Decorating the Christmas Tree

Like I mentioned in the last post, the Chirstmas trees over here are a little bit different shape and the way they decorate them is a little bit different too. I think each person has there own way of decorating but I think I can make a generalizations. Usually a tree over here will have one color theme. So for example if the color you choose is red there most of the things you put on the tree will be red.
To decorate the trees over here they use balls, lights, and sometimes garland and tinsel (like we do), but here is where the similarities end. In addition or in place of lights every tree over here will have real candles that will be lit.
To keep with the fire theme many of the trees will be donned with sparklers that are lit at the same time as the candles - pyro anyone? (But I asked and the few different people I have talked to have said that there is really no worry of the tree going up and you dont hear any stories of that happening over here so I guess it is not that big of a risk - and they ususally only have the candles lit for a little while).
Aside from the live flame aspects of decorating the tree many of the other decorations are also different. In addition to balls many trees over here will have straw ornaments, as that is a traditional way to decorate the tree. And when you decorate the tree why would just put inedible ornaments on it? Pretty much every chocolate maker has chocolates shaped as bells, balls, or some other christmas shape that will either hang on the brach of the tree by itself or they attach a string to it so it can be hung.
Two of the more popular chocolates to hang on the tree are: a chocolate banana (or banana flavored chocolate pieces - I see alot of those in the stores) and chocolates shaped as umbrellas (I think becasue they are easy to hang on the tree with their little plastic handles)
You would think with all the edible stuff on the tree that candy canes might be a popular addition, but you would be wrong. I only saw candy canes in one place this year and it wasnt even a grocery store, or near other candy/chocolates. I havent seen any kids with cany canes nor have I seen anybody giving them as or with a present. Maybe the sharp point they get when you suck on them makes them too dangerous, but whatever the reason you wont find many candy canes in Austria.
The lighting of the tree -
Like us and Santa Claus, the kids get gifts from somebody special - the Christkind (Christchild). But the Christkind doesnt come down the Chimney during the night of the 25th. She comes on the evening of the 24th. Usually the kids are in another room playing or watching a movie - something to keep them busy - and a parent goes into the room where the Christkind will come. A special room
where the tree is and decorates it (as the kids cannot see this), puts chocolates on it, candles, ornaments, sparklers and of course puts the presents under the tree. Then they tell the kids to come wait outside the door to the room and the parent lights the candles and sparklers, opens the door and says the Christkind has come. This is the first time the children get to see the tree in all it glory as the Chrsitkind has decorated it and the presents that the Cristkind has brought. (Usually this is the time people open gifts to each other as well)
Even though the traditions are a little bit different I think we do many of the same things even if each culture has their own special twist. I do have to say being over is pretty cool though, as we get the chance to experience Christmas done in a little different way.

What will Santa be eating?

If you are curious as to what Santa gets all around the world - whether it is cookies or something else take a look at this article: http://bites.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/23/9657411-what-kids-around-the-world-feed-santa
Merry Christmas!

Christmas across the pond - Or at least in Austria

I thought I would write and let you know what it is like to have Christmas over here in Austria. Many things are similar but there are some things that are different.
Around Christmas time we really like to listen to Christmas music, it seems like it has the magical quality to get you into the "Christmas Spirit." Over here when you hear Christmas songs on the radio they are songs that we are used to from back home, and as far as I have heard they are all in English. But, if you search through the radio stations, both AM and FM, you wont find a station that plays just Christmas music. Trust me I have tried (3 times) - and to make sure I asked someone from here and they said no station would do that.
For Christmas trees - Christmas trees are popular as well, but the trees don't quite look like ours do; as the "Charlie Brown" looking tree is the tree of choice over here (well, maybe not so much the choice but the only one you can buy, unless you go the artificial route, which we have done the past three years). The decorating is also done a little bit differently. Instead of decorating your tree 3-4 weeks ahead of time when you put it up, many people decorate the tree on the 24th, when the Christkind (Christ Child) comes (the person who brings the gifts). So it is not just a surprise for the gifts you will receive but also what the tree will look like.
Another plant that is popular over here during Christmas time is the Pointsettia (or Weihnachtssterna - Christmas Star). This time of year you can find them in every store, and in some of the bigger stores in many different colors.

Snow?

