps your time may come
Morgen ist's noch nicht soweit. ----------------------------------------------------- But gifts tomorrow there'll be none.
Doch ihr dürft nicht traurig werden. ------------------------------------------------ But you still must not be sad now
Reiche haben Armut gern. ----------------------------------------------------------- Rich people like poverty.
Gänsebraten macht Beschwerden. ----------------------------------------------- Turkey gives you indigestion
Puppen sind nicht mehr modern. -------------------------------------------------- Dolls are old fashioned anyway.
Morgen kommt der Weihnachtsmann. ------------------------------------------- Tomorrow Santa brings his presents
Allerdings nur nebenan. -------------------------------------------------------------- But he'll only go next door.
Lauft ein bisschen durch die Straßen! ------------------------------------------- Run about the streets a little!
Dort gibt's Weihnachtsfest genug. ------------------------------------------------ There'll be Christmas there galore.
Christentum, vom Turm geblasen, ----------------------------------------------- Christendom from spires trumpeted
macht die kleinsten Kinder klug. -------------------------------------------------- Will make the smallest children wise.
Kopf gut schütteln vor Gebrauch! ------------------------------------------------- Shake head well before you use it!
Ohne Christbaum geht es auch. -------------------------------------------------- You'll survive without a tree.
Tannengrün mit Osrambirnen - ------------------------------------------------- Electric light bulbs on the spruce boughs -
Lernt drauf pfeifen! Werdet stolz! ------------------------------------------------- Learn to despise it and be proud!
Reißt die Bretter von den Stirnen, ----------------------------------------------- Tear those blocks off from your heads
denn im Ofen fehlt's an Holz! ------------------------------------------------------ For you can do with fire-wood!
Stille Nacht und heil'ge Nacht - -------------------------------------------------- Silent Night and Holy Night -
Weint, wenn's geht, nicht! Sondern lacht! ------------------------------------- Cry not, if you can, but laugh!
Morgen, Kinder, wird's nichts geben! ------------------------------------------ Tomorrow, kids, there'll be no presents!
Wer nichts kriegt, der kriegt Geduld! ------------------------------------------- Who won't get gifts, gets patience, though.
Morgen, Kinder, lernt fürs Leben! ----------------------------------------------- Tomorrow, kids, you learn for life.
Gott ist nicht allein dran schuld. ------------------------------------------------- God is not to blame alone.
Gottes Güte reicht so weit ... ------------------------------------------------------ God's love reaches far and wide...
Ach, du liebe Weihnachtszeit! ---------------------------------------------------- Oh good gracious yule-tide!
I couldn't ascertain the exact topic and author of this image, but found it online under the topic of 'poorhouse'.
The way the poor are huddling in stables of sorts seemed to me particularly fitting.
*Based on the popular children's song "Morgen, Kinder, wirds was geben", the first stanza of which goes:
Tomorrow, children, there'll be presents
Tomorrow we will all rejoice.
What a bustle, what excitement
Shall there be about the house.
One more sleep and then, hurray
We all wake to Christmas Day!