Christmas (Weihnachtsmarkt)

Easter is just around the corner, but there is not much of a difference between Easter in Germany and the rest of Europe, then is here in the United States.

However, Christmas in Germany is much different. Saint Nikolaus, or as we call him Santa, comes on the 6th of December. I found this out when on December the 6th of last year, I open my door to get ready for school and a ton of presents fall at my feet as I open the door.

I was thinking, what in the world is all this for. I soon found out that Saint Nikolaus brought me presents, which I had to be careful to say he did and not my host parents because I didn't want to spoil Christmas for my host-families grandson.

Christmas is celebrated on the 24th of Christmas and if they exchange presents like we do, it is one or two gifts. This is to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas and to remove the idea of gifts on that day. Not to say the kids don't get gifts, they just get them more on the 6th.

Some families wait till the 24th to open the gifts Saint Nikolaus brought, however my host family lets their kids open the gifts right away and they get something small for the 24th.

Another tradition in Germany is the Christmas market or Weihnactsmarkt. In Berlin there are 60 of these and I went to about 10 of the biggest ones. Germans really do know how to celebrate Christmas, contrary to popular belief because of the way the culture is perceived.

Me and my sister at a Weihnactsmarkt in East Berlin.

My favorite Weihnactsmarkt in Berlin, Gendarmenmarkt.

My family and a friend from school at another Weihnactsmarkt- Schloß Charlottenburg.

Pride

We Americans are very patriotic and proud of how are country was founded on the principles of democracy.

Germans as well are proud to be german, but they also know of their past. The days of the Nazi's and the communist day will haunt the germans forever and they are aware of that. 

My host-family said when I asked them about this issue, that Germany today is not the Germany of the Nazi's or when they were divided. There is nothing germans can do, but live with the fact that these happened. 

In all of Germany, especially in Berlin there are reminders of the horrible events everywhere you go. It is important for the germans mourn what happened and to remind themselves of the past, so they never let it happen again.

Germans are more proud of their heritage and how they overcame these horrible government's, to having a democratic government like the United States.

Picture of the Television Tower in Berlin. The Television Tower is a reminder of the communist regime that once ruled East Germany.

Schools

The school system in Germany is much different then in the United States. We go to grade school almost during the weekday almost five days a week. In Germany they go to school five days a week, but only stay past noon one or two days per week.

They go there to learn and not to socialize, so they don't have gym and other social activities like we have here in grade school. They get quite a lot of homework and are expected to learn outside of the classroom.

Picture of a Schultüte filled with candy.

The only day of school where it is a social event is the first day. The kids carry this big paper cone, in german it is called a Schultüte, filled with candy and at school they share it with all their friends. This is a tradition on the first day of school in Germany.