holidays in germany.

wow. i never imagined id be in germany over the holidays.
celebrating Christmas, my birthday, and new years.
all in Germany.
who wouldve ever thought it? : )

first things first.
Christmas.
is almost the same as in america.
Christmas is the 24th. followed by two celebration days.
everybody opens their presents on the EVENING of the 24th.
the usual german 'heilig Abend' starts with preparing the house in the morning. around 2 having a wonderfully large meal. similar to an american thanksgiving. following their meal, beginning to open all their presents. and then around 6 going to church for the heilig Abend service. and after the service, sitting at home in fellowship with the family.

and yes. the rumors are true. germans do have REAL candles on their Christmas trees. but their not idiots, and they know all the hazards involved, so most german families dont actually light the candles. and if they do, its only for an hour or so while the family is sitting next to the tree opening their gifts.
just the idea of having the real candles with real fire on a real tree freaks americans out.

during the heilig Abend church service, or any sunday church service infact, they preacher shakes some frankincense, or 'heiligerauch' in german, out of a holy container. but at the Christmas service, they bring so much out, that many people faint in the service.
i live in a little village. with a little church. and not a big population. out of the people who attended the heilig Abend service, 2 people fainted out of a maximum of 150 people.
i dont understand why they would still use it if it was a health hazard. but i guess they think its important because of all of the religious symbols it has relating with Jesus' birth and the three wise men.

nevertheless, Christmas in germany was absolutely amazing!
and hopefully it wont be my last german Christmas!
: )

my birthday was lots of fun too!
things didnt work out with my friends, but we actually ending up randomly meeting this american couple that were stuck in my city because their car broke down while they were on the way to dusseldorf for vacation. so i spent the remainder of my birthday night with them! and the following sunday! : )

new years=party.
enough said.
nobody stays at home if youre over the age of 14.
but i wasnt up to partying knowing how full the city would be.
not to mention it costs anywhere from 30-50€ to get into any club on new years.
and i didnt want to deal with all of hte insanely drunken german guys.
so i just kept it small, and went to a friends house and we did fireworks together and ate lots of yummmie food! then i went to a party in my village. that was interesting. haha. and then i came back to my host familys house and celebrated the remainder with them. the whole family was up until 5 in the morning. i dont remember my family in america ever staying up till 5 in the morning on new years. we'd be out like a light bulb before 3 or 4.

my holidays in germany were amazing!
and thank the Lord for no homesickness!
im a trooper! : )




and now, im going to bed, again.
: )
-tori