"Perhaps we can come again," her mother comforted her by saying. "I think this must do for now, and there will be others in the churches."
"They will be changed quite often at the Theatinerkirche, I am told," said Miss Helen. "I believe there is a new krippe each week."
"Oh, there comes a new word. I suppose krippe is the singular and krippen the plural," said Mary Lee.
"Naturally. The word I find means literally a manger. We can see a very interesting display of krippen, Christmas ornaments and such things down on Sonnenstrasse and the Sendlingeethorplatz. The peasants make the little krippen and bring them in for sale just before Christmas."
"Oh, do they have them anywhere but in the churches?"
"Yes, indeed. A great many private houses have them and they are considered quite as much an institution in some families as the Christmas tree, though of course, these would be the Roman Catholic families. You can see them of all sorts and sizes. Munich is Roman Catholic, you know, although there are many Protestants here and many Protestant churches."
"I should love to have a krippe to take home even if I am not a Roman Catholic, mother," said Jean. "Couldn't we have one?"
"I don't see any reason for not having one, although it would be rather hard to pack. We will see about it."
"And may we go this afternoon to look at them?"