German Christmas Smokers

Holidaily Backlog
(With Just 6 days left...) Another one of my favorite things at Christmas are my German Smokers. I love lighting the inscents and seeing the little guys "smoke up". Here is a little history about the German smoker:

History of Steinbach “Rauchermen” (Smoker) For five thousand years, incense, like gold, spices and gems, has been among the most precious gifts of kings and emperors. It has also been closely connected with religion. The bible says in Matthew 2, verse 11, about the journey of the Three Wise Men to Bethlehem: “and opened their treasures and offered him gold, frankincense and myrrh”. The festivity of the Three Wise Men is still celebrated in Germany on January 6.
Christian and Germanic customs together with superstition made people believe that the evil spirits of the “Raunaechte” (longest nights of the year) could be driven away by noise and light. Once the devils and evil spirits had left the house fine incense was burnt to bless hearth and home.
The old sign: C+M+B
is also today written in chalk over the front door would be the magic spell that keeps all evil away throughout the year.
After the 30 years-religious-war (1618-1648) that was fought in the heart of Germany medieval piety and folk art combined to bring about new forms of burning-incense. Thus, the “Rauchermen”, carved and turned from wood, were born in the Miriquidi Forest, later known as the Erzgebirge. Over the years all kinds and types of Rauchermen were designed: respectable and professional people, folk characters, heroes and forest workers.
The Steinbach family, that has been making German folk art for 5 generations, has perfected the art and craft of creating Rauchermen. All figures represent a certain German folk character manufactured in the most charming detail. Each one has a quaint personality of its own.
Herr Steinbach and his artists constantly dig into German history and culture to come up with new ideas every year. Once the basic idea is born, details have to be worked out in close cooperation with the production people. Every figure consists of numerous parts and pieces which, designed seperately, have to fit perfectly together in the end. One sloppy step and the whole product is worthless.
After designing, the right wood has to be selected and cut and milled into boards and dowels of many different sizes. Skilled craftsmen turn the rough pieces into their final shapes. Many of the small parts are made on automatic machines. However, also these have to be masterly set up for the tiniest pieces. The experienced hands of the carver give special details.
The larger pieces are then sprayed in the typical Steinbach fashion using colors, blends and shadings in a way that makes these products very special. After a drying period rough spots are sanded off, holes drilled and all the little details painted by the artists. Everything is a very tedious work, but when the many pieces finally shape the finished product, we are all proud of the latest creation.