Christmas

Christmas in Germany is pretty much the same thing as in America. Lots of family time, presents, lots of food. There's only one main thing that stands out: they give presents on Christmas Eve rather than Christmas Day. I personally don't care much one way or the other, but it seems like the German way creates a lot more problems -- it's easy enough to convince kids that Santa came during the night while they were sleeping, but how do you convince them he stopped by on Christmas Eve afternoon?

I spent pretty much a huge chunk of the Christmas week with Mario's family. Christmas Eve - afternoon cake and coffee with his parents and brother, followed by dinner, presents, and more cake.  I was expecting to get a couple of things but not a lot, since we don't see Mario's parents very often and when we do see them, I am mostly just the quiet shadow in the background, too shy to say much in my bumbling German. Not this year -- I had just as many boxes under the tree with my name as the boys, which was quite a pleasant surprise. I've gotten less for Christmas from previous boyfriends' families whom I'd known longer (and actually had conversations with).

Among the spoils were: way over 100eur in gift cards for H&M and IKEA; two months' worth of toiletries and perfume; a 1000 page book (in ENGLISH!) that I devoured in a week; a key holder to hang by the door; and a bag of Christmas chocolate that dwarfs what any kid could hope to bring home for Halloween.

Mario and I were invited back over the next day (25th) for cake and coffee for his grandma Sonja. She's a sweet lady but has Alzheimer's and forgot where the bathroom was 7 times. She also signed Mario's Christmas card twice.

On the 26th we headed back again to his parents' apartment. This time we had dinner and exchanged presents with the extended family -- mom, dad, brother, aunt, uncle, 2 cousins, and an 8 year old nephew. They were all chatting away excitedly in Berliner but from what I could tell, the favorite topic was life in East Germany under the DDR.

They had lots of stories about how the children were left alone at night while the parents went out. The kids were scared, the parents came home to find every single light on in the house, etc.

I finally asked, "Don't you have babysitters here in Germany?" Turns out that under the DDR government, they were all too poor to afford babysitters. Everyone was in the same boat and helped each other out when they could. Instead of paying a babysitter they just put the kids to bed and gave the neighbors a key to the apartment. The neighbors could hear through the walls when the kids cried and would go over to comfort them.

Mario's parents were coming home from one such night out. Their route took them along the wall, which of course was still intact and heavily guarded. The Stasi were extremely heavy-handed about anti-DDR propaganda and it was normal for people to be taken in for questioning and just disappear. Fun fact: their former headquarters are just a block away from our apartment! Makes for a very cozy feel in the neighborhood.
Mario's dad decided just as they were walking along a checkpoint that it was a good time for him to start loudly voicing his [extremely negative and honest] opinions about the soldiers standing guard and the DDR. His wife had to clamp her hands over his mouth and drag him away, fearing that the father of her children would also disappear.
At first glance this story doesn't seem all that crazy. But when you really think about it -- can you imagine going up to a policeman and saying "Hey, you're a dick," and then he beats you and throws you into jail where you rot for the rest of your life -- if you're lucky? And to think it was happening until the late 80s in a country that is as modern as Germany!

After dinner they continued telling stories and we drank the night away until midnight or so, then said goodbye and piled into our cars (with DD's, of course. Germans are very strict about having a designated driver).

So, that was my Christmas. Warm and fuzzy and filled with family, just like in America. Except for the Stasi stories.

10 Things I learned about winter holidays in Germany

1. Vacation time. Lots of it. I was off from work from the 23rd until the 2nd. That's EIGHT days..12 if you count the weekends (which I do). The last time I had so much obligatory vacation, I was in college. Or unemployed.
2. Drink. Drink drink drink. Mulled wine (Glühwein) at Christmas markets is a wonderful way to warm the hands and the stomach as you huddle with friends in the cold. Add in a shot of rum or amaretto for 50 more cents, and it'll really warm you up. Plus it's a great bargain, for those of you who are cost-considerate. Grog, basically hot water mixed with rum, is definitely not as recommended as Glühwein, but will get the job done. Eierlikör is the German version of egg nog.  And then, if you want something really special.. Feuerzangenbowle is a special rum drink made with FIRE.  Drink with caution. And of course, beer. Because when is beer NOT acceptable in Germany? Answer: never.
   

