Merry Christmas

[steinjr]

Merry Christmas to all of you and my all your wishes come true.

The "big date" for the kids of all age is the xmas eve (24th) here in Germany. That is when the candles on the xmas tree will be inflamed and the gifts are presented and unwrapped. Most families have a tradition to serve at that evening a relative simple dinner (e.g. sausages with potato salad) only to make sure the wife/mother is not buried with work in the kitchen. 25th and 26th are very prominent days to visit relatives and get visits from close relatives. That are the dates when the lunch will run "full throttle" (and the lady stays in the kitchen... until she gets some help ).

Mmm - we decorate the tree and light the lights on the evening of the 23rd - i.e. tonight. And it will stay up until the 13th or 20th day of Christmas or thereabouts - some weekend in early/mid January :-)

Dinner on Xmas eve is the big extended family meal - pretty much a given that it will be a traditional regional based food. Pork ribs & sauerkraut in the SE, steamed lamb on the west coast, codfish on the NW coast etc. Often rice pudding for dessert. Dinner usually takes half the day to prepare, and is served an hour or two after night falls - i.e. around 4 or 5 pm. Then walking around the tree, singing Christmas carols, and the opening of Christmas gifts, which are either stacked under the tree or (if you have small kids) brought in by a dad more or less successfully disguised as Santa Claus.

Christmas morning (ie the 25th) usually have a brunch (late breakfast/early lunch) with warmed up leftover from dinner, and various smorgasbord classics. In our family, since we have mixed Norwegian/American traditions, we do immediate family gifts, gifts from American relatives and Christmas stockings in the morning of the 25th, before brunch. We probably will go up to the church in the afternoon, and put a wreath on my mother's grave. The first and second day of Christmas are quiet, peaceful days - all stores (except a few gas stations and kiosks) will be closed.

The celebration of Christmas really started 4 weeks ago - on the first Sunday of Advent, when we put up the star in the window.

Anyways - whatever (including Festivus and Saturnalia) you celebrate, however you celebrate and whenever you celebrate - have a good one!

Big grin,
Stein, up at 5 am to wrap some gifts before the kids wake up

[modelsof1900]

Merry Christmas to all here in forum! Health and enjoyment over our hobby in a lucky 2011 !



Our rebuilt Frauenkirche in Dresden, destroyed in Febr. 1945, devoted in 2004.

Greetings ...

[TrainNut]

As my father always likes to say,
Mele Kalikimaka me ka Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!
Say that 10 times as fast as you can!

For those that no speaky da lingo,
Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

By the way, bonus points if you know what language that is!

[doctorwayne]

Sounds Hawaiian to me - I think I recall that from a novelty song by Don Ho-Ho-Ho.

Wayne

[Brakie]

Merry Christmas To All!

[tetters]

Tiny Bubbles... in the wine!

[Harry]

[P5se Camelback]

Sounds Hawaiian to me - I think I recall that from a novelty song by Don Ho-Ho-Ho.

Wayne

Yep! I'm pretty sure it's Hawaiian ...

... but ...

... and I know I will date myself with this bit of useless trivia ...

... I think Arthur Godfrey did it while playing his ukelele, with the three McGuire sisters singing some close harmony for backup when Don ("Tiny Bubbles") Ho-Ho-Ho was still in "little boy" knickers!

[Steamtrains]

I join the chorus...

!!..Have a Festive Christmas and a Prosperous New Year..!!

May the coming New Year bring you all cheer, health, and LOTS'A trains....

[TrainNut]

Sounds Hawaiian to me - I think I recall that from a novelty song by Don Ho-Ho-Ho.

Yep! I'm pretty sure it's Hawaiian ...

You are correct! I brought in some eggnog and fudge for the winners. They're on the top shelf of the fridge in the break room! ...there's fruitcake as well but somebody has been using it as a doorstop!

[P5se Camelback]

Oooooo! Fruitcake! That was a traditional part of Christmas morning breakfast in our family ... the eating of a "Good Breakfast" was a prerequisite to going into the Living Room to view the Christmas Tree and the gifts beneath it (the "back" steps were used to get downstairs to the kitchen on Christmas morning to avoid being able to see into the Living Room or the Tree until after breakfast ... probably the only time that stairway was used all year long!) My parents were big believers in self-discipline. So we ate a good breakfast before being permitted to get into the Christmas Morning gift unwrapping. (That practice also gave Dad a chance to get his lights and 8mm camera rolling for the "Grand Entrance" of his excited young children into the Living Room and seeing the Christmas Tree and the gifts beneath it. The old film [since converted to video tape and now to DVD] is pretty cool to now show to our children!)

[SP1]

   

[ngauger]

Merry Christmas From Big Blue!!!

Another year has passed and we remember those that are not here to share this joyous season with us. We thank all our great members for another fun year at Big Blue. We further ask that everyone remembers those that are away from their families whatever the circumstances and, of course, those serving in the military.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish each of you and your families,

Happy Holidays and A Very Merry Christmas!!

And A Healthful and Happy New Year!!!

[cnw1961]

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all my friends here at The Gauge … and a Merry BAH HUM BUG to my special friend Tetters

[nachoman]

Since this is the last time I will be on here until after Christmas, I wish everyone here a very merry, and PEACEFUL Christmas. Don't let the inlaws or wacky relatives get to you too much