1. Obviously…..WEIHNACHTSMARKTS! as if I haven’t mentioned them enough. They’re so cute, there’s so much going on at them, they’re so German!
2. Saint Nicholas- on the 6th of December, kids are supposed to put out their shoes and Saint Nicholas fills them with candy. But Santa Clause isn’t really that big here. He doesn’t visit Christmas Eve, because what we generally do on Christmas morning (the opening of presents, church services ect.) they do on Christmas night, therefore Santa has no opportunity to drop in. NO WONDER he flies all around the world in one night!....if he gets to skip Germany, who KNOWS how many other countries he has no obligations too. I can’t believe I never knew!
3. Kuchen, Gebäck, Glühwein, Fruchtbrot etc.
The eats. There are so many traditional German Christmas cookies, cakes, wine etc! Its actually unbelievable! I know we have all kinds of sweets too, but they have so many that are ONLY for Christmas. You don’t just make cookies for Christmas, you make CHRISTMAS cookies for Christmas!
4. I think one of the main things I’ve noticed, that I actually really like is the fact that people don’t seem as stressed out by Christmas. In our culture, Christmas is labeled as the “busiest time of the year”, and I don’t’ really think that’s the way its supposed to be.
At first here, I thought it was just because I, myself, don’t have all the traditions and stuff to do like usual, but I’ve thought about it a lot and talked to my friends and I really think that it different here.
For starters, at home University students have exams in December. That right there is a load of the most stressful stuff in school! I also think that the whole consumption/consumerism part of our Christmas is less here. People buy presents, but you don’t see ad’s EVERYWHERE blaring that you MUST buy this and this and this and this and this!!!!! I think consumerism is less in general.
So those are a couple of my insights, I’m definitly experiencing a different kind of Christmas this year. One that will come with its own set of memories I guess.
SO, treasure your traditions, savor the flavours, love the family that you get to see, laugh a lot and just be merry in general k? MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Love,
Katrina
Yes, being away from home definitely makes one appreciate your traditions. We felt the same way last year in California where we missed having a real tree with our special ornaments, seeing friends, etc.
ReplyDeleteSavor this unusual Christmas and enjoy your visit with your mom when she gets there