Welcome to Christmastime!

I know, it's a miracle. You guys had thought that I had forgotten English, it's been so long.

I know the big question-- HOW WAS THANKSGIVING? In a word, WONDERFUL! With the amazing and endless help of my friend and neighbor Gabi, I served a first Thanksgiving dinner to 12 of my neighbors yesterday. It went off without a hitch, and it has already been voted by the neighbors that we will repeat it next year, same food, same place. It really was a collective neighborhood event. Gabi and neighbor Annie were over Friday afternoon, learning to make an apple pie and pumpkin cheesecake. On Saturday, Gabi helped cook for about 4 hours, and learned to make green bean casserole, stuffing, turkey prep, sweet potato cassarole; we went TRADITIONAL. Neighbor Dieter was over for an hour, helping to hang pictures finally on the living room walls. Finally, by 4, the long table was beautiful, yes Susie, complete with 6 burgundy candles and some small white rose and ivy table arrangements running down the middle, shining with china and Vining family silver (pictures will be inserted later, thanks to Gabi’s camara). The aroma of the turkey beckoned in the neighbors, and it must have been some pretty dang good beckoning, because they stayed until 1 AM! The biggest hit of the dinner was the sweet potato casserole!, a huge novelty to Germans. Neighbor Heiko, the biggest fan of the sweet potatoes, declared it the best meal that he had ever eaten (of course, his tongue was loosened with 2 platefuls, 2 desserts and many drinks). The final tally after the evening-- it appears that somehow, we went through 1 bottle of champagne, 1 bottle of white wine, 4 red wines, 2 large beer bottles, 750 ml of port, 500 ml of rum, 3L Coke, 9L mineral water and a small bottle of schnapps. And we enjoyed every single drop!

Today, I traveled up to Trier, a charming small city about an hour from here on the Luxembourg- German border, for my first Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas Market). I swear, upon walking in, I was so overwhelmed by the site that I was nearly in tears. A very light snow was falling off and on. Somewhere, a brass band was playing Canon in D (our wedding song). Decorated stalls filled the city’s main square, with rows upon rows of handcrafted wooden ornaments or decorations, flower stalls with Advent wreaths and candles, knitted sweaters, and children’s toys. There was both a carousel, and a huge 30 foot tall replica of the German Christmas pyramid decorations. And the food, ahhhhhh. The Germans have a wonderful way with “Christmas flavors”, and there were stalls for gingerbread-type cookies, hot potato pancakes that are so good they must be fried in lard, the best Brat that I have ever eaten, tiny Dutch-style pancakes with various toppings, big sweet dumpling-things with vanilla sauce and cherries, fresh sautéed mushrooms with cream sauce, hearty bean and ham soup, praline-covered roasted nuts, Ahhhhhh. Between celebrating Thanksgiving yesterday, and sampling various foods through the market, I should be full for weeks. You gotta love a country that understands that you don’t just want hot chocolate, you want cocoa with a shot of Bailey’s in it, and happily obliges. Or warm your little cold hands around a boot-shaped mug of Gluwein, the hot mulled red wine punch that is ubiquitous this time of year. Jealous yet??? Come on over!

Last night, before starting to eat, everyone at the table completed the Thanksgiving tradition of stating what they were thankful for. One heard the typical responses—“good health, my family, my friends”, plus almost everyone answered that they were thankful for our neighborhood, die Nachbarshaft. I think that that says a lot. I completed the time of thanks, but couldn’t get through it without tears of thanks. Although I had to resort to English for my part, I recounted to them how we had dreamt of the move to Germany, how scary and exciting the move had been, and some of the stereotypes of German folks that we were prepared for. Maybe they would be cold, or unfriendly, or slow to warm up and accept us as friends. Instead, within weeks, we were invited to birthday parties with only family members and close friends, open into their homes, and pulled into conversations even when we had no idea what was going on. I too was very thankful for my health, my wonderful family, amazing husband, but at that moment, I was overwhelmed by the friendliness and support of my Nachbarshaft. And, just as good friend should, the ladies did not make me tear up alone.

Happy Advent, everyone.
Suzanne