5th of December

Lasst uns froh und munter sein
by Carola
Having a violin teacher as my mother and playing the cello myself, I cannot imagine an Advent season without music. When I was a child every evening in December after dinner and before going to bed, we would sit together in the living room in candlelight with the scent of an incense cone listening to a story and playing or singing all kinds of Christmas carols. One well-known carol in German is called “Lasst uns froh und munter sein” (Let us be happy and cheerful), which children are singing in the evening of the 5th of December, the day before St. Nicholas day on the 6th of December. Although the lyrics of the song say the children put a plate out, it is more common in Germany that children clean their shoes the day before to find small presents and sweets in them the next morning.
Have fun listening to the recording of the song played by me and my husband:

Lyrics:

Laßt uns froh und munter sein und uns recht von Herzen freun! Lustig, lustig, tralalalala! Bald ist Nikolausabend da, bald ist Nikolausabend da! Dann stell’ ich den Teller auf, Nik’laus legt gewiß was drauf. Lustig, lustig, tralalalala! Bald ist Nikolausabend da, bald ist Nikolausabend da! Wenn ich schlaf’, dann träume ich: Jetzt bringt Nik’laus was für mich. Lustig, lustig, tralalalala! Bald ist Nikolausabend da, bald ist Nikolausabend da! Wenn ich aufgestanden bin, lauf’ ich schnell zum Teller hin. Lustig, lustig, tralalalala! Bald ist Nikolausabend da, bald ist Nikolausabend da! Nik’laus ist ein guter Mann, dem man nicht genug danken kann. Lustig, lustig, tralalalala! Bald ist Nikolausabend da, bald ist Nikolausabend da!

Let us be happy and cheerful And really be happy in our hearts! Jolly, jolly, tralala-lala, Soon Nicholas Eve is here! Soon Nicholas Eve is here! Then I put the plate out Nick'll surely put somethin' on it. Jolly, jolly, tralala-lala, Soon Nicholas Eve is here! Soon Nicholas Eve is here! When I sleep, I dream: Now Nicholas brings me something. Jolly, jolly, tralala-lala, Soon Nicholas Eve is here! Soon Nicholas Eve is here! When I am woken up, I run quickly to the plate. Jolly, jolly, tralala-lala, Soon Nicholas Eve is here! Soon Nicholas Eve is here! Nicholas is a good man Whom we can't thank enough. Jolly, jolly, tralala-lala, Soon Nicholas Eve is here! Soon Nicholas Eve is here!