WEIHNACHTEN

(Snow!)

Frohe Weihnachten!

Merry Christmas!

I missed Berlin so much last Christmas. Weihnachtsmärkte (Christmas Markets) have been my reason for living ever since I visited one for the first time two years ago. I love this "Christmas-y" feeling and I never get that more than when I'm drinking Glühwein and listening to Christmas music in the cold (but not Minnesota cold).

(Amusement-park-like Weihnachtsmarkt at Alexander Platz)






(Warm coats at the Kulturbrauerei)


(zum warm werden)

It's been amazing being at a school too. They "get to" celebrate Christmas in school in Germany. As a person who does indeed celebrate Christmas, this is great. I wouldn't tell congress to change how it works in the US, but it's certainly fun for me here and now. There were Christmas trees everywhere and Advent Calendars in every classroom, mostly homemade ones.

At one school there was a great Christmas concert. I want to put up more pictures, but I wonder how great it is to put up pictures of kids online without their knowing.

(This seems safe)

There were also two buffets for the teachers which I blame for my holiday weight gain in a very good way.

(Maybe a third of the buffet)


(The Christmas party for teachers)

At the other school a class sang a song, told a joke, or told a story in the second period of every day of school in December.

I was also lucky enough to be able to make Plätzchen (Christmas cookies) with Oma.

One type of cookies was apparently so bad that someone had to spit it out, but I'm pretty sure the rest were really great.

Vanessa and I also went to a Christmas concert in the Berliner Philharmoniker. One of the teachers from the school that we work at together sang in it. She was one of many, but I'm pretty sure she sang the best.

(Oh Germany, this is a fancy affair, Pretzels? You're so awesome)


(BVG)