8 Things I Love About Spending Christmas in Germany

-Not having a city govt. ban on public Christmas trees, public Nativitys, and being able to say "Frohe Weihnachten" without worrying about offending anyone.
(Oregonians will understand)
-Mittlealter Weihnachtsmarkt (medieval Christmas market). Where men and women dressed in medieval costumes re-enact the Christmas story. Complete with carrots, bowls of fire, and a musical offering of bagpipes and drums as gifts to Jesus, a 4th wiseman, and an angel Gabriel who's wings don't flap so good (the fire juggling court jester was pretty awesome too.)
-The breathtaking Christmas displays EVERYWHERE
-Krakauers, and Reibekuchen at the amazing outdoor Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas markets) all over town
-sharing the true meaning of Christmas with my Mslm friends who have never been in a culture that celebrates it before
-St. Nikolas Day (Dec. 6th) when you put your shoes outside your door and during the night St.Nikolas (or in my case my upstairs neighbor) puts a gift in them during the night.
-My Charlie Brown tree and the fact that I am afraid to turn the lights on it because it is so dry it might burst into flame like a tinderbox
and finally....
-Sitting in my warm apartment typing this blog entry, sipping hot chocolate out of a boot shaped Christmas mug while the snow drifts down outside and Josh Groban is singing in the background....
Have I mentioned lately I love it here?