I think you did an amazing job this year! Moving to another country during a pandemic, getting your kids into new schools, learning a new language and being apart from your families - this is quite a lot! But with your calm and loving way you did a perfect job, because alle your kids look so happy. Thank you for sharing all of this with us! 🥰 I wish you a wonderful christmas and a good time in the US.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so very much! It has been a stressful year. Exciting, incredible, but also stressful. Lots of new changes all at once!

@susannabonke8552

2 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife You managed it! Now relax a Bit!

@ThePixel1983

2 жыл бұрын

*subscribes*

@missis_jo1017

2 жыл бұрын

Beautifully said! I can only second that.

@formerlyinpragur4736

2 жыл бұрын

This will be a year to remember for the family! (Did the children watched Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel?)

Being direct and honest is a trade for which Germans are known. Ella is just adapting to her environment and I like that

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah she really is direct and honest! 😆

Here in the western part of Germany we always combined Santa Claus and the Christkind. So as a child we believed that Santa Claus and the Christkind together brought the presents, while the Christkind acted more like the little assistant of Santa Claus. I guess it’s because we are kind of stuck between the South and the North so that we just adopted both.💁🏻‍♀️

@jpdj2715

2 жыл бұрын

What, and with your Italian name you never threw, had thrown, Befana into the mix?

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Sounds like a good plan to me! Plus it’s more fun and more celebrating!

@xliax4930

2 жыл бұрын

I live in western germany and only know the christkind

@BlissLovePeace

2 жыл бұрын

@@xliax4930 me too ...

@katharinawimmer7405

2 жыл бұрын

@@xliax4930 It probably depends on where in the west you live. The more North you go it’s probably more likely that you also throw Santa Claus into the mix. In my family the Christkind brought the presents, too. But we also live in the South West.

I love the calendars your landlords send you. That’s so thoughtful. We had a calendar book as well. We loved it when we were kids. We couldn’t wait for the next day.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

They are such nice landlords! We really got lucky to find them!

Coming from a protestant family (we never went to church), I was send out the room, then the Christkind arrived, put the presents under our christmas tree, and when it left, my grandpa rang a little bell, allowing me to come back in. Often, they would close the window in that moment, where Christkind has just flown out of. Happy innocent days! We put up our christmas tree and decorated it always early, mid december I think. We always have some kind of roast on christmas eve. Würstchen and Kartoffelsalat is a staple in many families, because the mother can prepare it the day before, because with church etc., there is little time left. But we always felt, that this day needs something special to eat. A lot of people also eat Carp.

@marieme5454

2 жыл бұрын

Yay! Same Christkind experience here! I am also from a protestant family based in northern Germany. I still remember that my grandpa was standing at the open window and waving! I rushed to him because I wanted to see the Christkind but my grandpa said: "Oh, the Christkind just disappeared in the clouds!" 😂

@HuSanNiang

2 жыл бұрын

I was raised in a catholic family in Wien / Vienna and we did the same but not grandparents around at the all died before I was born. But I also remember the bell and the large tree with real candles. Our tree was always decorated on the 24th. Only when we got older it was purchased a week before and decorated mostly be me . That means I could watch christmas movies and cartoons and decorate next to it. Traditionally we would eat carp -- dont like the taste and I changed it to either trout or salmon.

My family came from Poland to Germany so we celebrate Christmas Eve in a more religious way. We always recite a prayer before the meal and then also go around and tell each other what we wish for them for the new year. There is also an extra Seat prepared at the table in case we get an unexpected visitor. For food we always have soup with bread inside and carp and potatoes afterwards. It always tastes delicious because we only eat this ones a year. Everyone has at least one Euro next to their plate which will help us save or earn money during the next year. After everyone has finished eating we Share the christmas presents which have been lying under the Christmas tree already. When I was still a child, my father took me and my older sister upstairs look out the window and search for the first star up in the sky. The star was supposed to represent the arrival of the Christkind. I didn’t realize he did it so that my mother could get the Christmas presents until I saw her one year.. Anyway sorry for the long comment. 😅

@PalmyraSchwarz

2 жыл бұрын

This time I took part in such a ceremony with a family friend where the woman comes from Poland. Twelve dishes were served and since it is still Lent, the dishes were very fishy.

I live in the south of Germany (in Ulm, so right on the border between Bayern and Baden-Württemberg) and here the Weihnachtsmann and the Christkind always brought the presents together. When I was little I'd always imagine the Christkind as an angel flying next to Santa's sleigh.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Oh I love it! Flying next to Santa’s sleigh!

