Germany Week 17- Christmas Traditions and trip back to Tallytown
Merry Christmas:
Week 17 was my last week in school for 2011. Usually when I sit in the teacher’s lounge and ask what are you doing for break. I get things like: “Visiting relatives. Relatives coming. Family around.” And things of that sort. When I sat in the lounge this week and asked what are you doing for winter break. The answers varied from: “We are going to Turkey, Istanbul, Rome, Camp Verde, London, etc.” It is a different world.
There are other differences too. Since I am home I thought I would write about a few I noticed about Christmas. In Germany it is all about the Christmas markets and about craftsmanship. The things they sell are things that have been made. The markets are open until December 23rd and then from what I have been told, everything shuts down including restaurants as they kind of hibernate until New Year’s Eve. No big after Christmas sales. I won’t be there to see it firsthand so I have to trust my source. Germany is big on the Christmas tree but they decorate the tree on Christmas Eve. Below is a picture of the Christmas tree at school and the Christmas tree at home that Thomas and Amanda put up for me in my absence. It’s the first real tree we have had in a while. I like it.
The German people do not go crazy with outside lights although I did see a few. They bake a lot. The stocking tradition also came from them. They put boots out to be filled with goodies or coal. Below is a picture of a cup made into a boot.
It snowed on the last day but baby car and me just trucked behind a truck that carved our way on the autobahn. They actually had a few accidents that last morning. Below are a couple of pictures of the snow outside my classroom window.
My flight was long but when the prize at the end is landing at home it did not seem too bad. My dog is still loving on me and seemed really happy I’m home.
I have lots of plans for my two weeks here and will be spending lots of time with family and friends.
Hope you all have a Merry Christmas. I will write a short bog next week just to keep up my weekly notes. And with that I will close.
Take care.
Hugs for now from Tallahassee.
Susan
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