These charming folk are still traditionally sold at Christmas markets in and around Nuremberg. However, our photos below where once made by immigrant children who brought the tradition to America and although the old things don't always become popular here - these ideas can morph into other things that we recognize today...
Americans definitely play with their food:
To make an edible prune figure for Christmas day, gather the following together first from the market: dried dates, figs, prunes, raisins and a walnut for your character's head. You will also need strong and very clean wire plus a wooden platform, scrap fabrics, hand held drill and acrylic paints.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- First cut a base from a clean log or purchase a wooden round from a dollar tree. Take time to refinish this wooden base in a way that you like it best, because you may wish to reused it year after year. Drill two holes into the base wherever your prune man or woman will stand just beneath their foot placement.
- Now construct the prune man's body using food-grade stainless steel wire that is both non-toxic and rust-resistant. Give him legs made by poking one wire each into three prunes. Repeat the step for the second leg and firmly push the foot ends down into the holes made in the wooden display base.
- Now twist the two legs at the top ends around a torso wire where the hip joints meet the main body.
- Neatly poke four to five figs onto the single connecting wire, the size of your figure will dictate how many figs are needed. Some people prefer a torso made in the same way using dates instead of figs, this is dependent upon what you have available or what you may prefer to eat.
- Now twist onto the torso wire a single long wire for the two arms, leaving a little wire at the top for attaching either a walnut head or a citrus fruit head.
- The arms may be made of more prunes or even raisins or cranberries if you prefer.
- Have an adult drill a small hole at the base of an English walnut so that the head may slip onto the end of the wire.
- Paint a funny face on the walnut or orange using non-toxic acrylic paints. The head does not need to be 'cracked' open for eating if you would like to save it for another prune man in the future. Once you have decided to eat the dried fruit, simply store the head away inside of a recycled cookie tin for another year.
- Use bits of trim and scrap fabric to make clothing and hats for your prune people; the more details you add, the cuter he or she will look. It has been said that keeping your prune man till Epiphany will bring good luck and wealth for the coming new year.
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German immigrant children in America made these prune men to celebrate both the Fall Harvest and Christmas in 1927. Top left, a german couple going to market, top right, a man in his sleeping attire carries and candle and broom, Bottom left, is a Bottom right, is a dragon with a crown. His body is a banana and his legs are peanuts! |
Christmas Fun by Marjorie Barrows
Little pines upon the hill,
Sleeping in the moonlight, still,
Are you dreaming now of me
Who bloomed into a Christmas tree?
Baby moons of gold and red
Cuddle close beside my head;
In my tangled leaves a string
Of fairy stars are glimmering;
While my arms, for girls and boys,
Blossom with a hundred toys.
O, little pines, it's fun to live
To be a Christmas tree-and give!