   

   Glühwein FTW

3. Food. I don't know how many variations Germany has of meat and dumplings, but they are all delicious. Check out this for a recipe. I haven't tried it but the picture looks good..At the very least it'll give you a reference point for my ever-expanding cheeks in FB pictures.

   

   Variations of meat and dumplings at a local restaurant. Soooo delish.

4. Dark. Turn on the lights at 3:30pm because the sun says "Auf Wiedersehen" at 4pm. No wonder they drink so much here. It's freaking depressing.
5. Cold. Temperatures hover around freezing during the day, but the record low is -15. And if there is wind.. forget about it. Just stay inside. Better yet, don't even leave your bed. Because the sun will set soon enough, so you might as well be a proactive sleeper, right? Or, option 2: just drink more Glühwein and you won't feel a thing.
   

   

   Ready to go out now! Maybe.

6. Gray. The vast majority of days are overcast, which means it gets dark even EARLIER than it should. Take full advantage of sunny days, regardless of the temperature outside.
   

   

   Bustin' out the stunna shades, took a picture to commemorate it

7. Christmas markets (Weihnachtsmärkte). If the prevalence of Weihnachtsmärkte is any indication, Germans freaking LOVE Christmas. Around November 20th these little mini villages of Yuletide joy spring up wherever there is space, and you feel like you could be at the North Pole in Santa's backyard.
   
   A Weihnachtsmarkt is not complete without at least all of the following:
   -a Glühwein stand (preferably multiples, because the line can get really long)
   -a sausage stand..because you need something to help with all that rum-infused Glühwein you just drank. And because, well, Germany. It's even better when cooked on a Schwenkgrill, which is basically a circular grill hung by chains over charcoal. The grill swings in a circle over the coals and allows the meat to cook evenly
   -someone selling random clothing items. "Oh yes I've always wanted a fur hat from Russia, the bigger the ear flaps the better, thank you. And yes, while I'm at it, I might as well take a pair of those leggings that look like an ugly Christmas sweater."
   -Christmas lights, sparkling from inside boughs of evergreen and dangling in bright strands from buildings
   -Lebkuchen. Heart-shaped gingerbread-ish cookies, often with little messages on them (seasonal messages like "Merry Christmas" or romantic things like "I love you")
   

   

   This just screams Christmas to me

   

   Lebkuchen

   

   A Schwenkgrill
8. New Year's is not to be messed with. The fireworks started on the morning of the 31st and never stopped. I thought "So this is kind of what living in a war zone must sound like." And then after midnight...I've never seen so many unprofessional fireworks in one area before. The air was literally clouded with firework smoke. But it was amazing.. People rushed outside with their drinks still in hand to watch the fireworks, and everyone was in a great mood. It was the perfect way to start off the new year -- a little bit dangerous (alcohol+explosives, not good bedfellows), but fun and carefree and so congenial and warm at the same time.
   

   

   Totally safe. 100%.

9. Friends. When it's dark and dreary and cold outside, it's easy to feel down. Especially for me. Sometimes I think my overall mood is directly tied to the weather.  So for me, friends and the times I spend with them - be it exploring Christmas markets, dancing the night away, or just enjoying a beer in my favorite Wedding pub - are essential in winter
   

   

   Vagabund

   

   Chasing away the winter blues

   

   Just a normal night in Muellerstr

10. Love. If you were smitten with Berlin before, you will fall head over heels with her. She looks so beautiful all decorated for Christmas with lights and evergreen everywhere, and then once she gets you hooked on Glühwein and innocent Christmas spirit, she shows her crazy, dangerous, dirty party side at New Year's. But by this time you are already so deep in love that you don't care. She's kind of like a girl you bring home from the party because she was so beautiful and dolled up and fun, almost irresistible.. And then you wake up the next morning, see her without her makeup and skimpy dress, and wonder "Who the hell is this?? What have I done??" But then you remember how awesome she was the night before and it doesn't matter anymore. Because as long as you love Berlin, she will love you back. And that's really the only thing that matters.

