Christmas A to Z Letter L

December 10, 2025

Welcome Back to Christmas A to Z
L …is for Lights, Little Drummer Boy, Lebkuchen

Lights

Christmas is known as the "feast of light", as Jesus, the Light of the World .

The history of placing a candle in the window is very interesting. When religion was suppressed through Ireland during the English persecution, the people had no churches. Priests secretly visited the farms and homes to say Mass during the night. Irish families hoped the priests would come to their homes, so when Christmas came, they left their doors unlocked and placed burning candles in the windows so that any priest who happened to be in the vicinity could be welcomed and guided to their home.

To explain this practice to the English soldiers, the Irish people stated: “We burn the candles and keep the doors unlocked, that Mary and Joseph, looking for a place to stay, will find their way to our home and be welcomed with open doors and open hearts."

The customs of placing lighted candles in the windows at Christmas was brought to America by the Irish in the early 19th century, and is still practiced today. Candle light often evokes the warmth of home and family. The fireplace was center of family life in days gone by, and thus the candle was generally lit from that fire.

The candle was often placed in the window when a member of the family was away. The lit candle was also placed in the window as a sign of good news or as a beacon to weary travelers. Candles also represented friendship and were seen as a sign of welcome to others.

In early America, homes were often miles apart. The sight of a candle in a window from a distance was a sign of "welcome" to those wishing to visit. Many people today only associate candles in the window as a Christmas tradition. Yet, you will see electric candles placed in the windows of more and more homes during all seasons of the year.

Little Drummer Boy

I can remember watching the Little Drummer Boy Christmas Special each year. The show made its debut in 1968.

"Little Drummer Boy" was originally titled "Carol of the Drums" because of the repeating line "pa rum pum pum pum" which imitates the sound of a drum.

The song "Little Drummer Boy" is believed to have been written by Katherine K. Davis in 1941 based on an old Czech carol.

"The Little Drummer Boy" (originally known as "Carol of the Drum") is a popular Christmas song written by the American classical music composer and teacher Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941. The song is based on an old Czech carol.

It was recorded in 1955 by the Trapp Family Singers and further popularized by a 1958 recording by the Harry Simeone Chorale. Here is a recording of the Trapp Family Singers version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwBSy3dVAKo

Lebkuchen

Lebkuchen (or Pfefferkuchen) is a traditional German sweet baked for Christmas, somewhat resembling soft gingerbread. Traditional Lebkuchen is said to have been invented by Medieval monks in Franconia, Germany in the 13th century.

Depending on the ingredients, Lebkuchen is also known as honey cake or pepper cake. Traditionally, the cookies are usually quite large and may be four and a half inches in diameter if round, and larger if rectangular.

Sometimes Lebkuchen is packaged in richly decorated tins, chests, and boxes which have become nostalgic collector items. Lebkuchen come in a variety of shapes with round being the most common. The ingredients usually include honey; spices such as aniseed, coriander, cloves, ginger, cardamom, and allspice’ nuts including almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts; or candied fruit.

Best German Lebkuchen

I brought this recipe over from Germany almost 20 years ago. It has molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, honey, and brown sugar in it. This is one of my favorite memories of Germany at Christmastime.

Yield:

6 dozen cookies. From the All-Recipes Website

Ingredients

½ cup honey

½ cup molasses

¾ cup packed brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

⅓ cup diced candied citron or mixed candied fruit

⅓ cup chopped hazelnuts

1 cup white sugar

½ cup water

¼ cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

Stir honey and molasses together in a medium saucepan over medium heat until combined and beginning to boil, about 2 minutes. Remove Stir in brown sugar, egg, lemon juice, and lemon zest until well blended. and stir in the brown sugar, egg, lemon juice and lemon zest. Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg together in a large bowl until evenly combined. Add molasses mixture to dry ingredients and stir until dough forms. Mix in citron and hazelnuts. Cover dough and refrigerate until firm, at least 8 hours to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease baking sheets or line with parchment paper. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into small rectangles and place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
Bake in the preheated oven, until no imprint remains when touched lightly, about 10 to 12 minutes. Brush hot cookies with icing and transfer immediately to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container with a piece of apple or orange for 2 to 3 days to soften and develop flavor.
To make the icing: Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat to between 234 and 240 degrees F (112 to 116 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface. Remove from heat and stir in the confectioners' sugar. If icing becomes grainy, reheat gently with a little water until crystals dissolve.