I wish you all a nice and pleasant Weihnachtszeit, lots of fun in the USA and all the best for 2022! It is a honor for us Germans how you like it here and celebrating and trying out so much. Ich Grüße Euch aus dem Westerwald

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Vielen dank, Peter! We wish you all the best on your holidays as well.

Ella makes me smile so hard it hurts, she *will* let you know if she isn't happy with something. She's direct and honest in the way that only happy loved children can be, it shows what a good job you're doing with her that she's not afraid to complain or say when she's not a fan of something because she has no fear of getting in trouble for it. (It's always so sad to see parents get mad at their children for not properly peforming the picture perfect idea of a happy family and daring to be people with opinions, I'm so glad your kids are safe from that.)

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

I love this, thank you! It’s true, we do let our kids safely say no and be honest with us without getting in trouble.

Dear McFall family. Thank you for your wonderful and inspiring videos since you arrived in Germany. You brought back many of my childhood memories. I wish you all a safe journey and a great "Wiedersehen" with your loved one in the USA. Enjoy your Christmas and the holidays to the fullest and stay safe. I look forward to hearing from you again when you return (and I am sure your cat will be thrilled to see you too 🙂). Cheers from your Austrian/German and now Canadian fan in Calgary.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! Happy New Year to you!

I love the little intro of you guys and Griffin waving through the door. It's so cute😂

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Haha Griffin loves being on camera 😍.

As for the menu, I'm used to having Wiener sausages with potato salad on Christmas Eve and a big roast dinner on Christmas Day. We usually had roast duck, because my parents raised ducks themselves, but I think the traditional Christmas roast in Germany is roast goose. It's very filling, though, so if you ever try that, be prepared to lapse into a food coma afterwards! I think it's been common to have a light dinner on Christmas Eve because you usually have a lot of preparations to do still, so you don't have time to cook up a big dinner on the 24th. But then, as you have prepared a lot already, you can enjoy a festive dinner on the 25th without having to stand in the kitchen all day. Plus, the light dinner on Christmas Eve is yet another way of practicing German "Vorfreude" - you don't eat your festive dinner on the first occasion and on the same day you get your presents, but rather on the second day, so every day brings another special treat. Merry Christmas to you, and enjoy your vacation!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Love this! Thank you for sharing!

When I was a child, my family used to get together with other families and organize someone to play "Nikolaus" and someone to play "Knecht Ruprecht" on Dec. 6. The children always got some sweets and usually it was the fathers who got a rod from "Knecht Ruprecht". On Christmas Eve, the Christ Child comes to us. We eat raclette from time to time or, more often, dumplings, "Sauerbraten" and red cabbage. Afterwards, when I was a child, we went into the living room and my grandma disappeared into the room with the presents. We sang songs and after a few songs my grandma rang the bell. So she played the Christ Child but I did not realize when I was young. Today, my mother rings the bell and of course everything happens less secretly.

I think it's great that you're learning about all this! You'll learn more and more traditions each year and then maybe decide which ones you'll stick with and how you're gonna mix the American and German traditions, that's actually quite cool! Before Christmas we usually say "schöne Weihnachten" instead of "frohe Weihnachten", it's like saying "have a nice christmas" instead of "merry christmas" :)

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Ahhhh! Okay! Thank you, I was trying to understand what to say before Christmas so you cleared that up for us. Schöne Weihnachten! 🎄❤️

@grandmak.

2 жыл бұрын

Ach, das wusste ich nicht.

@hape3862

2 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife We don't congratulate before birthdays, but for all the holidays there is no such rule. You can say "Frohe Weihnachten" in advance, if you (probably) won't see that person again until after Christmas. Same with New Year and Easter.

@swanpride

2 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife This is not as bad as congrating someone for the birthday early, but the most "common" Phrase is to say "Schöne Feiertage und Guten Rutsch" (if you don't expect to see someone again until after New Year). It's more companies who tend to say "Douglas wünscht frohe Weihnachten" or similiar. And then on the 24th you would most likely say "Fröhliche Weihnachten". But none of this is set in stone. We aren't that hung up about it.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

@@hape3862 ahhh okay, good to know! Thank you for clearing that up.

So interesting, I love learning the new traditions-new to me anyway-enjoy your vacation. See you in 2022!

You remind me of the Life of Japan family that move to Japan 7 years ago. They had to learn language and custom. There children are fluent in English and Japanese. Pretty soon your children will be able to speak two languages well. I enjoy listening to these German tradition. I know there is a you tube family move to Germany to American recently with there children.

