Glückliches Neues Jahr!

Alan and Scout at dinner.

So many of our traditional Christmas observances come from Germany, or northern Europe in general -- the Christmas tree, mistletoe, St. Nicholas (Santa Claus) (not the original saint, but the Christmas trappings), wassail bowl ("glühwein"), and many of the Christmas carols.

Several of our family members were able to experience a German Christmas this year -- German, but tempered with familiar American customs. I arrived home from Stuttgart last night, where we'd been the guests of Suzanne and Alan for ten days.
Alan serves with the USMC, often away on worldwide missions, but based in Germany.

Their hospitality was overwhelming!

My own favorite memories:

• Our picturesque hotel for three nights in the little Black Forest village of Obereichenbach.
• "Shopping" for cuckoo clocks in Triberg, and hiking up to the frozen waterfall.
• Walking with Scout and family on hikes through the frozen fields and woods near Suzanne and Alan's house.
• Go-Kart racing! After half an hour, my eyes were glazed and my fingers had to be pried loose from the steering wheel.
• Visiting the military hospital at the U.S. base at Landstuhl.
• Our whirlwind overnight visit to Strasbourg in near-by France.
• One wonderful meal after another, from a three-star restaurant in the heart of the Black Forest, to a meter-long bratwurst bought from a little booth at the Christmas fair in Stuttgart. Having Scout be permitted to join us at restuarant meals.
• Barton's retirement dinner, where the chief waiter presented him with the world's most appropriate retirement present. The waiter's witty speech almost outshone the gift itself.
• Our last-day visit to the Mercedes-Benz museum, in the auto maker's home town. The museum displayed a fascinating history of the development of automotive science and design, told in the context of the social and political history of the 20th century, especially in Germany.

A great visit. Thanks so much to Alan and Suzanne. Thanks also to all the other members of the family, whose presence made this a most memorable Christmas.

----------------------------

NOTE FROM AUTHOR: November and December have been odd months, with family trips and family holidays diverting my attention. The few posts published in those months have tended to be of interest only to family members themselves. With the beginning of 2008, the Northwest Corner will return to its regular programming -- topics that I hope will be of interest to all readers.