So on the 24th, it was Christmas! This isn't a typo, here they celebrate Christmas one day earlier. Although it was different from what I am used to, it was also cool. Apart from having frost on the ground one day in December, I didn't have snow, and this made it a little bit wierd. Replacing the snow was the Christmas markets in literally every town. The markets had food, drinks, and hand made trinkets and things. It was really cool, and it was a place where I met up with friends quite often. It was just a cute little area to get together, where you can buy really any food you want. So anyways... on to the 24th.
The day started off at 9 or 9:30 with a typical German breakfest, consisting of bread, butter, jam, chocolate sprinkles, milk, and of corse Dirk's favorite food, hard boiled eggs. We also had guests over, so that meant we had the entire table full. After our rather lengthy breakfest, we just hung out like any other day. In addition we had to finish packing our gifts for one another, and put those under the tree. At 3 o'clock we went to the church. It was very small town feel, from every direction people were walking with their kids to church, not a single person drove. After the small church service, it was time to head back home. We ate some cookies, and had coffee (the parents), and hot chocolate (the kids). After we snacked, all of us were told to go to our rooms and just do something. Shortly after I had to come out to help the kids with the suprise gifts. When that was finished, Dirk went outside, rang the doorbell, and did a terrible santa impression. Either way, the kids knew what this meant, and that meant gift time. Instead of it now just being the normal gifts under the tree, there was not a sack of gifts, containing santa's gifts. After forming a circle, we started our opening process, and by the Meyers, that means a very unique way. We all sat around a little table, and the first kid rolled a die. If they got a 1 or a 6 within 3 tries, then they open a present, if not, well just wait till they are up agian. We rotated from youngest to oldest, and eventually we were done. After a short 30ish minute break it was dinner time! Dinner was a delicious combonation of slightly German stuff and not. We had something that I don't know what it is, but it was delcious (liked baked mashed potato balls), wonderful chicken, veggies, and a few other smaller things. After the flavorful dinner, was time to test out the new presents, and that included an xbox 360, so they didn't see much more of us.
This is how my first German Chrismas went, and although it wasn't too different, it is still a huge part of culture.
The day started off at 9 or 9:30 with a typical German breakfest, consisting of bread, butter, jam, chocolate sprinkles, milk, and of corse Dirk's favorite food, hard boiled eggs. We also had guests over, so that meant we had the entire table full. After our rather lengthy breakfest, we just hung out like any other day. In addition we had to finish packing our gifts for one another, and put those under the tree. At 3 o'clock we went to the church. It was very small town feel, from every direction people were walking with their kids to church, not a single person drove. After the small church service, it was time to head back home. We ate some cookies, and had coffee (the parents), and hot chocolate (the kids). After we snacked, all of us were told to go to our rooms and just do something. Shortly after I had to come out to help the kids with the suprise gifts. When that was finished, Dirk went outside, rang the doorbell, and did a terrible santa impression. Either way, the kids knew what this meant, and that meant gift time. Instead of it now just being the normal gifts under the tree, there was not a sack of gifts, containing santa's gifts. After forming a circle, we started our opening process, and by the Meyers, that means a very unique way. We all sat around a little table, and the first kid rolled a die. If they got a 1 or a 6 within 3 tries, then they open a present, if not, well just wait till they are up agian. We rotated from youngest to oldest, and eventually we were done. After a short 30ish minute break it was dinner time! Dinner was a delicious combonation of slightly German stuff and not. We had something that I don't know what it is, but it was delcious (liked baked mashed potato balls), wonderful chicken, veggies, and a few other smaller things. After the flavorful dinner, was time to test out the new presents, and that included an xbox 360, so they didn't see much more of us.
This is how my first German Chrismas went, and although it wasn't too different, it is still a huge part of culture.