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Salzburg's 'Silent Night' and Austrian Christmas Traditions with Michaela Muhr

Salzburg's 'Silent Night' and Austrian Christmas Traditions with Michaela Muhr


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Can't make this time? A video recording will be sent to all participants after the seminar.

Salzburg is the land of Christmas. The whole old town comes alive with beautifully decorated Christmas lights, the singing of Christmas carols can be heard in many different areas, and familiar smells of mulled wine and Christmas cookies fill the air. This conversation will explore Christmas traditions in Salzburg, as well as a commentary on the famous Christmas song ‘Silent Night’. It’s a conversation set to awaken the Christmas spirit and transport participants to a traditional Austrian Christmas in a ninety-minute journey.

Starting in November, everybody gets into the spirit of the Christmas season. We’ll hear of Krampus parades, St. Nicolaus celebrations, guided Christmas tours, choral concerts, visits by the “Christ Child” and traditions to celebrate the coming of the spring. We’ll spend some time discussing the celebrated Christmas markets as we learn how friends and families visit different Christmas markets in the snow-covered surrounding villages or take their kids on a sled through the countryside. Our spotlight will be on Salzburg’s Cathedral Square as we explore some of the people’s favorite crafts, places, food delights, nativity scenes, or even the Christmas museum, as we learn more about the Christmas market. Friends and families visit different Christmas markets in the snow-covered surrounding villages or take their kids on a sled through the countryside.

We’ll discuss how and why the Christmas traditions started and are still so popular among the locals. We’ll learn how to make mulled wine, we’ll receive a recipe for the best Austrian Christmas cookie, and we’ll watch a short video of the Advent market to get into the mood of Christmas.

Our conversation will also cover the story of Salzburg-born Joseph Mohr and his friend Franz Xaver Gruber, who we have to thank for the famous song ‘Silent Night’. We’ll listen to and discuss this simple song, which stands for hope and fills our hearts with hope for a safe and happy future – just like it used to give hope to the suffering people in the nineteenth century when it was first performed. It is considered a world peace song and was declared an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2011.

Led by an expert on Austrian Christmas traditions, Michaela Muhr, this interactive seminar will tell participants why the song ‘Silent Night’ was written and how important Christmas traditions have always been. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with increased knowledge about Austrian Christmas traditions and the fascinating time when the song Silent Night was written.

Michaela is from Austria and has lived in Salzburg for over 20 years. She has lived in LA, Amsterdam and now Salzburg where she is on the team of Context Travel experts. She specializes in guiding history, music and food tours.

This conversation is suitable for all ages.

90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.

Customer Reviews

Based on 12 reviews
75%
(9)
17%
(2)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
8%
(1)
k
kathy d (Scandicci, IT)
Salzburg's "Silent Night"

Very enjoyable and informative lecture on Salzburg during Christmas and the song "Silent Night".

J
John Goslin (Marietta, US)
Good Look at Salzburg's 'Silent Night' and Austrian Christmas Traditions with Michaela Muhr

Really well done. Organized. Thoughtfully presented. Good pictures and videos. Very informative.

My one suggestion for improvement would be for Michaela to include more details in her PowerPoint slides --- names, references, etc. I think this is always good, but especially for presenters whose first language is not English. Then, there are fewer questions for listeners. I would know what she said, how to spell that, etc. It would make taking notes so much easier.

A
Anonymous (Asheville, US)
Delightful Lecture

Ms. Muhr shared a delightful sample of Christmas-time in Salzburg. She touched on different aspects of Austrian traditions including Christmas markets, food, and music. Made me wish I were there!

A
Anonymous (Brooklyn, US)

entertaining:interesting;well thought out

M
Margarite Woods (Portland, US)

Despite quite a bit of travel in my life I have never been to Salzburg but since I can't go there right now this was a wonderful way to see highlights and learn some of the Christmas history and current events there. What could be better - Salzburg at Christmas in my living room!

Customer Reviews

Based on 12 reviews
75%
(9)
17%
(2)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
8%
(1)
k
kathy d (Scandicci, IT)
Salzburg's "Silent Night"

Very enjoyable and informative lecture on Salzburg during Christmas and the song "Silent Night".

J
John Goslin (Marietta, US)
Good Look at Salzburg's 'Silent Night' and Austrian Christmas Traditions with Michaela Muhr

Really well done. Organized. Thoughtfully presented. Good pictures and videos. Very informative.

My one suggestion for improvement would be for Michaela to include more details in her PowerPoint slides --- names, references, etc. I think this is always good, but especially for presenters whose first language is not English. Then, there are fewer questions for listeners. I would know what she said, how to spell that, etc. It would make taking notes so much easier.

A
Anonymous (Asheville, US)
Delightful Lecture

Ms. Muhr shared a delightful sample of Christmas-time in Salzburg. She touched on different aspects of Austrian traditions including Christmas markets, food, and music. Made me wish I were there!

A
Anonymous (Brooklyn, US)

entertaining:interesting;well thought out

M
Margarite Woods (Portland, US)

Despite quite a bit of travel in my life I have never been to Salzburg but since I can't go there right now this was a wonderful way to see highlights and learn some of the Christmas history and current events there. What could be better - Salzburg at Christmas in my living room!