Merry Christmas!
/
From our family to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas!
May the holiday be filled with love, laughter, family, and entirely too much food!
Christmas Market Round Up
/
Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and most of the Christmas markets are either already closed or will be today or tomorrow. Some will stay open through the new year, but only a very small portion. Last year, Aaron and I spent our weekends in December hitting up some of the bigger, more famous Christmas markets in Germany - Munich, Cologne, and Heidelberg. This year, we switched tactics and tried to visit smaller, more local markets. It was nice to see the big ones last year, but I really think I like the smaller ones better. For one, there are fewer people in general (though not always), and they are usually much less overwhelming than the giant ones found in the bigger cities. But my favorite part, I got to see some new places that I probably would not have visited before, and a couple have been added to our, ''We need to come back here'' list.
Read MoreThe Dark Side of Christmas in Germany
/
In every culture that celebrates Christmas, there seems to be a counter point to Santa Claus or St. Nicholas, mostly in an effort to get children to behave. In the US, naughty children are left gifts of coal in their stockings, while the good children receive toys, books, and games. In Germany, a land not known for sugar coating things, the naughty children face a much worse fate. However, this fate depends on where in Germany you live. Furthermore, since St. Nicholas is celebrated on December 6th, leaving small gifts in the shoes of good little boys and girls, the evening of the 5th is when the naughty children have to watch out from St. Nicholas' ''companions.'' So, who exactly are these companions?
Read More10 Tips for Attending German Christmas Markets
/
Christmas market season has officially started in Germany! The market in Mannheim opened on Wednesday, and many of them open tonight, and will stay open until Christmas. The main market in Mannheim is just down the street from our apartment. I can literally see the lights, hear the music, and smell the food from our apartment door. It's a massive effort in self control to not head down there for dinner, a waffle, or a Glühwein (or, in my case, the non-alcoholic, slightly less satisfying, version) every single night. In case you are planning a trip to a local market, or taking a vacation to Germany to explore them, we wanted to share some tips with you that we have picked up.
Read MoreChristmas in Ireland
/
As some of you may know, Aaron and I decided to spend our Christmas holiday in Ireland, Land of my Ancestors, this year. Flights back to the US were really pricey, but flights from Frankfurt to Dublin were incredibly cheap. We jumped at the chance to add another stamp to our passport! And in Ireland, you really do get a stamp when you enter since it isn't part of the Schengen area, although it is part of the EU...
Read MoreFinal Tour of Munich
/
Sunday morning came early and bearing headaches after a night spent at the Hofbrauhaus. Nonetheless, we needed to move, and head home eventually. But, before we did, we went back to the Munich Altstadt for a couple of hours.
Sundays are brunch days in Germany. Everyone and their brother goes out for brunch and if you want to go, but haven't planned ahead and made a reservation, good luck. I had found a place online that looked promising - The Glockenspiel Cafe. It is on the 5th floor of a building
Read More
Munich Weihnachtsmarkt and Hofbrauhaus
/
After we were done at the Deutsches Museum, we decided to head over to the Munich Weihnachtsmarkt in Marienplatz. Being Saturday, in Munich, two weeks before Christmas, it was packed. Like, almost shoulder to shoulder packed. But, we were there and, gosh darnit, we (ok, I, Aaron wasn't all that interested), was going to experience the Munich Weihnachtsmarkt. So, that's exactly what we did.
But, before we headed to the market, there was, surprise!, another church we wanted to visit.
Read More