Christmas Cheer

Ok, so my holiday wasn't the best this year, to be honest.. Many of the people I know are expats from other countries, and all returned home for the holidays.  Of the friends who were left in Berlin, most already had plans. Either having their own dinner party, or being hosted by another.. And I was hesitant to invite myself along.

I had an amazing brunch with an amazing person.. But that only takes up so much of the day, and I was back home around 6pm.

So, on the 24th, I listened to Christmas music. I tried (and failed) to call my grandma. Several times.  This technology thing only works if you pick up the phone, Grandma! So after leaving her a holiday voicemail, I made a healthy dinner and hunkered down in my bed with my laptop-fueled Christmas movie marathon and a bottle of wine.

Was it kind of sad? Yes. But as an expat in a totally new country and city, sometimes these things happen. As an expat you have to be self-sufficient and not mind doing things alone, at least some of the time. So while a bit sad, I was still happy knowing that I am here in Berlin, that I have friends and family who love me from afar, and that I am fortunate enough to have a nice warm bed to snuggle into.

Honestly, I was more disappointed that it has been unseasonably warm and we didn't have a white Christmas. Heck we didn't even have a rainy Christmas. It was just kind of overcast.

The 25th was better. My roommate woke up and we had a bottle of wine with lunch to celebrate Christmas ("My breakfast!" he said, toasting me). Then we took a nap and woke up to prepare dinner for my ex coworker Andy, who was in the same boat as me -- an expat with nothing special to do on Christmas Day.

We had a great antipasti course (pickled garlic, roasted red peppers, bruschetta, olives, and cream cheese-stuffed hot peppers) and fun conversation

Cooking hard for the guys

Thumbs up for my dinner.. Chicken and cannelloni beans in a white wine sauce with seared green beans. Plus some bread from the Turkish bakery downstairs, because they were the only ones open on Christmas Day 

Later on we started getting kind of crazy due to the excessive flow of wine...

According to the timestamp, this picture was taken around 2am..? Andy was eating Nutella and got some on his teeth so I had to join in too.  And now I'm putting it on the internet for you to see as well

Company Christmas Party

I work for a startup in Berlin. Apparently it's a pretty normal thing to do in this city -- Berlin has one of the highest concentrations of startups in all of Europe. True to startup form, they do things a little bit differently due to the lack of HR.

We had our Christmas party this past weekend, and wow.. What a party.

First off we began with a presentation (accompanied by beer for the guys and  by the CEO about the past year, the company in general, and the goals for the next year. He used 3 examples to try to make our product more relatable to customers, one of which was an employee who "is with a different girl every night." Although the employee in question was not there, the CEO used this example several times, making for a funny -- but very awkward -- situation because this man slut's ex gf is also an employee and was in attendance.  It was not very cool.

After the meeting we headed out to The Grand, a restaurant/bar/club that is swanky in that chic divey way that some places manage to achieve.  It looks kind of like a rich old person's house, and is huge. There is a fine line between actual dive and dive-chic, and a huge part of that is the quality of service. The wait staff were top notch and the quality of the food was amazing.

We had our own room and arrived in small groups. I ended up near the CEO, the other US girl, and the 3rd in command, S. It was nice to talk to US girl for "real" because normally at the office she is very reserved and work-focused.  S was great, however. We chatted away contentedly for the whole dinner.

Dinner was amazing, a 3 course German extravaganza. You had the option of choosing meat, fish or vegetarian when RSVPing for the invite. Most chose meat, I asked for fish, and the "twins" (two girls who are besties in the office) got vegetarian.

First course: charcuterie & fois gras / salad
Second course: chicken leg / salmon / risotto accompanied by dumplings and various kinds of German cabbage
Third course: a marzipan tart and ice cream

Wine was free flowing during the entire meal. I have no idea how many bottles we drank but it was a LOT.  While we were waiting between courses people were moving around and switching seats. A bit of excitement (among the girls, at least) went around because a rumor was floating around that German actor Til Schweiger was in the house.