Danke für das schöne Video! Ihr habt euch so viel Mühe gegeben alles so wunderschön zu dekorieren.

It's so exciting to watch you all discovering new Christmas traditions! For me, Advent and Christmas have always been a very important time of the year. As a kid, I always had a role in my village church's nativity play, and during my teenage years, I was part of a Kurrende choir (look it up if you don't know the term - it's a very ancient German tradition) and we practiced several months for our many engagements during Christmas time. We didn't only perform during the Christmas services on Christmas Eve and and on Christmas day, but we also had a part in a big Christmas concert and went to sing Christmas carols at a home for elderly people and at the psychiatric hospital on the morning of the 24th. That was the part I loved most - singing for people who couldn't spend Christmas at home with their families. Lots of them had tears in their eyes and sung along with us. Because of my church engagements, Christmas Eve often was a bit stressful at our home because I had to be driven to and fro while everyone was still busy with Christmas preparations, but I really loved taking part in all these activities. After church service on Christmas Eve, we went home to eat Wiener sausages and potato salad, and after that, we were allowed to enter the "state parlor" (we really had one, it was a room that was only used for guests and on festive occasions like Christmas and Easter), where the Christmas tree was lit for the first time of the year. My father would read the Christmas story from the Bible, we would sing a few Christmas songs and then we were allowed to open our presents while munching on chocolate from our "Bunter Teller" and all the Christmas cookies my mom had made. In my family, we never had any Santa Claus or Christchild stories, because for us, the birth story of Jesus was the important thing about Christmas, but for all the other kids I knew it was the Weihnachtsmann (Santa Claus) who brought the presents. In most families, a family member, for example a grandpa or an uncle, dresses as Santa Claus without letting the children know, and when the Weihnachtsmann enters, the kids have to sing a little song or say a little poem in order to get their presents. The smaller kids are usually very afraid, but the older they get, the more fun it is for them. Often, parents tell the older siblings that they shouldn't tell the younger ones who's the one behind the costume and that they shouldn't tell them that the Weihnachtsmann isn't for real. But one day, every kid finds out, and it somehow marks the end of their childhood for most of them. I'm not really a fan of that (because as parents, you basically teach your kids that they can't rely on your word and that you are willing to put them through fearful moments just for fun), but I understand that people carry on the tradition because it holds dear memories from their childhood. Still, if you absolutely must, I like the Christchild version better because you don't frighten children with an imaginary person. Here in Switzerland where I live now, the Christchild brings the presents, but that only means that they are lying under the Christmas tree when the kids enter the sitting room - you won't really see any Christchild figure.

@stephiebosqui3473

2 жыл бұрын

Ja, ähnlich ging es bei mir früher auch zu. Unseren Kindern habe ich die Weihnachtsmangeschichte auch nicht erzählt, da ich sie nicht bewußt anlügen wollte. In diesem Jahr habe ich sie an Weihnachten( sie sind inzwischen 27 - 37 Jahre alt) gefragt, ob sie dass richtig fanden, oder ob sie meinen, sie hätten was verpasst. Alle sagten sie fanden es gut so wie es war. Die Geburt des Jesuskindes war bei uns immer das Wichtigste an Weihnachten.

Thx a lot that you let us take part in you experience here, it is quite eye-opening. Wish you a Merry Christmas, happy memories meeting your loved ones, Guten Rutsch and cu 2022!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Bernd, for supporting us all this year. Wir wünschen dir eine schönen Weihnachtszeit!

Hey Ella. You are so honest. If you expect chocolate a book is boring. I get you.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

🤣🤣🍫🍫🍫

Merry Christmas you all, have a wonderful time with your families. Looking forward to even more interesting content in the new year!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Frohe Weihnachten to you also!

No matter how long you've lived here, you can never do more than your best! And you're doing great, it just takes time!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

That’s exactly right!

DIE ADVENT CARLENDER REMINDS ME OF MY CHILDHOOD,I PASSED THEM ON TO MY GRANDCHILDREN❤🇩🇪🇺🇸🌲🍫🍪🛷☃️

All of these are such great Adventskalender! So considerate.. 🧡

I wish you and your family a merry blessing Christmas and a happy new year. Enjoy your days with your family and stay healthy.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Vielen dank! Thank you for supporting us this year! 💚🎄❤️

merry christmas to you guys and have fun back home :) I can totally relate with ella not liking the book calender, we have all gone through this disapointment not finding chocolate in the calendar :)

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

🤣🤣🍫🍫 yes! Kids are so funny!

