Less than Two Weeks Until Christmas!
It has been an eventful two weeks for the Nusses! Susan's mother came to visit, and we got to take her on some of our travels. The snow that first fell on November 27th stuck around until December 9th, covering the German towns and countrysides and creating a picturesque atmosphere for the Weihnachtsmärkte (Christmas markets). Our first Weihnachtsmarkt was in our hometown of Oberursel in the historic Altstadt. The lights, music, and smells were amazing, and the boys got to meet Saint Nikolaus (who might have been called Santa Claus by our kids).
The next market was in Heidelberg. It was a cold day, but the market by the University was great, and Eric got to enjoy a Feuerzangenbowle (Glühwein with sugar caramelized with rum!). We took Susan's mother to Frankfurt the next day for Divine Service at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church and celebrated the first Sunday of Advent.
The next weekend was a busy one! On Saturday we went to Wiesbaden, where the Weihnachtsmarkt encircles the magnificent Marktkirche. The boys rode a 2-story-tall carousel! On Sunday we drove to Kaiserslautern and attended service at Kaiserslautern Evangelical Lutheran Church, then drove through Luxembourg and arrived in Thionville, France. Thionville had a wonderful Christmas market as well, and Susan got a French baguette (from France!) and the boys rode a cute little train. And on Monday we spent the day in Frankfurt, walking through the Weihnachtsmarkt and the local stores.
While in Germany, we wanted to participate in some of the German traditions. One of those traditions is the Feast of Saint Nicholas (Saint Nicholas' Day) on December 6th. For many households in Germany, that means Saint Nicholas comes the night of December 5th and leaves treats and goodies in the shoes of good boys and girls. As to not confuse our boys (because they know that Santa Claus is also called Saint Nicholas in America), we just informed them that Santa Claus comes twice in Germany: once on December 5th, and then on December 24th for the big presents. Simple! We also didn't tell them about Krampus...no need for nightmares!
The snowfort and Frosty that the kids built have sadly melted now, but their excitement is high as we open each day on their Advent calendars and prepare for the Celebration of Jesus' birth!
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