Hello from somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean!
Whenever this lands in your inbox, I’ll be en route to the east coast of the USA, ready to embark on two full weeks of holiday time with my family and friends! I’m so excited I am not even dreading this 16-hour travel day!!!!
When we returned to the US for the holidays last year, it had the cozy feel of going ‘home for the holidays,’ but the reality was my husband and I had only moved abroad two months before. We had spent most of 2023 with our loved ones, and so returning in December felt pretty normal (yet still delightful).
Now, we’ve been abroad for over a year, and it’s true what they say—distance makes the heart grow fonder. I’m stoked to see and love on soooo many people over the next two weeks. My Google calendar holds my life in its hands, and whenever I have something fun planned, I immediately input the event and make sure to mark the color as ‘yellow.’ Right now, when I open my Google calendar, each day looks like a burst of SUNSHINE!☀️☀️☀️
All this excitement is not to say we’re not loving Germany. In the last couple months, I feel we’ve started to hit our stride. We’ve made some wonderful friends (who are EXCELLENT bakers, as shown in my video), our German language skills are slowly but surely improving, I’ve had opportunities to teach interesting English classes and connect with numerous lovely students, I’ve started a writing critique group, and my fantasy novel has been filling up the empty gaps in my days. All is well.
Still, there is nothing quite like going home for the holidays, and the joy that rings through you each time you say it. 💖
I’d be remiss not to showcase the fun that is German Christmas markets, though! I decided to look up the history of the markets, and while the exact origins aren’t clear, it’s interesting to see the ways the markets have changed and developed over the centuries.
German Romantic writer Ludwig Tieck described the markets best in his novella set during the Berlin Christmas market of 1791:
“Most splendid were the evening hours, when this wide street … was illuminated by many thousands of lights from the booths. And thousands strolled along, jovial with plans to buy, telling stories, laughing, crying out loud across the sweet aromas of the various sugar and marzipan pastries, those fruits, in alluring imitation, figures of all kinds, animals and people, all shining with bright colors, which smiled out at the eager onlookers.”
That is honestly exactly how it feels to be at a Christmas market, especially at night, surrounding by the twinkling lights and carefree laughter from passersby. A warm hand wrapped around a mug of Glühwein and a pleasant chill that nips at your nose.
I hope you can feel some of that warmth from my video/pictures, and that wherever you are in the world, you’re able to embrace the coziness of this season as well.
Tell me: What is your favorite activity to do this time of year? What kind of events are happening in your city or town? Share, share!
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year!
See you in 2025! xoxo
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