My second favorite past time is thinking about all the places I would go, the things I would do, if money was not a factor. (My first favorite past time is compulsively buying all the books that exist, but this blog post isn't about that) I would probably want to fly my family somewhere where there is snow, because my son has never seen snow. Everyone should experience snow at least once in their lives, I firmly believe. We would have to dress warmly, of course; right now we can wear shorts comfortably. Nicely snug coats and mittens and snow boots would likely be required, as well as hats and long johns, as we used to call them.
We would be heading to Germany. Nuremburg, to be exact. They have a Christmas Market that is one of the best in the world. It's been years since I've been there, but I remember as a child that it was a magical place. The pageantry of the Christkind(Christ child), the lights, the food, and the fun are still in my dreams even now around this time.
Primarily the food, and I'm not ashamed to say that.
I'm not a huge fan of lebkuchen, the German gingerbread, but I loved the gorgeous decorated tins the cookies came in at the Christkindlemarkt, and I still have some of them. However, I did adore the Nuremburg sausages. They would be served in hard rolls and were so delicious that my mouth is watering right now, just thinking about them.
My mother purchased some ornaments for our Christmas tree each year at the market, including these little handmade figures called Prune Men. My parents would sip a hot wine drink while we wandered among the aisles, because it is freakin' cold in Germany at this time of the year. I cannot even describe how cold it is, because my tiny brain has completely blocked out any apt description that would convey the immense refrigeration experience that is Germany in winter.
But it would be completely worth it. We could stay in a hotel right on the square, walk over to the event, and just be mesmerized by every single thing, from the glockenspiel on the church tower to the faces of the crowd, especially the children. My son's face would glow with his excitement and my cold heart would grow three sizes.
Unless the glow was frostbite...
Check out Mamakat and her awesome Writer's Workshop. Try one of the prompts if you like them! 5. Describe how you would celebrate the holidays if it was totally up to you and money was not a factor.
We would be heading to Germany. Nuremburg, to be exact. They have a Christmas Market that is one of the best in the world. It's been years since I've been there, but I remember as a child that it was a magical place. The pageantry of the Christkind(Christ child), the lights, the food, and the fun are still in my dreams even now around this time.
Primarily the food, and I'm not ashamed to say that.
I'm not a huge fan of lebkuchen, the German gingerbread, but I loved the gorgeous decorated tins the cookies came in at the Christkindlemarkt, and I still have some of them. However, I did adore the Nuremburg sausages. They would be served in hard rolls and were so delicious that my mouth is watering right now, just thinking about them.
My mother purchased some ornaments for our Christmas tree each year at the market, including these little handmade figures called Prune Men. My parents would sip a hot wine drink while we wandered among the aisles, because it is freakin' cold in Germany at this time of the year. I cannot even describe how cold it is, because my tiny brain has completely blocked out any apt description that would convey the immense refrigeration experience that is Germany in winter.
But it would be completely worth it. We could stay in a hotel right on the square, walk over to the event, and just be mesmerized by every single thing, from the glockenspiel on the church tower to the faces of the crowd, especially the children. My son's face would glow with his excitement and my cold heart would grow three sizes.
Unless the glow was frostbite...
Check out Mamakat and her awesome Writer's Workshop. Try one of the prompts if you like them! 5. Describe how you would celebrate the holidays if it was totally up to you and money was not a factor.
