Über Column

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• Über Column: Viktor's Message - May 28, 2010
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• Über Column: "Fat Ugly Americans" - December 17, 2009

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Written by Viktor Kewenig

Christmas is a wonderful time; it doesn’t matter how you celebrate it. But this year, my Christmas was really different. In Germany on Christmas eve, my family used to have a huge feast every year. All my uncles, cousins, grandmas and granddads would come and we would have a huge Christmas tree, and open our presents that evening. It is, however, in general in Europe quite unusual to open your presents on Christmas eve. Most people in Germany do it though. The only thing I actually missed were probably the candles on the Christmas tree. The only lights on American Christmas trees are usually electric, which I think is just not as beautiful. What I kind of missed, too, was the singing of Christmas songs at the tree on Christmas eve, which may sound strange to Americans, but it is a big tradition in Europe. Furthermore this year I didn’t go to church, which I usually do in Europe, as Christmas is the most celebrated religious event of the year.

Here I felt Christmas was not as religious but more like a party. Friends come over to your house, everybody brings some food, they play music, eat, drink, talk, and the children play together. Everybody goes to bed early though as the presents are going to be opened in the morning, so that everybody will get up really early. In Europe it is more like a religious fest in the beginning. After 10 or maybe 11 the little kids would go to bed, and the parents usually stay awake longer, talk, drink and enjoy the rest of the food, until late at night.

But there is still one huge difference left. In Germany kids get their Christmas presents from the “Christkid”, that would come with little angels the evening before christmas and decorate the tree. We know Santa claus in Germany, but he doesn’t really deliver presents. In Germany we believe Santa was Coca Cola’s invention and could never fit through the chimney.

After all I have to say even though I missed my family, I really enjoyed experiencing a different Christmas with different people and different traditions.

But still I think next year I would like to open my presents on Christmas eve again.