Normally my parents put the presents under the tree while we waite in the car for going to church but one year when we came back from church and ran into the living room we saw no presents. We were so sad and almost started crying. Then dad said that he had to go to the toilet but instead of going to the toilet he went to the backdoor made a loud noise outside and placed all our presents outside in Santa's sack. We were so surprised and unpacked them immediately. That is one of my best Christmas memories. 😃 Merry Christmas and greetings from Hannover! 🎅🏻

We love you in the German community you are awesome!!! Merry Christmas and a happy new year!!!!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Dankeschön! Frohe Weihnachtszeit!

Merry Christmas to the McFall family. I'm always happy to watch a new video from you, especially with you living in a winter wonderland. It's so exciting to see you discover and exploring everything. Have a wonderful time, i think of you 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🍀 Thank you so much

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for your support this past year of our channel! We appreciate you, Robert!

Frohes Fest und einen guten Rutsch! And thanks for all the enjoyable vids. Take care!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much! ❤️🎅🏼💚

Thank you for sharing your life in picture book southern Bavaria. Safe travels and all the best wishes for 2022. Let's hope for a peaceful year!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

You’re welcome! Yes a peaceful and healthy 2022! Frohe Weihnachten!

In our family, the tree is decorated at the 23th or such (today my mom and kids did that together, but with small kids it's done after bedtime, both for giving them more magic of xmas and being able to decorate the tree without too much looking after kids not breaking the ornaments). Then on christmas eve, we went to church (often times we took part in the yearly Krippenspiel, my kids took part pre-pandemic too) and while we were at church, my dad snuck out while we hang out with friends at church (with my kids, any of the adults did). Then when he returned, we went home. Before entering the living room, we would be very calm, mom found some excuse (needing to pee very hard or such) and just as she was away, the bell rang. Now, we could enter and see the full lit (electric candles) tree. Singing some carols, and then onto unpacking presents. Meal at christmas eve is something not requiring much work on the day of, so Kartoffelsalat and Würstchen is something to be prepared the day before and just set on the table. Have a good time with your families!

that editing 🤩🤩😍😍

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you 😍😍😍

Merry Christmas - I love the joy of the kids and i remember the exitment on "Heiliger Abend". We are proud to have you in Germany ...

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! Yes the joy and excitement of the children is the best part of Christmas!

You know, actually you’re so spot on: “Weihnaschten”, yes, because we “naschen” (snack or nibble sweets) a lot during this time of the year 😁 👍🏻 Thank you so much for all the fun and interesting videos you have done so far. What a cool family! The prize for video of the year has to go to Kevin though with his enthusiastic garbage sorting in spring 😉😂 The most recent ones with the snow look a bit like a story from a fairy tale land. ❤️. All the best for all of you in 2022. Merry Christmas 🎄

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

🤣🤣🤣 yeah there ya go!! Weih-naschten

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas 🥰🎄🎅🏻❤️🕯💫. Loved this video so much and the previous ones too. It brought so many memories back from my childhood. Made me so teary. Thank you for sharing your experience 🤗

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

I’m so glad you enjoyed. Frohe Weihnachtszeit!!

Beautiful video! I also love your choice of music.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Wishing everyone happy, peaceful and loving holidays wherever you may celebrate them 🎄❤️🤶 Dear McFall Family: Thank you so much for your wonderful videos throughout the year! It has been pure joy watching your experiences and adventures! Glad to have you here with us ♥️🙏 Enjoy your holidays with your dearest and nearest back home in Georgia. Loved visiting Savannah and Jekyll Island a few years ago 😍

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Ah very cool!! Savannah and Jekyll Island are classic Georgia places. Full of old southern charm.

merry christmas to all in your wonderful family. greyson is so good in the german language, it is a joy to hear him speaking. enjoy your visit at home. frohe weihnachten.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah he speaks almost like a native now! It’s amazing!

@angelikalechl-rahim3579

2 жыл бұрын

oh yes... almost with little bavarian accent... i love this 😀

Merry Christmas to your family

Christkind comes on the 24th where we open gifts to/from each other. My dual kids then put a plate of cookies and a glass of milk for Santa and of course a carrot for the reindeer under the now empty tree. In the morning there is a single present for each family member from Santa. My kids never, ever believed the Christkind brought the gifts. Though we tried. They would often ask, should we go play in our rooms now? They fully believed in Santa for quite a bit. Growing up in the US I never celebrated Dec 6 but having family from Italy, we celebrated the epiphany on January 6 where treats were left in our shoes by la Befana on her way to visit the Christ child in the manger. I find the blending of traditions wonderful.

