German-American Christmas and Easter

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the traditions of Easter and Christmas, and the traditions that were brought from Germany: the Easter bunny, the Christmas tree, and even holiday sweets, all come from Germany. The history of the holidays and specific traditions are all examined, as well as people, places, and dates.

From the Paper:

"German beliefs and customs have an undisputed impact on American life. Millions of immigrants emigrated from Germany into the United States since the founding of America. German Americans played an instrumental role in the success of life on the new continent. It was only natural that the early settlers retained their German customs. These customs have become integral into American life, and now shape many special events American celebrate. Many German beliefs have assimilated into mainstream culture, and are rarely seen in everyday society. Holidays in particular are important holdouts of "Old World" customs, because they are religiously preformed, and passed down from generation to generation. Can you imagine a Christmas without a Christmas tree? Can you think of Easter without the Easter Bunny? Easter and Christmas are just two examples of the many holidays that German Americans have played an important role in forming."

More papers on German-American Christmas and Easter:

• Term Paper # 107015 : "German-American Internment"
• Term Paper # 60217 : "Philippine-American War and Insurgency Against America"
• Analytical Essay # 4466 : "American Identity and Colonialism"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: