Wahoo!!! Christmas is here!! I can’t believe how fast this year has gone. Some parts of it seemed to drag on forever, while other weeks seemed to just go in the blink of an eye. I am halfway through my third/fourth year of vet school. I will graduate soon and I just don’t understand how this happened so fast. (But lets be honest, I’m so excited for the day when I am done completely)

What did Christmas bring this year?

Well, check out the adventures tab for my trip to Germany as well as a Switzerland this Christmas. It was so amazing to be back in Germany (which holds a piece of my heart after living here for 2 years). Speaking German again always brings a smile to my face, even though I realise that my German isn’t as good now that I don’t use it as often. I tried to make up for it this Christmas however. The funniest part was when I said “Danke, aber es is alright.” True Danglish coming out. Basically my brain switched into English halfway through…. So embarrassing. The person I was speaking with and me both just laughed and moved on.

I really didn’t want gifts this Christmas. I am hitting a point in my life where I would rather someone give me money so I can go buy the thing I want and make sure it is something I will use. I am trying to cut back on stuff and focus more on experiences as well, which is another reason I put a “No presents” rule on this Christmas. Of course not everyone followed this, but I managed to keep it to chocolate and a few other little items. I have forgiven these people (you know who you are) as they couldn’t stand me not having something under the tree. I am grateful for the caring people around me who want to make sure I am included. Without them I wouldn’t have had as great of a Christmas.

Christmas Markets

Again go check out the adventures tab for more info on the Christmas adventure to Germany and Scotland, but let me just tell you how much I love Christmas markets. Here are a few tips for getting the most out of your experience.

1. Drink “Kinderpunsch” (I don’t drink alcohol, but if you do there are loads of other options as well). I have been looking forward to this for the last month. I even managed to find some good recipes that I can take home to use the rest of the year when my craving comes up. Each market will have its own cup(s) that they use. You pay for these and if you want to can return them and get some money back, or you can keep them as a souvenir. I love doing this as a reminder of what ones I have been to. If you ever come visit and see all my mugs, I’ll proudly tell you all about where I got them.

2. Crepes are my favourite thing to get at the Christmas markets. They have so many options, but my sweet tooth usually steers me toward kinder chocolate inside. There are options like fresh fruit, cinnamon, and so much more. I love these or the chimney stacks, but not every Christmas market has this option.

3. Food at markets is the bomb. There are lots of options that you can check out in the photos. I suggest curry wurst or wurst in general. This is one of my favourites, but I love all German food so I usually try different things at different markets.

4. Depending on your personality you will enjoy the market at different times. I enjoy going in the afternoon right before it gets dark. The reason for this is there is less people and I can move around and see things more freely without feeling claustrophobic. Then I stay until it gets dark so I can see things light up, then I head home. This helps me to avoid the crowds. If you don’t mind the crowds as much, night time is definitely more of a party. More people and lots of lights. Highly recommend.

5. Ride at least one ride- I feel a little hypocritical saying this as I don’t always follow this. Tight budgets don’t always allow me to feel ok about this, but when I do I love it. The Ferris wheel ride this year was the highlight.

6. And of course don’t forget to take pictures!! Even if they are with your phone camera like mine. (My phone isn’t very good with pictures so I apologise for the quality)

New Years Goals

I’m going to do a whole separate blog post on my goals for next year and explain the why behind the goals. So stay tuned for that in the coming week.

I really hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and took a moment to remember why we celebrate in the first place. Christ was born and came to give us the greatest gift of all. If you aren’t religious, try to remember others this season and do something to pay it forward to someone else. I love Christmas and the feeling it brings with it. I wish the spirit of caring and love could stick with us all throughout the entire year. Something to think about as you are making goals for next year. Merry Christmas and good luck with goal planning for the New Year!!