Category Archives: Vacation and holiday traditions
Germans are the vacation champions of the world. This is a holy rite performed annually every summer and skipping it can have serious consequences.
Ring in the New Year and fire the firecrackers
The New Year means more than resolutions. All of Germany sets off firecrackers at midnight....
Dec
‘Twas the Night Before Weihnachten
On a trip to a Christmas market in Munich, I was inspired by The Night....
Dec
Christmas cookies: Good, better, German
I loved Christmas cookies growing up and thought they were pretty good, but have since....
Dec
What happened to Santa Claus?
Santa Claus, St. Nick, or the Christ child? The figure we associate with Christmas takes....
Dec
Celebrating St. Martin from the comfort of the couch
Americans celebrate fall with Halloween, but Germans have St. Martin. Children carry lit lanterns in....
2 Comments
Nov
No Halloween? No way. My sneaky and successful plot
Some Germans celebrate Halloween, but not all of them. I was determined to find a....
2 Comments
Oct
Munching my way to Munich, one chaotic airport at a time
There’s a lot to be said for approaching challenging situations with the right attitude, which....
2 Comments
May
Don’t look now, but there’s a shark at your feet
Everybody has their idea of a perfect vacation. I enjoy the ocean, but I don’t....
May
Even better than bread: the best excuse to fatten up, complete with cream filling
January is when Germans confront the fact that Christmas is over but winter is just....
Jan
Blasting our way into the New Year
Germans are so careful about maintaining their cars and build their houses so well that....
Dec
‘Twas the Night Before Weihnachten
On a trip to a Christmas market in Munich, I was inspired by The Night....
Dec
Christmas cookies: good, better, and German
I loved Christmas cookies growing up and thought they were pretty good, but have since....
Dec
What happened to my pumpkin pie?
It wouldn’t be a holiday without pumpkin pie, but what I bake today is a....
Dec
In not-so-hot pursuit of the Way of St. James
Somehow I keep coming across the camino or Way of St. James, leading to surprising....
Nov
No Halloween? No way. My sneaky and successful plot
Some Germans celebrate Halloween, but not all of them. I was determined to find a....
Oct
On The (Same) Road Again in New York City
I used to get lost all the time, but that all changed when GPS technology....
Jun
‘Twas the Night Before Weihnachten
The Night Before Christmas takes on a new twist when transport it to Munich -....
1 Comment
Dec
Hot wine and cold toes
Every town has its Christmas market. I try my luck fitting in at a local....
1 Comment
Dec
The Several Santa Syndrome
Taking bits and pieces of different Christmas cultures can lead to a lot of confusion.
2 Comments
Dec
The 37 Days of Christmas
From late November to early January, it's one long holiday season in Germany.
Nov
Thanksgiving? No, thanks
Americans like to think of Thanksgiving as being the ultimate American holiday, but it's actually....
1 Comment
Nov
Halloween Goes Global
Halloween has made its way to Germany, but some funny things happened to this holiday....
2 Comments
English 
Deutsch