Back with Some Commentary

{Photo from here}

Didn't want to leave you hanging with some Christmas beauty and no explanations. That would be just totally terri. Christmas really is a great time in any city, but there's something about Graz being such a small, old and historical European city that makes it feel so cozy and charming here. Everyone gathers in the downtown area around the Christkindl markets in the evenings and sips on their Gluhwein to warm up their frosty bodies and it's just so dang cute.

As you have seen, they put lights everywhere and no store is left undecorated. A big emphasis is placed on Advent, although I'm pretty sure much of this is now culture and tradition rather than real Catholic practice. The way they celebrate Christmas is a little bit different as I don't think Dec. 25th is the big day for celebration. They have the Christkind (Christchild) that brings them gifts instead of Santa, but they do use St. Nikolas too. I don't really know..I'm confused.

Lets put my pics back up and talk about those...those I know. And I like to talk about things I know...that's why I don't like trying to speak German to a room full of German speaking women. They laughed a little today at my Frauenservice info day. Maybe I'll tell you about that later. Going to things like this and discussing job possibilities is always quite humbling. That's why I focus on Christmas lights and pretty things that don't speak German! (Although the lady told me my Deutsch was pretty good...I smooched her. not really.)

First off...I feel like a big idiot because I didn't even realize that most of the nativity ice sculpture had melted when I was admiring it (and trying to figure out what was going on with the seemingly abstract random chunks) and snapping photos of it the other night. One guy made a comment to me in German while I was taking the photos and then laughed and in hindsight I'm sure now that he was probably saying..."Why are you taking pics of melted ice blocks, bimbo?"

Here's my photo I thought was lovely:

And here's what it's supposed to look like and probably did a week or two ago:

Makes more sense, huh? {picture from here}

These are the Christkindl market stalls they set up in front of the Rathaus (City Hall) every year in every

German and Austrian town.

And they sell all sorts of handmade goods

The most popular being Gluhwein, heated red wine with lots of spices like cinnamon and vanilla.

And there's a big projector that shines different light scenes on the Rathaus during the night. They say it's

an Advent Calendar, but I don't know what they're talkin 'bout really. If it was, Art would eat it all in one

night.

and this is some people looking in a store window:

And this is why it's hard to lose weight even though you may walk more:

This makes me feel better about my bad German:

And these are the freaky a$$ creatures that roam the streets in the annual Austrian Perchtenlauf parade

"weeding out the bad children" for St. Nikolas. Yikes, I'm glad our tradition is just coal. Why parents are

surprised when their two year old isn't loving Mr. Red Eye is beyond me.

And here's the huge crowd these scary monsters drew on Dec. 6th:

And here's a tall Swede holding Elsie who has some freaky eyeballs herself:

{we know him..no worries}

And, finally, here we are walking home on the red carpet rolled out for us.

Maybe Art and Elsie will be in US Weekly.

And, that's all. Goodnight. Sweet Perchten Monster dreams.