Wish all people where ever they coming from a nice Christmas in Germany !

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Fröhliche Weihnachten!!

Brändle drawings are also completely new to me, must be a new tradition. 25 yrs ago I did window colors which is different. But Brändle also looks very nice😊. Merry Christmas🎄, great time with your loved ones, safe journey to and fro🙏.

Happy holidays, have a safe trip and a good time in the US and come back well!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Vielen dank! Happy holidays to you, too! 🎄❤️💚

Have a happy, healthy and wonderful time with your family and return back healthy. It is nice to have you kind guys here in Germany, as it is nice to watch your channel. And a happy new year!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Happy New Year to you as well!

@hildegardkhelfa5358

2 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife Thank you so much :-)

Frohe Weihnachten und einen guten Rutsch!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Vielen dank! Du auch!!

Wonderfull video! Merry Christmas!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Sending you wishes for a very merry Christmas as well!

Such a beautiful video👌🏼! Thanks so much for sharing your experiences and adventures with us! Merry Christmas to all of you (including the cat 🐱😁) and safe travels! 🍀✨

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Vielen dank!! Schöne Weihnachten! 🎄❤️💚

@grandmak.

2 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife oh yes, the cat ! Will peanut be taken care of here or are you taking her along ?

The Book is a "Mängelexemplar". These are books with defects which are sold at a reduced price. In this case, the pages were not cut properly.

We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year.Stay safe.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! Wir wünschen dir einen schönen Weihnachtszeit!

I am sorry for my bad English^^ I've been following you for a few weeks now. With each of your videos come up in me memories of my childhood. Unfortunately, this was quickly over. We were then also 3 brothers and a sister. My sister is unfortunately deceased at 4 years. It touches me very much to look at your Christmas spirit. It reflects my wonderful childhood again with all the love that was felt at Christmas in every corner of the apartment. You have achieved so much since February and have embraced German culture. Ela reminds me very much of my sister, she also had such wonderful natural curls and was a very happy child. Your videos do my soul so much good. Please keep up the good work, stay as you are and enjoy this beautiful contemplative time. You and your whole family I wish from the heart a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year :)

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

A very Merry Christmas to you! I’m so sorry to hear your sister passed at such a young age. That must’ve been so hard for your family. ❤️❤️

lots of Christmas greetings from Aachen. Have a good time and stay healthy.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! You, too!

Godspeed ans save travels! Merry Christmas & a Happy new Year to you and your entire families.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Vielen dank! We also wish you a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

@BlissLovePeace

2 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife Merci!

I hope you also have a very Merry Christmas 🎄🎅 and a happy and safe New Year from Texas.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Merry Christmas! Are you a German living in America?

Ella has already practiced the German honesty well. Ella hat die deutsche Ehrlichkeit bereits gut geübt.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Yes she has! Hahaha she’s very honest!

Happy Christmas to you

Ich liebe Euren Kanal! Schöne Weihnachten in dem USA und wir freuen uns, wenn ihr wieder zurück seid! 😘

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Vielen dank! Du auch! ❤️🎄

The kid's pronunciation is so good!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

It’s amazing how well kids pick up the correct pronunciation!

@anni6097

2 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife It is! I can barely hear their accent

Coming from the north-eastern part of Germany and not having a religious background the Weihnachtsmann was my christmas hero, when I was a child. My dad deployed the christmas tree in the morning of the 24th and the whole family decorated it right away. We only had something very light and quick to prepare for lunch (mostly some kind of soup). It had become a tradition to go to the cemetry after that in order to decorate the graves of our passed loved ones. When we returned we had homemade cakes and coffee and played boardgames or just watched some christmas movie together as a family. For dinner we traditionally eat fricassee with rice or potatoe salad and rissole or small schnitzels. Right after dinner it's present time. To expand it a little we started to roll dices and everytime someone rolls a 6 a present can be unpacked. The real feast happens on the 25th and 26th for lunch. Duck, chicken, turkey, rabbit, deer or boar - depends on what's available with potatoes or dumplings and brussels sprouts and red cabbage. Leftovers for dinner. On new years eve we traditionally eat fish.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Lived reading about your Christmas traditions - thanks for sharing!

