Froehliche Weihnachten (Early)

I have really enjoyed being in another country during this holiday season. It is so fascinating to me how there can be SOO many different traditions and ways to celebrate the same Holiday!

Here are some fun pictures of Christmas in Germany: (I got them on-line haha)

We have purchased a Nutcracker :)

Anyway- in Germany on December 6th it is St. Nickolaus day, the kids put out their shoes the night before and get treats and gifts in their shoes...I guess kind of an opener to Christmas itself?? THEN- they have Christmas Eve where they put up their Christmas tree (sorry, ours is already UP!) Followed by 2, not 1, but 2 days of Christmas- the 25th and the 26th! Everything is CLOSED on these days. Kind of fun just to add another day to the celebration :)

In addition to their Many days of Christmas--They also have Christmas Markets in every single town (that I love) that have lights, Christmas trees, booths selling Everything you can imagine from Nutcrackers, to childrens puppets, candles, Waffles, Hot Chocolate (heisse schokolade--wow its good), and more.

The song Silent Night is also German, and was first sung in Austria as "Stille Nacht." I know most of the song in German now so hopefully we can sing the original version on Christmas Eve :)

Anyway- what a great experience it is to learn about Christmas in another culture, but the greatest thing is that we are celebrating it for the same reasons, The birth of Christ. The more I have been thinking of all of the decorations, ways to celebrate, lights, the more I realize it doesn't really matter HOW you celebrate, it is WHY we celebrate Christmas :) So no matter Where we live, who we are with, it is ALL for the same reason!! Merry "Early" Christmas!