Zweite Weihnachten, or Second Christmas, will be from 2-4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 26 in the Sanctuary Hall of Pioneer Museum at 312 W. San Antonio St.

Locals and tourists alike are invited to enjoy music and singalongs, both in German and English. A variety of Christmas cookies, Stollen, lemonade and Glühwein will be served.

Admission is free and the event is sponsored by Pioneer Museum (GCHS), the Fredericksburg German Club and the Fredericksburg – Montabaur Sister City Verein.

Dec. 26 is an official holiday in Germany and many other European countries (St. Stephen’s Day in Sweden, Poland and France, Boxing Day in England).

Whereas Christmas Day is usually reserved for church, dinner and gift-giving among the immediate family members, this Second Day of Christmas, however, is traditionally a day of sharing food, drink, music, good cheer and fellowship with friends, neighbors and the community at large.

More than 27 years ago, local residents Kenn Knopp and Elsie Burrer founded the German Club and a German language class that still meets every Thursday at the Golden Hub from 12-1:30 p.m. Anyone who wants to speak some informal German can join.

Knopp and Burrer also introduced Zweite Weihnachten to the people of Fredericksburg and it has been observed almost every year since.