Very nice. Merry Christmas. Best wishes for you. I come from Germany (Bamberg) 👍🎄⛄🎅

I love this video!!! Especially the window decorations.... when I was a kid (1950s) we did something similar with Glass Wax and stencils! It was so much fun as a kid. Later there was spray snow but Glass Wax is what I remember most. Your videos make me want to visit Germany in December again. Frohe Weihnachten to you and your family!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Oh cool, I’ve not heard of glass wax before! Glad you enjoyed that part. Our windows look so pretty!

awwww ... we love you too 😘😘

sometimes, when i watch your great videos.... i become afraid of the fact, that you are already more german than i ever was! Great job and happy holidays.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Oh wow! 🤣 I’m sure that’s not true, but thank you!

I envy you guys for all the snow. Here in Hessen it is just another Christmas with rain. Fröhliche Weihnachten!🌲🎅

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Well today it is actually raining! 😰 Snow is much more fun! Frohe Weihnachten!

👋 from Knoxville TN. We have advent wreaths here in the Methodist churches. I think Lutherans do as well. The purple candle for peace, hope, love. A pink one for joy and a white Christ candle, so not red candles. I had one in my home for many years too, but I love how a family will take a turn lighting a candle at church during Advent. Thanks for all you do! Have a safe trip and Merry Christmas! 🎄

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Beverly! Yes Liturgical churches in the US do practice advent. What I’ve noticed that’s quite different here is how families celebrate advent a lot more at home - they have Advent Sunday traditions even.

Christmas eve is always started with decorating the tree and then we do a small lunch (sometimes last minute shopping) at 4 we go to church (as kids we played roles in the nativity play as well). Afterwards we do a stroll through the village. Then its time for food (potato salad and sausages or Raclette). Afterwards we sing/play christmas songs together (all of my family learned an instrument) before we do presents. When we were small kids my Dad would ring a bell in the closed off living room to signal that the Christkind brought presents.

You and german xmas are made for each other!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

I think so! We love it!

@sisuguillam5109

2 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife Fröhliche Weihnachten! 😃

Frohe Weihnachten. (In contrast to birthday wishes it's not that uncommon to wish that in advance) Have a great time with your family in the states, a safe trip back afterwards and then be ready for even more of our german oddities next year... 😁

Nice video! :) Merry Christmas to all you guys! 🎄

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Vielen dank! Wir wünschen auch dir eine Frohe Weihnachten! 💚❤️

Magical snowy scenery! Happy Holiday! Have some rest..the children might feed you with some cookies and pumpkin pie!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Wouldn’t that be nice! 😍😆

@susannabonke8552

2 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 😅

Merry christmas! I also wish you a wonderful time in the US 😊 Stay healthy!!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! Frohe Weihnachten to you auch!

Growing up, my family always have beef fondue on New Year’s Day. I now have one on 20 December for Yule Eve

We used to use white shoe polish to make window scenes - not very fancy but we had fun (Indiana gal)!

For the Christkind tradition we had done it similar as you said. After I came home from singing with my choir in the church during the Christmette, we had something to eat (sometimes coffee and christstollen, somtimes already dinner) and my grandmother and mother kept me (and later my little Brother as well) busy in the kitchen (helping with the dishes, or preparing of the Christmas dinner). During that time my Grandpa would sneak into the living room, ring the small bell hanging on the christmas tree and quickly hide in the dinner room next door. My grandparents traditionally had closed the curtain to the living room (they had no door, but a curtain) and we weren't allowed to peak inside, because we can't disturb the Christkind, when it comes down to bring the presents. As for Christmas Dinner we always had roasted duck or geese with potato dumplings and red cabbage at the 24th and some other nice things on the 25th. This year we have Raclette on the 25th. On the 26th we eat leftovers from the days before xD

@SakuraKuromi

2 жыл бұрын

PS. Now that there are no children in our family any more, we don't do this ringing and such. We just come together for 2-3 days as a family (my grandmother, my mother, my brother and I), eat together, play cards (Rommé and Skip Bo) together (minus my brother - you won't see him outside of dinner, because he's in his room playing games all day xD) and just have some family time. I wish you all happy holidays and a nice trip to the US :)

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

I loved reading how you used to do it with your grandparents! What special memories.

@SakuraKuromi

2 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife I really treasure these memories as well. It's one of those memories that makes you feel all warm and nostalgic ♡ Especially since my Grandpa died several years ago and he's a big part of these memories

Whenever your way in the new year will lead you to Frankfurt on the Main (Hesse), I will be glad to give you all a very personal guided tour of the city. Frankfurt has a great cathedral where German Emperors once had been crowned, and the city features quite a unique merging of extremely modern, sky-scraper-building architecture and very old, sort of quaint quarters. This will be my Christmas gift to you! Happy Christmas (as you can see, I'm more on the British side), safe travels, and a very happy New Year!