Rain, rain go away
Come back as snow some other day.

Well, the countdown to Christmas is less than a week away and with the magical day drawing closer and closer we are still left without a white backdrop to celebrate with. Here the last weeks it has been quite warm - we got up into the mid 40's a couple days and it has consistently stayed above freezing. There has been a day or to where we have gotten some flurries but for the most part we have gotten a lot of rain. I feel like last year we had pretty much the same weather pattern, with lots and lots of moisture in December, the only difference between then and now is that the temperature was cold enough last year where everything that came down was snow. Granted it didn't stay for that long on the ground but there were many days where everything was white.
On Saturday we went to the city where Katy played basketball last year, about 25 minutes away, to watch a game. After the game was over and we went outside it was really snowing, and the big flakes too. The ones where if you stick your tongue out to catch one it feels like it takes up your whole mouth. (Myla even tried to catch one but her mouth wasn't big enough and instead of getting to taste her first snowflake it pretty much gave her a face-wash). But, even though the town isn't that far away, when we got back to Wels any hint of a snowflake was gone and everything coming down had completley turned back into rain. Not sure if it is maybe just warmer in the area where we are but as we drove to our basketball game yesterday you could see snow on many of the hillsides and fields, so not all of Austria is snow-free.
With a little luck and our fingers crossed we are hoping we will get a white Christmas this year (and maybe be able to show Myla how to build a snowman - as it is a little hard to make one out of water).

Letter to S.M.

Dear Sock Monster,
I am writing to to inform you that we are not happy with you. It is one thing to steal/eat the socks of two grown-ups (my wife and I), but to take the socks of a newborn is down right dirty; and it has not just happened once but rather 4 times already. We are not sure what you need these little feet warmers for but if you hang around the washing machine/dryer long enough (which is where we assume you do your dirty work) you should be able to find some loose change and head to one of the local stores and buy your own (granted there are no Walmarts over here but you should have plenty of choices to choose from). Maybe you steal them to wear yourself or eat them for meals, but we ask that you please leave our little girl alone.
Thanks for your understanding,
Unhappy sock wearer

Living in Austria - New Tires

A few weeks ago we had to take our car into the dealership (our car by the way is a Chevy Aveo this year) and have the tires switched. Here they have different tires for the winter and the summer. You cannot have summer tires on past a certain date (I think it is sometime in November) and if you get into an accident, whether or not it was caused by the tires you have or not, you will get a ticket. I am not quite sure why the switch is needed; if the winter tires are that much better in the snow and freezing conditions, or if it is maybe just something for the tire companies do/say to make more money. I know there are tires back home that are all season radials (and I guess all tires for that matter as we don't have to switch tires) and wonder how they would compare to the winter and summer tires here - if switching them out really does help or if it is more of a marketing genius on the part of someone over here (I know they did this in Germany too).

Regardless of the reason though - at least we can avoid the ticket for the wrong tires - which is always a plus!

Photos and Videos

Just a quick message to let you know that we have put up a lot more photos, and now some videos, on our Shutterfly share site - if you're so inclined. As we get caught up with getting our pictures off the camera and onto the computer I will be putting more on in the next coming days and weeks. Hope you enjoy

Living in Austria - Christmas Chocolates

Here in Austria they have been getting ready for Christmas for the past 3 or 4 weeks (or so). Every store that you go into has all their chocolates out and all of their advent calendars on sale. Here Advent calendars are really popular and you'd be hard pressed to find a store that didn't have any, let alone a good variety of the chocolate calendars. (Just to clarify - an advent calendar is a calendar that has 24/25 little chocolates hidden behind little doors. You get to open one door a day, one for each day of the month, until you get the big chocolate on Christmas Eve/Christmas). Over here they even have advent calendars where the door you open doesn't give you a chocolate, but rather a beer. You can get the calendar for one type of beer - Stiegl (Austria's big beer) or a variety of beers.
I don't know, but I would guess that a majority of people have an advent calendar at their place to feast on during the month of December.

Here in Austria though they are not just biased to humans, they take it one step further and make sure pets are taken care of too. The other day when we were in the store I saw these two advent calendars and couldn't help but chuckle. One especially for cats and one especially for dogs. Hey, dogs and cats should enjoy Christmas and the days leading up to it too, right?