The open-air museum Stübing extends into a narrow side valley of Stübing, where in the winter few rays of sun come through. Typical Austrian farms awaken on two Advent weekends. Their ovens are heated, people enjoy the warm rooms and the performances and hands-on opportunities with various crafts. An authentic offer for small groups of friends. Prepare your ticket to the maypole for the following Advent. We arrived with three private cars. Equipped with good footwear, down jacket, hood and gloves, we walk past pigeons, mills feed to the basket, burn schnapps, pottery, brooms. The sun symbol on the front door to the old blacksmith appeals to us. Yes, the forge is in operation. We look and buy a hand-forged shoehorn and a few long-handled wrought-iron hearts (flower tendrils). For this we are presented with small horseshoes. A few doors down, the lettering Bratäpfel (baked apples) caught our attention. In addition waffles. To warm ourselves up a bit, we go to the parlor of the Styrian folk song association. We are invited to sing along, there is no excuse that one does not know the text, song books are prepared. Enthusiasm is on and so we sit a few song lengths and participate in the commonality in the room. We need tea with herbs for our throats, some with schnapps. We take the singing atmosphere with us and look straight into the next room. We are lucky, it is a place free and gradually we manage to find a place in the house. Here Dr. Luck tells the story of how a plum tree became a Christmas tree and sings: “Oh plum tree, oh plum tree, how wonderful are your fruits. You give us schnapps at any time, that’s a great pleasure for me. Oh plum tree, oh plum tree, how wonderful are your fruits “… of course the story goes well. At our next stop in the Hanslerhof the room is full, here plays Herbert Krienzer with the Liebochtaler Tanzgeigern. We go into the adjoining room of the house in Tyrolean style. Sustainable play with wooden toys – even for adults, the well-known wooden tiles, which are quickly to string together and it gives the shape of a house, triangle, cross, … When it comes to pick up and place the tiles correctly, you realize that it is not so fast, but the quicker it is that ALL in the room catching up the childhood or the popular games and everyone leaves the room at least one game richer (played and bought). And in the next barn there is the game in large format. Wooden parts want to be put together to a roof truss. When we come out, it is dark and in a large number of preserving glasses, which are tied with wire to the wooden fences, brownies have ignited in the meantime candles. They light the way, we walk to the Sterzhütte, before us go three musicians. Next to the lights they stop, adjust their hats and instruments and play an Advent song. It’s cold now, we pull our hoods over our heads and decide to stay a bit longer than planned. Curious – we accompany you on a special day, but only with timely registration, the cards are limited and desired. Thanks to the many volunteers and artists in Stübing.