Hey. The interesting thing is, that in nothern Germany usualy Santa claus comes in the evening of 24.12. "Der Weihnachtsmann". Children has to sing a Song vor a telling him a poet. Then he gives the presents to the children. Have a merry christmas!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Ah okay, so is Santa celebrated more in the north of Germany? Merry Christmas to you, too! ❤️💚🎄

@grandmak.

2 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife Yes, it's the Weihnachtsmann here and in Scandinavia too, he is called Julenisse there.

@sabinedeeke

2 жыл бұрын

Yes. Children in north germany mostly even don't know the "christkind".

@grandmak.

2 жыл бұрын

@@sabinedeeke true.

@susannabonke8552

2 жыл бұрын

@@sabinedeeke So isses.

On Nikolaus day we always left some self made cookies and milk outside for the Nikolaus to snack on. I always got really excited when it was gone the next day and I did something good for the Nikolaus. I don't really know how common this is, but I think it was really fun.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

We do that in America on Dec. 24 for Santa! So fun.

I really missed Germany at Christmas. I have my german tree candles and holders from 1985

Of course, on the evening before St. Nicholas, everyone, including adults, put their well-polished shoes in front of the door! 1. It is not just a festival for children, but for everyone and 2. if the adults do not participate, the children will immediately notice that it was not Nicholas but the adults! Lol! I wish you all a Merry Christmas!

merry Christmas and a happy new year, see you next year :-).

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Frohe Weihnachten!

Spekulatius - you nailed the pronunciation this time!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Yayayayayay!! I’ve been working on it, thank you!

We like to eat somthing from different countrys around the world. Last year we had asian food and this year we will make Hamburgers. I love the painting from Bine Brandl. I try to do it when it's already dark and I close one eye. It is more easy for me to see what I already painted. I live in the north west of Germany and never heard about the Christkind here. Frohe Weihnachten und einen guten Rutsch!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Yes with the double glass windows you really do have to close one eye to do it well! 😹 It’s not so easy. And doing it in the dark is easier, too, I agree.

Not perfect, but it doesn't need to be. It evokes the feeling you need it to. That is what's important.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

That’s right!

Don't worry about your prononciation, and the icicles had a really beautiful focus pull!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Yeah it fit perfectly with the music, I was so happy about that.

Tanks at first for the great Videos over the year. It was great to see you seddle in and have a lot of adventures. You german is great by the way, i dont know if i would lern so Quick. As i was little our tradiotions were very mixed. At first the Christkind came, but as i got older Santa Clause or theWeihnachtsmann came and i could meet him. He gave me my presents. Until i figured out that it was the son of relatives. He maybye shouldend Show me his face so close. 😅🤣 but i love the Christmas time so much. It is the best. Banking cookies and wraping presents, thats so great.

Please stay well and return healthy from America.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah thankfully our families are all vaccinated and are careful about COVID.

On December 24, or Christmas Eve runs with us so. In the morning until early afternoon our 2 children are out with the youth fire department. They go from house to house and distribute the peace light. A really nice thing to do. In the afternoon we go to the church to the children's mass. Afterwards we have dinner. Frankfurter sausages (Wiener in Germany), potato salad and noodle soup. Or there is Bosna - as well as this year. Then finally the Christ Child comes and brings the presents. We also ring the bell to let the kids know that the Christ Child has "finally" arrived. On Christmas Day we have turkey wrapped in bacon with bread dumplings and red cabbage. A tradition that my husband took over from his grandmother.We decorate the Christmas tree for several years on the 23rd in the evening with the children. We explained to them that the Christ Child needs help because he can't do it all by himself. When the children were smaller we did it secretly at night. The lights of the Christmas tree go on the first time when the Christ Child was there. Splash candles are also with often above for this one special moment.

Merry Christmas to all the McFall's and the cat :) ! Enjoy your holiday - also "back home in the US" and make sure to stay safe, happy and healthy ! Thank you so much for all the awesome content here on KZread in 2021 - I am looking very forward to everything you all are up to share with us in 2022, too ! And, please keep "talking English" on this channel :) - because usually nobody else (arround me) does - and I love to hear (and hopefully also get) it :) !

