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.