Christmas tree auction
Christmas tree auction is a custom that is widespread in southern Germany and Austria and is carried out by clubs or associations in restaurants or club houses during Advent. The origins of this custom can no longer be precisely determined. The aim is to sell donated goods or goods in kind according to the principle of a traditional auction at the highest bidder. The proceeds from the auction mostly go to the club's coffers or charitable causes.
Attendees
- Auctioneer: Corresponds to a classic auctioneer.
- Cashier: people provided by the organizer who collect the surcharge.
- Tables: People, interest groups or association delegations who sit at a table and act as a community. The number of people is limited by the number of seats at the table.
- Table bidder: Determined by the people seated at the table.
- Cashier of the table: Manages the deposit of those sitting at the table, the so-called stick. Before the start of the auction, a sum is determined that must be paid by each person sitting at the table in the floor. If this stick is empty, a further amount can be requested from everyone. If there is still money in stock at the end of the auction, it will be returned in equal parts to everyone seated at the table. Usually it is donated to the organizer.
- Tailor: The person who divides the auctioned natural products into bite-sized portions so that everyone at the table can access as they please.
- Individuals: Each participant can also improve for himself.
Auction tour
Similar to a traditional auction, the auction is carried out by an auctioneer, hereinafter referred to as the auctioneer. This shows those present the goods to be sold, describes them, encourages them to buy and accepts the bids from the tables or individuals. Bids are made by acclamation or show of hands. The highest bid is accepted after a reasonable waiting time and after the formula "To the first, to the second and to the third" has been used. The auctioneer will hand over the auctioned goods immediately after the knockdown and must be paid immediately to one of the cashiers in the vicinity.
A Christmas tree auction usually takes place in several stages. The duration is usually between one and two hours.
- 1st stage: At the beginning, natural products are auctioned at tables. These include mostly products from bakeries, butchers, cheese factories and fisheries. The classics are the cold, baked pork knuckle , the loaf of bread or the smoked trout.
- Stage 2: In the following, goods or vouchers are auctioned off to individuals.
- Break: In order to enhance the sociable part and to give the auctioneer a short break, a break of ten to 20 minutes is usually taken.
- Increase the summit: The so-called summit is auctioned at every Christmas tree auction. It is a decorated Christmas tree. This can only be bought by individuals. Another special feature is the status of the summit. It can be locked or free. It can also happen that a summit is not released because it is still used as a decoration for the clubhouse or the like. is needed.
- Blocked peak: Individuals give the cashiers a donation and are then named by the auctioneer with their name and amount. The auctioneer publicly thanks the respective persons on behalf of the organizer.
- Free summit: Once the summit has been released, it can be purchased by individuals at the maximum price. Nowadays it rarely happens that a peak is released.
- Hoam drivers: The so-called home drivers are forks of branches that are hung with sausages and pretzels. These can be bought at auction by individuals and do not serve as a meal for the table, but are taken home as an enrichment for your own snack .
The end is reached when all objects and the top of the Christmas tree have been sold and the auctioneer publishes the final result.