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Vielen dank! Frohe Weihnachten! ❤️💚🎄🎅🏼 Yeah we will definitely keep speaking English as our German isn’t good enough to do a whole video in German yet!

Hi guys, well from my kids days: the christmas tree was decorated 1 days before christmas eve the 24th. We have been to church in the afternoon(the so called christmette was to late for us kids) and than we had dinner. For some Kartoffelsalat und Heißmacherwürstchen is normal but I think its more a regional tradition. After dinner we started singing christmas songs together and a quietly bell sound. Couple seconds later(that was the time our neighbour neede to disappear out of the house, as we figured out years later :-D ) we were allowed to go into the living room and look for what the Christkind has brought to us and placed under the bright lighted christmas tree. The top of the christmas tree was created with glass blown star and an angel was placed nearby. All the decorations were a fortuneto buy and our mother handled them like a treasure. In that days the tree was also decorated with heavy lead tinsel which you will not see and find anymore. Btw, I fully understand Ella to be honest which is good and of course Gummibärchen und Süßes are way better. The pronounciation of Grayson is 100 % perfekt. It seems he doesnt have any problem with "ch" pronounciations. Well, tough for him to repeat I guess: In Bacharach am Achenbach da machten mich die Wachteln wach :-) Merry Christmas to all of you.

It's funny I think as a kid living in nothern germany I was always a bit confused about who brings the presents - in every story we were told in school it was "der Weihnachtsmann" (Santa Claus), but in the old poems my mother read to me it was "das Christkind". And then there was "Sankt Nikolaus" - who I later learned was the first Santa Claus. But the Christkind also has "Knecht Ruprecht" who carries the presents. So I thought, well, maybe the Christkind brought the presents in the past and then quit the job leaving it to Knecht Ruprecht who becomes Santa Claus. And Nikolaus was just this other guy who did a similar thing at a different date😂

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

🤣🤣 so funny! So confusing!

Funfact: Haribo stands for Hans Riegel Bonn, who is the founder of Haribo in the city Bonn😊that is why it is pronounced Ha-ri-bo (so you did it right🎉)

Don't forget one of your kids at home when traveling during the Weihnachtszeit! 😎😃 Frohe Weihnachten!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

🤣🤣🤣 that’s right! Don’t want to reenact Home Alone, do we!?

@gast9374

2 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife Never forget Kevin. 😂

I totally understand Ella! When you're expecting candy or chocolate and then you get a little book... I get the disappointment.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Yes totally! 🤣🍫🍫

When i was younger, we always use our riding Boots for saint nikolaus, because they are bigger ;-) and we get a little present too, something around 10euro

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Nice! I think next year we will add a little present, too.

We are also German and put up the Christmas tree before Christmas - common

A other tradition in parts of Germany is on Dezember 4th. That is „holy Barbara“. Put feusizien in a vase and they will bloom on christmas.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Okay I was wondering about this!

Both! For sure! In my family we celebrate Nickolaus el 6 de diciembre and REYES am 6. Januar. My wife ist from Argentina!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Ah very cool! Hey the more celebrations the better!

We'll put up the Christmas tree in mid-December. It is then decorated and illuminated with the grandchildren. On Christmas Eve we go to church in the afternoon and afterwards a duck is eaten. Towards evening the little ones have to go to the nursery and the bell is rung. The children come out and see the presents. A dream :-)

Es macht mir viel Spaß zu sehen wie Ihr Euch für Weihnachten begeistert. Die Fensterbilder sind toll geworden ☺️ Zu uns kommt am Heiligen Abend der Weihnachtsmann. Als ich Kind war ging unsere Mutter mit uns Kindern um ca. 17 Uhr in die Kirche und unser Vater legte in dieser Zeit die Geschenke unter den Weihnachtsbaum. Als wir nach Hause kamen war dann Bescherung. Anschließend gab es dann Gänsebraten mit Rotkohl und Klößen zusammen mit den inzwischen angereisten Großeltern. Manchmal kam der Weihnachtsmann (ein verkleideter Verwandter) mit seiner Rute um uns zu fragen ob wir denn auch alle lieb waren. Dann mussten wir ein Gedicht aufsagen um einer „Strafe“ zu entgehen und zu beweisen dass wir es verdienten beschenkt zu werden. Ich wünsche Euch frohe Weihnachten 🎄🎅🏼 und ein glückliches und gesundes neues Jahr ❤️ ich freue mich auf neue Videos von Euch

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife

2 жыл бұрын

Vielen dank! Frohes neus Jahr!

Good video Christmas