I do like getting snail mail and I do like sending it. I have seen others offer to send holiday cards so here is my own offer to send you one. If you like to get a card from me please fill out this form by December 6 and I will try my best to get it to you soon! I can’t promise that it is a home made one like the ones above but we will see (or you will when you get the card). I found some cute ones at our local Barnes and Noble and I just could not resist getting a pack.
I already feel very festive today. December 1 marks the day when the Advent calendars are handed out and both my kids got one (they must have been nice this past year). And this year it is also the day when the first candle is lit to mark the first of the four Sundays before Christmas Eve. My big window already has the snowflakes hung up and it is getting more cozy by the second.
I hope you are having a good start into the month of December, too. Do you have any special plans for the holiday season coming up? If you don’t celebrate maybe you have something special coming up, too?
I had good intentions and uploaded the pictures on Monday – sigh. The weekend already feels very far away but here I still am. I had a couple of things noted down on my calendar that we could have done. For one there was a German holiday market on Saturday and on Sunday the local art center had their holiday event. I ended up not going to either of them. With all the traveling that happened in November I was a little tired of doing anything really and wanted to straighten out what was left lying dormant at home. So instead of a fun outing I cleaned bathrooms and living/dining room and finally pulled out the holiday decorations. In Germany traditionally you have an Adventskranz what is basically a wreath with wintry holiday decorations and four candles. Each of the four Sundays before Christmas Eve on more candle is lit so that you have all four burning on Christmas. I saw the above spiral on Instagram somewhere and liked the idea of having a new candle every day. I got some really nice smelling beeswax candles to go with it. No worries, it only is on under very close supervision.
Home sweet home
The wreath already went on our entrance door the week before but the decorations were added this weekend. One of my son’s friends is part of a boy scout group and they sell the wreath at the start of the holiday season.
Lebkuchen
We did bake some cookies on Sunday. It was good timing since my husband’s work had their Secret Santa on Monday and he needed to bring something homemade.
our little tree
On Sunday we went to get a small Christmas tree and I decorated it. It now officially feels like Christmas in our house. I was debating getting one this year since we will spend the holidays with family but in the end I was thinking that back in the day at my parents it was only up from the 24th until early January so we even get more time out of it as is. Also up are the outside lights what was our Saturday afternoon project. So all in all it was a very productive weekend spend with the family at home and I really needed that. I felt a little guilty not helping out at the German Christmas market but hopefully I can do it next year. I am planning on less travel then. I did go to a German meet up in a cafe on Sunday morning what was lovely. I do need to speak a little more German outside the house as I am catching myself talking back in English to the kids when they talk to me in English. That’s what happens after 18 years in this country I suppose.
I can’t believe how time flew by and now we already have December 24. The plan is to go on a short walk and then tonight we will sit down for our Christmas Eve dinner (German sausages and potato salad), 4 candles burning before we sit in front of the Christmas tree to unwrap presents. Did you know that in Germany you do the presents on the 24th instead of the 25th? There is no Santa coming down the chimney and no socks on the mantle – oh wait, we do have the socks on the mantle. I guess that’s what happens if you mix up the traditions.
Earlier this month I received my package from the Secret Santa Mug Swap that San from the in between is mine organized. I like little surprises so much and mug I received from @thecarolinaetc is so pretty, don’t you think?
World Market haul
To make our Christmas dinner I took the 30 minute trip to our closest World Market in the area. Regular hot dog sausages just won’t do for Christmas. Our local market which carried German products closed recently because the owners retired so longer car drive it was. The kids had fun, too I think since I asked them to pick the sweets. Pico Balla Haribo are our favorite. I was crying a little inside about the prices ($10 for a glass of sausage) but if it tastes a little like home that’s what it is. My son even found a present for his big sister: a magnetic hourglass what he thought was really cool (and I think she will, too).
GIngerbread honey cookies
Instead of writing blog posts I spend quite some time recently making cookies. We made our traditional gingerbread honey cookies twice because the first badge was finished in no time. Since cookie time is over I will save the recipe for next year and share it then but I am so happy I finally found a good recipe that will make your own gingerbread spice (in Germany they sell premixed spice packets for this and a lot of recipes ask for it).
I also made cinnamon stars, San’s Vanillekipferl, black and white cookies and another almod type cookie. We also made marzipan potatoes (no potato involved just powdered sugar and almond flower and cocoa powder mostly) which are not pictured. This morning I put a plate of our goodies together for everyone to enjoy throughout the day. I think we are ready for the holidays to come and I will make note of a couple future blog post ideas.
I wish you a very merry Christmas if you happen to celebrate and to everyone else: I hope you will enjoy a couple quiet days that will leave you refreshed for the days to come.
Since today is December 1st the count down to Christmas using the advent calendar begins. My kids were happy to learn this morning that they are getting one this year (lucky them that I finished it before we were in Las Vegas). Did you know that it’s origin goes back to the 19th century and seems to lie again in Germany? The main purpose was to count down the days until Christmas Eve and to shorten (or sweeten) the wait.
When I was a child we mostly had chocolate filled advent calendars similar to the ones you can find at stores these days. Each day you open a door and find a piece of chocolate with a different motif. When I was little we sometimes used the molds to fill with candle wax when all was done. My first boy friend back in the day made one for me with a little present each day similar to the one I made for my kids this year (above). Sally, from Little Hiccups made an activity advent calendar for her kids what I think is very cool, too. I found another one over at eighteen25 that uses cut out snowflakes and doubles as decoration. There are pretty cool picture advent calendars. They come in all kinds of sizes and pictures (including postcard size) that will reveal a new small picture each day. In old times it used to be christian motifs but the newer ones show Christmas markets, teddy bears, cats – there is something for everyone. By now you probably saw the Lego advent calendars when shopping (at least it’s hard to miss if you have kids) and there is a list of other companies that make them these days as well (teas, jam, games, christmas ornaments, the list seems endless). Through another blog I came across the Reading Countdown Advent Calendar from Everyday Reading. Oh, how I wish my kids were still younger. In Germany they also have book advent calendars that tell a story over 24 chapters and my favorite German kids character “Die Maus” has an online calendar with a clip hiding behind each door (sorry, that it is in German only).
I am sure I could continue this list a while longer. Do you have an advent calendar at home and which one would you prefer if you would get one?
Home here and there 