Fuel to the Fire!

 
I know.... I know.... It has been a few weeks since I last posted and you are beginning to get a little anxious!  My goal of trying to blog every week has kind of gone out the window.  Although, I still intend to keep posting as regularly as possible, to be honest sometime my life doesn't feel exciting enough to come up something interesting to write about every week.  Don't believe me.... Why don't you try it!

Well as many of you know I am a little bit of a Christmas fanatic.  I don't think it is my fault really.... when your birthday is the 24th and you are sent home from the hospital in a stocking I am pretty sure you have no choice but to LOVE the holiday!  So you can't REALLY blame the over abundance of love for Santa on me now can you??

That being said I think that Germany might have been a dangerous choice for my Christmas loving self to get lost in!  Let's just say that Germany is fueling my Christmas fire. 

Now you might be asking yourself.... What exactly about Germany causes my little Christmas heart to go up in flames???  TWO WORDS... CHRISTAMS MARKETS!!!!  Christmas markets are a HUGE tradition here in Germany.  Generally every village has one and they run everyday from the end of November to either Christmas or New Years.  These festive markets typically resemble gingerbread villages and are LOADED with goodies to purchase and yummy treats to eat.  You can find anything your Christmas heart desires... from cookies and hot chocolate to ornaments and hand made gifts!  Crowds of people come from all around to sing carols, twirl around the ice on their skates, and sip on the famous Gleuhwien (pronounced glue- wine).  What is Gleuhwien you might ask.... let’s just call it hot coco for grownups!  Hot spiced wine to be exact.  I think it is the Germans way of getting rid of the leftover grapes from the years harvest, but let me tell you there is nothing leftover about it!  The perfect way to warm your insides as you stroll through the streets (for those of you who do not have a baby on the way :p). 

I think it is safe to assume that when I return to the states not only will my Christmas decoration collection be out of control but my obsession with the joy and cheer that comes along with them could become obnoxious to all of you Grinches who think that setting up a tree before Thanksgiving is out of the question.  After all Germans don't celebrate Thanksgiving... and this is where the tree originated... so by all means when you feel the Christmas spirit, be it Early November or not...EMBRACE IT!

Now, we have only ventured out to two Christmas markets thus far (calm down...December doesn't even start till tomorrow so I think I am still ahead of the game) but believe me by the time the season is over I think I will have plenty more fabulous adventures to let you in on!