Wrapping up Christmas

I know, it's a terrible pun, but I just couldn't help myself :D I've started getting complaints again about the lack of posting. Again- I'm sorry, I have left you all out of the know.

Quickly then- a wrap up of Christmas:

Christmas Eve, the Family and I sat down for a normal Abendbrot with the normal assortment of open faced sandwiches. In acknowledgement of the season they set a nice table. We opened presents after supper that evening. It was very interesting how they did it. They didn't put names on the outside of the packaging, but rather they wrapped the gifts and one at a time they went to the tree selected a gift, opened it, and guessed who it was from and who it was for. It was fun. I got a pair of simple and classy earing from my host parents. I really like them. A couple of noteworthy gifts - the female condom Joey brought back from her trip to Ghana and gave to her mom. Also the dress Joey brought back for her sister- it was a bit low cut and their dad's eyes just about popped right out of his head in disbelief and not-my-daughter-y. It was awesome.

The Tree and Leo picking a present

Quentin, Lena, Joey and Me and Lena

Leo, Toby, and Alfred

After the present opening, we all sat around in the living room and drank some beer. Also awesome. A bit later we went to the street party at the next door neighbour's and drank some mulled wine. We also had a small bonfire in the middle of the street. It was rather strange but all the neighbours came and huddled around the fire, bundled in their winter jackets. (I got some strange looks when i came outside jacketless, but it was a balmy 5 degrees outside and with the fire I didn't really need one. However, I keep forgetting that they tend to stare when I forget to bundle "appropriately" for the "freezing cold" *sigh*)

The bonfire


Joey, Lena, and Lutz and Karin (our neighbours) bundled up for the fire

At about 12.30 Joey and I decided to go the bar (of all random places to go on Christmas Eve). I was really surprised that it was open at all, let alone so late, but Joey assured me that it was open to cater to the needs of the home for the holidays college crowd that had had enough of their families for the evening. Sure enough it was packed. It was also a fair bit away. The trains stop running early in the Ahr valley, so we biked. Basically we got kinda cut at the street gathering, hopped on our bikes and rode the 10 km to the bar, where we sat, drank more, chatted and rode home. I don't suggest cycling while cut. It is potentially dangerous :s

Me and Joey and Joey, Marie and her sister

However, while at the bar, Joey and I met up with a few people we knew. I also saw a guy wearing a sweet vest, and Joey's friend Marie offered to take my picture with him. But, just as we were getting up to go get my picture with the random dude, he put his coat on :( We got the picture anyway, but you can't see the awesome vest. Man- the guy must have thought we were out of our minds nuts!

Random dude. You can tell by the tie that the vest was seriously awesome

We got home at about 4 am and there were still a few diehards at the bonfire. The next evening we had some roast deer and other assorted tasty food type things. It was pretty good :)