A Taste of Christmas and New Years in Dresden
- Kyra Menzel
- Jan 12, 2018
- 3 min read
After celebrating the wonderful holiday season with our family, it is time to get back into the swing of things. I have been reflecting a lot on this Christmas. It was my first one as a Menzel, my first one in two years not in France as a missionary, and my first one in Germany. I would be lying if I said I didn't have moments of homesickness. Who wouldn't? We all have traditions we grow up with and celebrating in a completely different way can be...an adjustment. However, it is so exciting that Oli and I get to combine two cultures that are surprisingly more different than we thought.
We spent two weeks in the "jewel box" of Germany, Dresden. Ok. Real talk. They have the BEST Christmas Markets eveeeerrrr. You can smell them before you see them and can walk through the whole town and see every single one. Magical doesn't even begin to describe what we experienced. Tiny figurines danced on the roofs of huts lining the sqaures and streets, trains circled around them and Christmas carols filled the air. We ate a half meter brautwurst lathered in mustard and langos (pronounced langosh), a hungarian street food delicacy that will add five pounds to your hips instantly. Everything was just perfect.
Dresden has the most incredible history. Most Americans know this city from World War II when it was bombed and destroyed. An incredibly unfortunate and tragedy. However, the city bares her scars proudly. Every single surviving building has blackened parts that contrast with the new architecture. To this day, they are still renovating from the damage that was caused. The most famous building reconstruction was the Church of Our Lady in the center of Dresden. It was completely destroyed. Oliver's mom told me that as a girl, her only memory of that church was a pile of rubble. They did not rebuild until much later on, but when they did, they mixed new bricks with the old as a way to remember.
If you are ever passing through Germany (haha I guess it would be a very planned "passing through"), Dresden is a must see. I would say it is my favorite city in Germany but I have only been to Berlin and Dresden. Not a super fair opinion haha.
Ok. Switching gears. You know for the fourth of July how everyone goes and gets firecrackers and you can hear them all over? Well multiply that by about 5 (if you can believe it) and that is New Years Eve in Germany. Those of you from Colorado are aware of the struggle of buying your own fireworks because you can't really get the fun ones. Ya....that is not an issue over here. We spent the whole day with youth from our church and the boys were pulling out these huge fireworks!!! Apparently there isn't an age restriction?? It was the coolest thing ever. I am not kidding when I say EVERYONE was lighting these things. And Oli says it's like that all over Germany. I am ok with picking up on that tradition!
I hope everyone has had a wonderful start to 2018! Make it a good one ;) We have some trips around Europe planned and we are both in school so it should be a busy one!
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