Happy Holidays: Christmas & Silvester

Because mine were both terribly uneventful (I stayed solo in Deutschland for both whilst my host family vacayed in Switzerland-- don't worry, they invited me) and naturally because these two holidays are grouped together, I will share one post for the two...

CHRISTMAS:

Christmas, also known as Weihnachten in Deutsch, in my mind (in Germany at least) is all about the Christmas Market, or Weihnachtsmarkt. BOOM. They're awesome. Tiny villages of booths are erected around town strewn with Christmas lights and good cheer. At different vendors you can find Glühwein, a popular mulled-wine/winter drink (heated red wine with some sugar, cinnamon, and citrus). You can also find one of my favorites- Kartoffelpuffer mit Apfelmus, which is potato pancakes with applesauce which is really more like a slightly sweeter, greasier (if possible) version of our home fries with apple sauce. It sounds so wrong, but it tastes so right. You can also find sweets stands, nuts stands, bratwurst and other cooked meats stands, fleece winter things stands, trinket stands, etc, you get the idea. It's the only place I really saw Christmas lights as well. It was freezing, but they're magical. 'I'll have some wine with that cheese,' I know. But they kind of are. Especially after a couple Glühwein and when it starts to snow. Nuremburg has the most well known Christmas markets. Sadly I didn't get to go, but if you google some images you'll see that it's a big deal and quite a sight.

They play SOME Christmas music on their radio stations here, but not nearly as much as in the states and they definitely don't start it as early as Thanksgiving (which obviously they don't celebrate. I was sad) like we do. I was pleased with this both because I think they completely overdo it back home and also because it made me think less of being away from home for the holidays. Don't be sad, that wasn't to make you sad. I mean, I wasn't even all that sad-- there's always next year!

My host family and I greeted St. Nicholas, or Nikolaus, in early December just like I did as a kid with my own family. When the host fam put their shoes out the host child insisted I join them. Though I felt a little weird about it they do try to include me in things, which is nice of them, plus the host kid just wouldn't take 'no' for an answer, so finally I put out a normal shoe. And to that my host kid laughed and went and grabbed my tall winter boots.

Finally comes Christmas day, or days rather. In Germany they celebrate a little differently; like our 25th is their 24th, and Christmas really spans until the 26th. This Christmas extravaganza starts on the 24th, known as Heiligabend, or Holy Night, after noon. They go to church, as most Germans are Protestant or Roman Catholic, and then come home and unwrap the presents that have been waiting patiently beneath the Weihnachtsbaum, or Christmas tree. Following that is a light Christmas dinner, in which you might think, 'Man, that sucks,' because we are also all about the food. Fireworks and food. But don't worry, the next day or two is reserved for hanging out, relaxing, and eating heavier, more traditional Christmas meals. Now that's my kind of jam.

NEW YEARS EVE:

New Year's Eve is known as Silvester. Much like Sylvester Stallone, but not really at all. That's just what I think of when I hear it. I wonder if maybe he was a New Year's baby and that's why he has that name. I'll have to ask him some day..

So two big components to this holiday:

1) das Bleigießen, 'lead pouring,' where a small amount of lead is melted in a spoon and then placed into water. The shape it takes is then interpreted to predict your upcoming year. For example a ball means luck will roll your way, a ring means marriage, or a cross means to expect death. Which will happen if you put that spoon in your mouth and give yourself lead poisoning. So don't. Otherwise a cool tradition.

2) Feuerwerk. After the ball dropped I heard fireworks, for about 30 solid minutes. Much like our country- they like their pyrotechnics. I mean, heck, when do we NOT try and fit at least a few fireworks into our holidays? OK, OK, maybe a few that we don't now that I think about it.. Or really most that we don't. Just The 4th and NYE. But when we do, we love our fire. And so do the they.

Pictures: Thought my camera was done-zo because the first time I charged it abroad it didn't hold the charge and completely died. Turns out I had to charge it again to 'reset' the rechargeable batteries, but I didn't figure that out for a couple more months. Doesn't matter, a Christmas Market picture would have been cool, but otherwise you'd just see me taking a picture of myself in front of a couple fireworks. I'll photo shop you one if you really want to see.. I'm kidding. I won't.