Germans and Christmas

We are up into the Christmas season now in Germany.  Most Americans might be pleasantly surprised at things they encounter.  So this is my list of ten German things of interest during this season.

First, food-wise, there is zero chance of you losing weight over the three-day period of Christmas (24-25-26).  Duck, Turkey, Goose, Rabbit, and Fish figure into this equation. Traditionally, you end up with a big meal on the evening of the 24th.  Then you've got a big meal at lunch on the 25th.  And you have another big meal on the 26th.  You can figure at least three to six pounds gained from the regular meals and the cookies consumed.

Second.  Shopping is typically finished by 10AM on the 24th (Mon-Sat) in most villages, and by noon at most major stores.  If you need anything...you'd best plan this and have bought it by the evening of the 23rd.  Remember, the 26th is a holiday and nothing will be open on that day either.

Third.  For Germans, presents are always opened on the evening of the 24th.  The negative here is that if things have to be assembled....you will have the pleasure of messing with this stuff into the late hours of the day.

Fourth.  Booze figures into the holiday schemes and various possibilities exist.

Fifth.  German TV traditionally offers Rambo, alien movies, and various movies that you'd never see on American TV around the Christmas holidays.  Don't ask me the logic....I suspect it's because only the younger generation watches TV during this 72-hour period.  To be blunt, I'd just turn the TV off or pop in your own favorite Christmas movies.

Sixth.  Travel during this period would really challenge a person.  If you try to fly out via the airport....you will find fewer flights and very few folks in the airport.  If you have any car problems....expect it to take a long time to find a mechanic to fix the car or a tow-truck to recover the car.  Hotels will take you but you might want to make sure about your meal situations because some hotels don't run their restaurant during this 72-hour period.

Seventh.  By the evening of the 26h....kids mostly aim for the next major event....fireworks on sale within three days for New Years.  There's a short period after Christmas where shops will be selling some nifty fireworks.  Kids and adults will easy spend $20 to $50 on packages of fireworks.  One word of caution....you have to fire everything by 1 January.  Don't hold back.

Eighth.  Once you've unpacked every present and every box....now comes this event of smashing everything as flat as possible for your stupid paper trash cans out front.  It may take you three trash periods before you gets rid of all the excess.

Ninth.  This is the wrong time of year to upset your German neighbors.  Fit into the local customs and avoid anything that might stress them out.

Tenth.  Germans put a tremendous amount of planning into this 72-hour period.  You might be shocked at the list of things that a German housewife will have put up on the wall during the week prior to this event.  There will likely be seven different shopping runs during the final five-day build-up.  And you can forget about any last minute changes....things have to occur as planned.  Get used to that.