Numerous references to the Christmas holiday can be found in Goethe's works, but how did he celebrate Christmas himself? Folklorist Gerd Grein has embarked on a search for the Christmas traditions in the Goethe household, starting with the poet's childhood days in Frankfurt. Here, Hessian Christmas specialties are prepared: roast goose with cheese filling, Offenbach peppernuts, French toast, Frankfurt cherry sauce, and pastries. In addition to Christmas gifts and nativity plays, the winter festivities of old Frankfurt are also cherished. From Goethe's works, correspondence, and reports from contemporaries, Grein assembles a picture of the Christmas celebrations, complemented by family recipes and richly illustrated with contemporary images. New edition in paperback.