My salad

The meat dish's appetizer..More meat

Yummy salmon & chicken on the other plate

dessert

After dinner we moved downstairs to the bar and partied our hearts out. It was still a bit early for Berlin to be out and about in full force. We were one of the first groups in the bar and lo and behold Til Schweiger was taking advantage of the quiet time! I got a picture with him. He was shorter and much more average looking compared to the way I imagined him to be, but I've heard that's the way with actors in general...I wouldn't know, I haven't seen too many.

Til Schweiger, the guy I didn't recognize till someone told me he was in Inglorious Bastards, which I haven't seen.

Once the DJ started everyone was dancing around and taking pictures. We were taking over the dance floor!  For some reason we were all ordering Moscow Mules. No idea why.  They are delicious, by the way

After what seemed like only 5 minutes of dancing, but was probably about 5 hours, we tried to head off to another locale. The only problem was, there were so many of us and we were so drunk.. We just kind of peeled off and went in separate groups despite our best efforts. I ended up at a club called Cookies gate crashing the Christmas party of another startup that the CEO and COO knew about. I was so drunk at this point I have no idea how we got inside.. The CEO was talking forever to the ticket lady and finally she let us inside. It's kind of a blur, I remember getting drinks from the C-guys and then they went off to talk to someone, leaving us girls (S, B, and I) to fend for ourselves. S left shortly thereafter but B and I stuck it out for a while. I spotted a pole at one corner of the dance floor and tried to show off my pole dancing skills. I would prefer to not see how that turned out.

I heard a couple people faceplanted a few times. I somehow managed to stay upright, but discovered upon waking that about a good hunk of one of my fingernails had ripped off. Talk about painful. At first it was bleeding but now it's getting better and the skin is toughening up a lot. On the one hand this is good because I actually have use of all ten fingers now and don't have to wince in pain every time I touch something. On the other (superficial) hand I am doubting the nail will ever really grow back over the fresh skin. My french manicures, should I ever choose to get them, will be forever ruined. Oh well.

It may not look that bad now.. But try ripping off part of your fingernail and see how you feel

Live for the nights you won't remember with the friends you'll never forget, right??

It's beginning to look a (little) like Christmas

Around November 20th or so I started noticing Christmas decorations and the makings of Weihnachtsmärkte (Christmas markets) going up around town.  Things are full-blown Christmas now -- even Christmas lights are going up on balconies and in apartment windows -- and yet my apartment remained bare.

Finally I couldn't take it anymore and bought some stuff at the local cheapo store. It's not a dollar store but it's definitely cheap.  They actually had some pretty good stuff in there!  Since the kitchen is our only communal room I put all the decorations in there.  Here's what  I managed to do:

Bought a pine bough at the florist down the street for 1euro. Put a bow on it. Still kind of bare but whatever

Roomie used some flour to turn Dino the fake IKEA plant into a "snow-dusted tree." I added on some wooden stars to add extra festivity.

Bought a mini table runner, a wicker star, and a garland. Hung some ornaments from it. Still is kind of bare looking but at least I had an excuse to get rid of that hideous paper party garland they had hanging there before.

So.. That is the extent of my christmas decorations for now. Not sure what else we will do, but I feel like we should add at least a little bit more... 

I also had a wonderful surprise when I came home!  Had this convo with Roomie. He starts off with saying Santa was here. I didn't know what he meant....

Until I got home and saw that my Zalando order had arrived! For those of you who aren't familiar with the amazingness of Zalando, let me enlighten you.. Basically you can order WHATEVER kind of clothes you want, at hugely discounted prices. You have 100 days to try out the clothes and if you don't like them, you return them no questions asked. If you order with a German bank account, you don't even have to pay for 30 or 50 days (I forget which). It's crazy! Roomie works there and he gets a discount on top of the discount, so of course I am going to be abusing this. 

Happiness in a box. Or three boxes, rather

It is perfect since I moved here with only the clothes in my small suitcase. Packing for a month of backpacking in southern France in October was seriously insufficient for moving to Berlin in winter. Thankfully I have this amazing connection and was able to get some much-needed  warm clothes -- two winter coats, some more long sleeved shirts, another pair of jeans.. 

Finally ready to go out in style, no more grungy hoodies layered on top of each other