Across the Fence

What would Christmas be without music? Without singing? I’m not talking the untimely endless-loops in supermarkets and craft stores that start playing way too early in the year in order to remind us to consume in time for the holidays. I’m talking about taking up an instrument and playing it with friends or family or […]

Everybody loves a hot drink when coming in from the cold. Or when standing outside at a Christmas market booth. The traditional drink in Germany is Glühwein aka mulled wine. Back in thee day, you either bought it at an event or you had to make it from scratch. As in buying sachets that you […]

What do kids do when puddles suddenly grow a skin? They slide on them. My German childhood winters were cold enough to have ponds frozen with a solid skin of ice. Solid enough to last us for sliding to our hearts’ delight and, later, for ice skating. I remember even walking miles to a pond […]

Nuts were a big item in Christmas bakery but also just for snacking during my childhood. Hazelnuts were cheaply available anywhere, whether grated or whole. Californian almonds were an all-year-around treat, too, their price just as low as that of hazelnuts although imported from so far away! And we received boxes of nuts from my […]

December 6 is a great day for children with a German background – they get a glimpse of Christmas joy. No way close to that Dutch children get on this day, but still. This morning, their first steps will be to their homes’ front door to find what St. Nicholas has stuffed into their boots […]

One of the most rewarding activities during advent is baking cookies. First of all, it’s something also children can participate in – so, it’s a great family activity. Second, you get something homemade for days on end (if you pace yourself eating them). And third, your entire home simply starts smelling delicious – no air […]

Nature has fallen asleep by now. But wait – one really nice Advent tradition is that of Barbara branches. St. Barbara’s Day is December 4, and my mother always bought some branches for a vase. Not just any branches but such as from cherry trees or apple trees. As a child, I found it kind […]

Have you ever wondered why advent traditionally is celebrated with a specific kind of wreath? Why with a wreath, at all? The circle as well as the evergreen boughs it is made of both symbolize eternal life; a wreath also is a reminder of a crown of thorns, of Christ’s endless love. As of here, […]

Have you already placed any evergreens in your home? A garland over the mantlepiece, on a window sill, or on a sideboard? A few branches in a vase? An arrangement or a wreath on a table or at your front door? The scent will fill the air and lend a room the flair of the […]