Advent 2010 in Germany

So we are getting the apartment geared up for Christmas. We've hung our Herrnhuter Stern, made each other Advent calendars, and I've made our Advent wreath. It looks good.

Stefan requests an Advent calendar each year, so I really tried hard this year to make it a 'good one'. He was apparently so impressed that he felt bad not making one for me - so he disappeared for an afternoon and that night called me into the dining room to see what he had set up. I was shocked. He had abandoned his desk and gone shopping. Those two things alone were earth shattering, much less that he went shopping all over town (as is now evident) and got creative. Every morning I pull out a Bible verse, a pack of special blend tea, and some sort of treat, usually sweet.

Isn't he the greatest? (YES!) Each tea pack brews enough for two cups, so at some point in the afternoon or evening Stefan will brew the tea and I'll straighten up the living room and we'll light the Advent wreath and sit down and enjoy the time.

Last weekend we took part in another Christmas-in-Germany tradition and went to the Giessen Weihnachtsmarkt with Stefan's mother. Of course we had fun looking around and then we of course had to eat a bratwurst from a stand and then of course we had to go back to his mom's place and light her Advent wreath and chat for a while. Frank had mailed their mother a package for Nikolaus Tag (remember this?) and it turned out to be a fondu set! He's been advocating for a Christmas Even fondu dinner this year, so now it looks like it's certain!

Next weekend we'll head down to visit our friends, the Prices. Other GCTS alums/friends will also be joining us (they're missionaries in France). We've done this the last two years (how did I forget to blog about last year?? oh well, here's our first year) and are looking forward to it again. With two babies, two toddlers, and six adults it should be interesting! This might be our last time, however: The Prices are with the US Army and will be transferred out of Germany next spring and the other family may be moving to North Africa. However, this year we'll enjoy hanging out together, visiting the Nürnberg Christmas market, and getting Starbucks and little Nürnberger sausages (all you ever wanted to know about German sausages here)!