Happy Holiday to all of you
How the honeyguide celebrates Christmas
Here in Germany christmas starts on Christmas Eve.
The general tradition is that families get together for a nice dinner(feast) and afterward everyone gathers in the living room where the christmas tree is brightly lit with candles. Then the christmas presents are exchanged and while unwrapping and cheering over the nice things everyone can also eat all the sweets from the big plate on the middle of the desk.
So yeah, unlike most English speaking countries we unwrap our presents on the evening of the 24th and not on the morning of the 25th. (Hehe, we outsmarted you and gave ourselves two and a half day of christmas)
The 25th is mostly used for visiting the various family members that don't belong to the immediate family, like grandparents, in-laws, the family of the boy- or girlfriend. And of course there is lots of eating, drinking and sitting around.
My sister, who visited the family of her boyfriend yesterday, will arrive around noon today. I'll pick her up from the station and then we'll go to my parents. In the afternoon we will all go and visit my grandma. I expect a lot of cake and such, therefore I won't eat anything until then.
In the evening her boyfriend will come over too (or was it on the 26th?).
Anyway we'll exchange presents when everyone is there. So we broke the tradition and for once have the English tradition here. Mom, dad and me could have exchanged presents yesterday but I said no. It is much more fun when more people are there. Also I don't have anything for my dad. I might go and grab some sort of pralines for him.
On the 26th, which is St. Stepen's day, the people in our area have a tradition which might offend those who are really religious. Although it isn't intended to be offensive or snippy against religion. It is just the name. Many many people go and 'stone Stephanus'.
I couldn't find out where exactly it took it's origin but nowadays the people meet up and get drunk.
(Hah, you can bet that the Münsterländer will find any excuse to go and drink)
In some towns it starts around noon but here in my town it usually starts in the evening.
I guess the point of it is to get rid of all the christmas stuff, meet up with friends and get back to normality. This year I'll meet with a friend who lives in Dortmund. She's here to visit her family. We already did that last year and it was a lot of fun. Also it is nice to meet her again because we see each other only three or four times each year.
This was a short survey of my christmas. It's not always fun to get together with everyone and pretend to be happy when in reality you want to rip out each others throat. But christmas will go by eventually. Like it does every year.
And then the planning for New Year's Eve parties can start. I have no plans so far. Maybe my sister invites me to party with her in Münster. Or I'll invite Marco and Bianka over. I'm sure my mom invites me over when I find no other party. But somehow I don't want that again. Did it last year and felt very down because I felt so lonely. I'm not less lonely this year but I can deal with it much better when I'm with friends than with my parents. At least I could get drunk. (My mom is against drinking so all I would get is a glass of sparkling wine. Also it would be strange to get drunk in front of my mom. Doh.)
I hope all my friends have a wonderful christmas. I hope you can celebrate it in good health and with the people you love. And I hope Santa brought you some nice things.
*HUGS the Flist*
Here in Germany christmas starts on Christmas Eve.
The general tradition is that families get together for a nice dinner(feast) and afterward everyone gathers in the living room where the christmas tree is brightly lit with candles. Then the christmas presents are exchanged and while unwrapping and cheering over the nice things everyone can also eat all the sweets from the big plate on the middle of the desk.
So yeah, unlike most English speaking countries we unwrap our presents on the evening of the 24th and not on the morning of the 25th. (Hehe, we outsmarted you and gave ourselves two and a half day of christmas)
The 25th is mostly used for visiting the various family members that don't belong to the immediate family, like grandparents, in-laws, the family of the boy- or girlfriend. And of course there is lots of eating, drinking and sitting around.
My sister, who visited the family of her boyfriend yesterday, will arrive around noon today. I'll pick her up from the station and then we'll go to my parents. In the afternoon we will all go and visit my grandma. I expect a lot of cake and such, therefore I won't eat anything until then.
In the evening her boyfriend will come over too (or was it on the 26th?).
Anyway we'll exchange presents when everyone is there. So we broke the tradition and for once have the English tradition here. Mom, dad and me could have exchanged presents yesterday but I said no. It is much more fun when more people are there. Also I don't have anything for my dad. I might go and grab some sort of pralines for him.
On the 26th, which is St. Stepen's day, the people in our area have a tradition which might offend those who are really religious. Although it isn't intended to be offensive or snippy against religion. It is just the name. Many many people go and 'stone Stephanus'.
I couldn't find out where exactly it took it's origin but nowadays the people meet up and get drunk.
(Hah, you can bet that the Münsterländer will find any excuse to go and drink)
In some towns it starts around noon but here in my town it usually starts in the evening.
I guess the point of it is to get rid of all the christmas stuff, meet up with friends and get back to normality. This year I'll meet with a friend who lives in Dortmund. She's here to visit her family. We already did that last year and it was a lot of fun. Also it is nice to meet her again because we see each other only three or four times each year.
This was a short survey of my christmas. It's not always fun to get together with everyone and pretend to be happy when in reality you want to rip out each others throat. But christmas will go by eventually. Like it does every year.
And then the planning for New Year's Eve parties can start. I have no plans so far. Maybe my sister invites me to party with her in Münster. Or I'll invite Marco and Bianka over. I'm sure my mom invites me over when I find no other party. But somehow I don't want that again. Did it last year and felt very down because I felt so lonely. I'm not less lonely this year but I can deal with it much better when I'm with friends than with my parents. At least I could get drunk. (My mom is against drinking so all I would get is a glass of sparkling wine. Also it would be strange to get drunk in front of my mom. Doh.)
I hope all my friends have a wonderful christmas. I hope you can celebrate it in good health and with the people you love. And I hope Santa brought you some nice things.
*HUGS the Flist*