So here I am again, and it’s almost December again; and once more, I find myself digging myself out of moving boxes trying to find the Christmas tree skirt that I bought when we were stationed in Germany.  I’m not having any luck so I gave up for the evening and thought I’d do some blogging.  

As I unpack the holiday decorations, I realize that this activity always makes me nostalgic for the three years we spent in Germany back in the late 90s.  Those three years were probably the most fun, exciting, and memorable years of my life. 

I loved the Christmas markets, and from the end of November until Christmas Eve, you would find me happily wandering the markets of all the small towns around us,  the Wurzburg market, and the Saturday trips to Rothenburg with my husband and our two beloved old dogs who have since departed this world.   I find myself getting a little teary eyed over thoughts of our old Major, sitting by the bratwurst stand trying to convince every German within tail wagging distance that nobody ever fed him.  He usually scored at least two brats with brotchen and mustard with his sad sack routine.  Those Germans were a soft touch for a golden retriever with soft brown eyes.  Matt and I would usually have to intervene before he was fed so much even canine gastric bypass wouldn’t help him.

Last year I didn’t decorate or celebrate the holidays.  Matt was gone on deployment, and I was nowhere near friends or family, so I wrapped myself up in the “Bah humbug” spirit and let the season pass without fanfare.  This year it’s much different.  I’m “home,” around both friends and family; and due to a nasty twist of fate, Matt came home “early” (thirteen months instead of the scheduled fifteen months) this year because I managed to get myself pretty sick two weeks ago and wound up in the hospital (during my birthday - no less) with kidney failure due to E. Coli poisoning.  GO ME! (No, this illness wasn’t intentional!)

This year we have the tree up, and our two new dogs, Baylor and Angus, have never been exposed to an indoor tree.  We’ve had the requisite lecture about not eating the ornaments, candy canes, or the lights, and we’ve discussed how peeing on a tree that is inside a house is not proper canine etiquette.   

I’ve managed to find my Christmas Pyramid, the glass ornaments, the special Christmas scented incense I bought for all my wooden incense smokers, and the special holiday linens I brought back with me.  I couldn’t help but light up the incense and think back to the smells of the markets.  I remember the smells of pine trees, hot spiced wine, brats, the smell of a clean, crisp snowfall, and those yummy cinnamon nuts that were roasting everywhere in the marketplaces. 

I miss the charm of Germany during the holidays, it’s something that I find missing here in the states.  There is no comparison between a German Christkindlmarkt and a U.S. shopping mall.

Wherever you find yourself this holiday season, take the time to slow down, and make some memories.