Christmas Benefit Concert in Wetzlar

On Sunday we headed to Wetzlar, about 45 minutes outside of Frankfurt, with our friends, the Dearings to join with other choirs from Germany in a benefit concert. Lonnie practiced with the Regional Choir for two months every Thursday evening. It was a great experience to sing in the choir as the Americans had to learn two German songs, and the Germans had to learn two American songs. Both men and women enjoyed helping one another with pronunciation and the meaning of words and teasing each other about our mistakes. The concert lasted two hours with many choirs participating. Here is a picture of the cute town, the stadhalle, and the choir (Lonnie is second from the right).

More Christmas Fun!

It's Saturday night, and we just can't stay home. Here we are back at the Frankfurt Christmas Markt enjoying a Nutella crepe.

ESPECIALLY FOR KIDS

This is how they decorated a store's windows. The animals moved around, and it was magical!

The Best Christmas Present Ever!

December 10, 2011

Today our beautiful Elizabeth arrived on Earth, our fifteenth grandchild. Sarah and Josh are the proud parents, and Jacob and Andrew are the happy big brothers. We have been walking around on Cloud Nine showing off her picture to everyone here. Babies are God's precious gifts from Heaven!

Isn't she a beauty? Love her already! She's going to make three of our granddaughters very happy to have another girl in the family.

The Christmas Markts

Are you ready for the most festive Christmas celebrations in the world? They are here in Germany with the Christmas Markts--music, great food, cottages of colorful Christmas decorations, wood carvings of nativity scenes, and gifts for everyone on your shopping list.

The Frankfurt Christmas Markt

One evening several of our Senior Missionary couples hopped on the Ubahn and went downtown to the largest Christmas Markt in the area--the Frankfurt Christmas Markt. People turn out in great numbers to attend these seasonal celebrations. It was easy to feel the joy and enthusiasm that the German people have for this holiday. The Markts begin around the first of December and continue through December 23rd. It's quite the event!

We were greeted by a brass band playing carols from the top of a tall building. A giant tree ablaze with Christmas lights lit up the evening sky.

We headed for the double decker Merry-Go-Round and took a ride. We were able to see the whole Markt as we went around. Such fun!

Check out this wonderful video of the Frankfurt Christmas Markt:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN4GgCUD8zY

Nuremberg Christmas Markt

We got a van and three couples, the Dearings, the Leonards, and the Bradleys headed to Germany's most famous Christmas Market on Nuremberg's Main Market Square. The Wells joined us there. We stayed overnight to see the magic of the lit markt in the evening and the city by daylight. The traditional red-and-white cloths have given the Christmas Markt its name of "Little Town from Wood and Cloth." Nuremberg Christmas stalls offer spicy gingerbread, fruit loaves, marzipan sweets, Christmas tree ornaments, candles, toys, and arts and crafts such as the "Nuremberg Plum People," little figures made from prunes. Rolls with Nuremberg roast sausages and gingerbread cookies warm the tummies. By Christmas Eve, more than two million visitors from all over the world will have passed through this Christmas Markt. 

Musicians played and a tall, tall spectre stood on the street corner. An exquisite towering ornament graced the Markt. Many wood carvers display and sell their art at the Markts.

We enjoyed a delicious dinner with the Dearings in a very crowded restaurant and then went back to the hotel. The next morning, we had a delicious buffet breakfast. Then I went shopping, and Bob went on the tour of the city. 

ESPECIALLY FOR KIDS

One stall had these toy displays: