Well the holiday season is upon us and in Munich that means Christmas Markets. Every neighborhood has one and they are all different. There are Renaissance markets, craft markets, bohemian markets, commercial markets, world markets. You want it...you got it! It is what the Germans do for Christmas...forget the long lines at the stores, forget malls (we actually have one somewhere in the city), forget cleaning your house and cooking for days to have a party. Just meet your friends and family at a Christmas Market and wander around. They are ALL beautiful...full of color, lights, great smells and best of all Gluhwein. This mulled wine is the drink of the season and I can tell you, on a cold night, walking around with a mug of hot spiced wine is just wonderful. Plus if you are willing to forfeit the Pfand (the 2.5 or 3 euro deposit you pay for the mug), you get to keep the mug. Many people collect these as they vary by market, each with a unique graphic, text or shape. You can see my collection, thus far, pictured here. For those who prefer something a little stronger, you can
get it "mit scchuss" or with a shot of rum, schnapps etc. For those who are really adventurous, go for the flaming bowl. A large bowl mug filled with some sort of gluhwein with a lip containing a sugar cube. They then pour rum or schnapps over the sugar and the mug and light it on fire. Yes, everyone walks around with a bowl of fire! Imagine that in the US? The Christmas Markets are really a wonderful tradition and a way to share Christmas with everyone AND to reduce the stress...I mean how hard is it to run to a market and get a bowl of goulasch and 
a glass of hot wine with friends. I may never do an American Christmas again.Beyond the markets, we are enjoying the season. It is more low key here than at home so it has flown by with ease. However, this will be our first Christmas without Audrey as she is going home to the US. It was a last
minute decision and she is very excited. We will miss her very much and I am sure she will miss us (please let me keep my illusions). More likely she will miss her boyfriend Tyler....yes, that relationship is still going strong and we get to see lot of him. Its a good thing since we like him! Audrey, although she complains, is actually doing well here. She is much more independent here than at home and has learned how to get around the city on her own. It has really increased her confidence and her sense of autonomy. When I told her she would be flying home alone without an escort, she was totally not worried. I am not sure she would have felt that way a few months ago. In her free time, she spends a lot of time with Tyler and her friend Caitlyn and is working hard at school. The curriculum is very tough here and the teachers are very demanding but Audrey is holding her own. She continues to figure out how to keep her grades at just that point where we stay off her back while still having as much free time after school and on weekends as possible. Hey, I figure efficiency in effort is a good skill in life! She is also taking a film class after school which she enjoys. Watching movies and chit chatting about them...what could be better. Audrey is not playing field hockey right now since the language barrier caused problems. I am hoping to find an indoor team that speaks English after the new year.
William is really thriving here. His artwork has grown in leaps and bounds, inspired both by the environment and some really good teaching! He is also taking drama classes after school and is playing on the Middle School basketball B team. He has rarely every played basketball so that tells you how good the team is! However, one advantage of making the middle school team is that he gets to travel to other International Schools for tournaments. Therefore, he gets to stay with host families in Vienna and Frankfurt AND we will return the favor by hosting kids here when other teams come to visit us! It is bound to be an adventure. William has also made lots friends both at school and in the neighborhood. Happily, William will be with us this Christmas. So at least we don't feel like empty nesters yet! He will join us as we drive to Hausen below Stuttgart to visit with Matt's German relatives. We look forward to spending a couple of days with the extended Stutz family!
We also just had a great couple of days with my sister Amanda, her husband Andy and the kids, Lauren and Josh. It was bitterly cold but we still managed to get around Munich and visit the
Christmas Markets (of course) and enjoy a flaming bowl or two. We went out to eat on my birthday where I had my first Schweinhax'n, a pig's knuckle that has been slow roasted and crisped. It was wonderful. Of course, Andy, Amanda, Matt and I ended up at the Hofbrauhaus where we sang Ein Prosit, drank too much and had a great time. Amanda is writing a blog on her European vacation so I won't duplicate it here....but we loved seeing them AND will be seeing them again soon. They are spending Christmas in Paris and then we will meet them in Rome and spend a few days in Rome and a few in Naples with them....Of course, there will be a blog about it.What else is new? We had a great time at the school Christmas Party. Great food, dancing and drinking. We left around midnight to take the train home...which was an event in itself. You
heard of the Peace train...this was the Puke train. Drunken teenagers abounded. Matt and I had to move seats several times to avoid watching highly inebriated teens barfing up their dinner. The following Monday, Will got the local newspaper on the way to school and found an article about the problem! The downside of public transportation!So our life goes on...we are having a great time and enjoying the German life! We do miss our friends and family....especially so at this time of year! So enjoy your holiday and be well. In lieu of a card, I have included a small Christmas greeting below. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
