Hoffman Estates High School's German Weihnachtsfest, a celebration of the European country's culture, started in the 1970s with just 25 students and their parents in attendance.

Now, at least six times as many people attend the family Christmas event thrown by the school's 80-member German Club, which hosted the event Dec. 19 in the school cafeteria.

About 150 teachers, students, parents and alumni enjoyed the Weihnachtsfest, which means festival of the holy night in German.

They nibbled on German foods such as pretzels and potato salad from Edelweiss Delicatessen in Palatine, and they sang German versions of songs such as "O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum" during a sing-along.

Attendees paid for the event not with an admission fee but by bidding on auction items such as German magazines and beer steins. The German Club raised about $350 through the auction.

Several Hoffman Estates alumni also attended the event to reminisce with veteran German teacher Reinhard Taylor, who also has sponsored the language club for more than 20 years.

Taylor treated the alumni to old pictures of German Club events over two decades, and they reciprocated by giving him the opportunity to meet their children.

"Students from the graduating class of 1981 brought their children," he said with amusement.