Germany – Frohe Weihnachten!
Ahhh, Germany (or Deutschland if you would prefer) …the country of brats and bier steins, Christkindlmarkts and gluhwein – Look at that, I made a rhyme! (Sorry, that was lame. I know.)
If you know anything about me, you know that I L-O-V-E Christmas! I have boxes upon boxes upon boxes of Christmas ornaments, decorations, and trimmings. I have so many that we have devoted full-sized closets to ‘Bridger’s Christmas decorations’, and each year, no matter how hard I try (or how many times David says ‘do you really need that?’), I always end up adding to my collection – there is no stopping this Polar Express! But to me, the decorations are more than just decorations.
They are an idea, a memory, a feeling.
I truly believe that my deep appreciation for the Christmas season was inherited from my late grandfather, Papa. He taught me everything I know about the proper way to string lights on a Christmas tree and just how many ornaments you can actually fit. (The answer is ALL OF THEM!) But to him, Christmas was more than just a time to eat good food and open pretty presents, it was about gathering together as a family, it was about tradition, it was about love. It’s been almost two years since he passed, but for me, Christmas will forever be synonymous with my Papa. Every shining ornament, every sparkling light, every bough of holly is a visual representation of his love and devotion to our family and our tradition – a memorial to a very great man and all that he epitomized.
This year, however, would be different – there would be no decorating, there would be no ornaments, there would be no tree. David and I would be creating our own tradition as it would be the first year that we did not enjoy Christmas with our families. We had often discussed spending Christmas abroad, why then was I overcome with a sense of nostalgia? I was excited to be sure – Christmas in Germany was everything I had always wanted – but resolving the memories of my past traditions with those of my present and future proved more difficult than I originally thought.
In order to move forward, however, you must embrace your past, but never let it hold you back.
So, while I would miss my family and David’s as well, I was determined to make this new adventure – our new tradition – everything we could have ever dreamed of and more. Thus, with its international acclaim as a Christmas destination, it was only logical that we would choose to spend this holiday season in Germany, but where? With a plethora of idyllic cities in which to celebrate Weihnachten, we more or less threw a dart at a map. We settled on Berlin – the capital city with its tumultuous history, Frankfurt – the financial center of the country, and Cologne – set on the river Rhine with its iconic cathedral. Frohe Weihnachten!
Berlin – ‘United We Stand, Divided We Fall’
Frankfurt am Main – Modern yet Magical
Cologne – Cathedrals, Choirs, and Christkindlmarkts
