A Real German Christmas

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I would like to start off hoping that everyone had a great Holiday season. My program asks that we do not go home for the holidays but instead stay with our host families. So this Christmas I got to experience a real German Christmas with my family and their 4 kids. It started on the 24th with going to church at around 4pm. They had a very nice Christmas Eve service with great Christmas music. Normally after church my host family likes to talk with the other families but this day the kids already had their coats on and were asking me why I didn’t have my coat yet. They knew as soon as we got home they could open their presents. The idea of Santa Claus is not popular here. They know who he is and what the story is but children don’t believe in him like children in the US. We got home and sang 3 Christmas songs in German and then started opening gifts. The kids were so excited and each one had a large gift that they really wanted. It was fun to see Christmas with kids again but I forgot how loud they can be when they are excited. We opened all our presents and then sat down to dinner. The kids played a little more with their new toys before bed. I had bough stocking for the kids and some candy since hanging the stockings is not a tradition in Germany.

I woke up the next morning and the kids had already started eating their candy from their stockings. Today we were heading about an hour and a half north to a town called Ahaus to the Grandpa’s house. We got all packed up and headed off. We had cake and coffee and then feed Grandpa's three horses before dinner. This day wasn’t very busy but the next day would be. Unlike in the US we only have 1 day for Christmas but in Germany they celebrate 2 days. So both the 25th and 26th are considered days of Christmas.

The next day we headed to my host dad’s family in the next town over for brunch and presents. We ate with them and spent some time talking and letting the kids play with their new toys from their Grandparents. After lunch we headed to my host mom’s brothers house for more cake and another Christmas dinner. At the brother’s house there were 13 kids and 10 adults so a pretty packed house and lots of German being spoken. We had a very nice night with them and went back to the Grandfather to sleep and head back home the next morning.

It was one of the busiest Christmas’s I think have ever had and my head is still spinning after speaking only German for 3 days straight. I desperately missed my family’s traditions but enjoyed getting to see some new ones and being able to have a great holiday with my host family.

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Photos

Gingerbread Castle
On the 21st was my host moms birthday and she got this crazy castle as a gift.

My Host Familys Tree
The tree has candles on it they only light on Christmas Eve.

Unwapping Gifts
This was the kids during present opening. You can see the new scooter in this photo.

Host Kids
This is the kids before dinner and after presents.

Hanging Stockings
The family doesn't have a fireplace but the stockings hung pretty well above the living room door.

Kids with Grandpa
On the 25th we feed Grandpa's 3 horses.

All the Children
This was at Host Mom's brothers house all the kids singing Christmas songs.

Comments

[mom]

xmas
You look like you had a nice Christmas. I wish we could have been with you. Missed you lots. Love mom