Holiday Recap

With internet access yet again after a week on the lovely [but wifi-lacking] German island of Borkum, I'm back in the arms of civilization- as defined by the facebook-users of the world. 

Seeing as the force of the holidays hit me square on and left me quite breathless for a few weeks, I'm only just getting around to this promised [but incredibly belated] post.

However, before any of that, I'd like to immediately throw out there that the absolute best two-and-a-half hours of my holidays were accessed through this gem right here.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH <3

 The Hobbit. In German.

Although words can't describe how disappointed I am at the content of the film, it was eye candy beyond my wildest imagination. 

This movie deserves its own  post.

[Aaand the list of promised posts continues to grow): ]

However! The holidays!

enfants obèses :)

They had quite a sweet start, as my lovely French class [and consequently, last class of 2012] royally pigged out. With a group effort, we managed to pool together two plum pies, a stack of muffins, a chocolate cake, and more than enough whipped cream--- just for the sake of jumpstarting the holiday chub production.

[Did I mention the class has a total of fourteen students?]

 

Then I blinked and it was Christmas. A lovely family dinner of Raclette and a nontraditional present-opening method [by rolling dice, only opening presents when receiving certain numbers] played out on the 24th, and a bigger present exchange as well as a sizable traditional German lunch took place on the 25th with the extended family--- two days, both of which were full of plenty of surprises. Despite not celebrating this holiday, I'm so, so grateful to have spent it with this amazing host family. These people, who five months ago were complete strangers, have come to mean so much to me [heck, even the dog has squeezed herself into occupying a significant portion of my heart].

Even the train stations get all done up(:

The time between the end of school and Christmas, however, passed way too quickly-- too much good holiday food, too little time!

As previously mentioned, around this time, Christmas markets- Weinachtsmärkte- are to be found all over Germany. There was a small one that opened up in my own town, Recklinghausen, that I was able to frequent, and I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to also frequent one of the biggest in the area, in the nearby town of Essen.

France theme for a German market?

A canopy of lights:)

 With decorations strung up everywhere and light displays hung up above, the trees all made up and the store fronts festively set up, the streets of the city centers entirely transform. Long rows of little stands that pop up, with everything from food, to toys and little trinkets, to high quality jewelery and craftsman items, to more food, to beer stands, to workshops for kids and little rides for them, to more food, and then food once again. 

Falala, lalala, la la laaaaa

 The stands repeat themselves from market to market-- you'll always find one for lovely little candles and candle holders, one for ornaments of sorts, one for little replicas of traditional german houses, one for toys, and so forth.

Stands galore.

 And then there's the food. The markets play host to traditional German goodies- although, not all of which I got to sample, being vegetarian. Of sweets and meat-less items, however, here is what I was able to devour experience:

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•  Reibekuchen: Okay, not specifically a holiday food, but very typical german. An almost-hashbrown, it's a potato fritter typical to the Rheinland area, commonly eaten with apple sauce.

• Lebkuchen: German gingerbread, this stuff is amazing. Soft and chewy and normally dipped in chocolate, this is nothing like our gingerbread men.
  
• Dampfnudeln: This is actually more like Asian steamed buns than anything else, so I had trouble believing it was really German at first. A sweet steamed dough, usually with a filling, topped with vanilla sauce and poppy seeds. Mmmmm.
  
  
• Crepes: Again, not really a holiday food, but c'mon. Crepes. These things are heaven in your mouth.
  
  
• Quarkbälle: Moist, doughy quark-based dough balls, this is more or less the German version of Doughnut holes. Without the doughnut.
  
  
• Gebrannte Mandeln: Literally "burnt almonds". This is so delicious, Rittersport even has a holiday candy bar centered around this treat- it's pretty much almonds [or any nut, really] baked and coated with a sugary topping/mix.
  
  
• Stutenkerle: The last paragraph of this post >:(
•  Spritzgebäck: A buttery, shortbread-esque cookie, and a staple of German households at this time of year.
  
  
• Baumkuchen: A sort of layered cake traditionally made by brushing layers of batter onto a spit, creating the tree-trunk-like shape. This has also become a popular treat in Japan...?

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And that's not even the half of it! 

I declare all of this, however, as consumed in the name of research and an attempt to further my knowledge and familiarity with German culture....

.....Pfhah, who am I kidding.

Three cheers for holiday fat in the form of deliciously irresistible German calorie bombs!

[Yayyyyyyy!]