Having hosted two German foreign exchange students (and being of mostly-German descent), I am completely and totally in love with Germany. Joke about Germany all you want, but they know how to do Christmas-time. First of all, you have beginning in late November, the Weihnachtsmarkts, which are these glorious open-air Christmas markets where you can wander around, buy lots of cool stuff AND get snockered on Gluhwein (a mulled wine).
An example of things you can buy:
Our exchange students and my family have either given to us or passed down some really cool items, such as the ones posted in the above photo. I have 2 smokers (wooden statues that you burn incense cones inside of, such as this), 1 nutcracker, 1 pyramid (looks like this), and various Christmas tree ornaments.
Another great thing about Christmas in Germany is Sankt Nikolaus Tag (Saint Nicholas Day) on December 6th. It’s like a mini-Christmas day, where you get to place candy and small gifts in the boots or shoes of kids (Yes, you can buy special plastic boots, if the idea of putting food/candy in a stinky boot grosses you out). Of course, this is only for the “good” children. “Bad” children get a bunch of twigs left in their boots. Even grownups can get into the action, and leave candy for their coworkers on each other’s desks.
Of course, one of things that I most love about Christmas-time in Germany, is the food. And what is Nurse Wretched stocking up on to nom? Right now, I have on my counter in a special German Christmas tin (with overflow in the cupboard): 4 kinds of Lebkuchen, 2 kinds of Pfeffernusse, 2 kinds of Spekulatius, and 2 marzipan Stollen. In other packages, I have various chocolates from Germany, many of which are filled with liquor (!!).
And speaking of liquor, we are now at my favorite part of the Christmas season in Germany: the Feuerzangenbowle. What is the Feuerzangenbowle, you may ask? First, you make a mulled wine. Then, you soak a sugar cone with high-proof rum, and… wait for it… light the sugar cone on fire, having the caramelized sugar drip down into the mulled wine below. It’s freakin’ delicious, plus what could be better than playing with fire and booze?
Here’s a link to watch the punch in action. Frohe Weihnachten everyone!
Top image: Flickr
