So...after a hectic week at Uni the reality of Christmas being just around the corner started to sink in. The last minute rush of errands and Christmas gift buying was compounded by a miserable rainy, freezing cold Salzburg day, and Salzburg old town being jam packed with tourists....sigh.
But, I survive, and start my Christmas Euro-Adventure on a train to Linz - ready to celebrate Kat's Birthday and then Christmas, Katsdorf style.
Sunday is Kat's bday so we Saturday night is filled with cards, bowling and dancing...into the early hours of Sunday. While the weather is miserable outside - not cold enough to snow, but rainy and too cold to want to venture out - inside we spend a lovely afternoon celebrating Kat with a range of friends and family members coming and going in a kind of open house.
As Christmas was approaching I was anxiously waiting to see if my dream of a White Christmas would become reality. Unfortunately the Linz weather had no intentions of giving a pre-Christmas covering of snow...but I did get to make my first snow man in Europe! Kat and I headed to higher ground in search of natural spring water, snow and pretty views - and we found it...along with the mandatory snow ball fight and frozen bodies.
Keeping an ongoing record of the happenings when travelling is a good idea...unfortunately I didn't do that...so now the events of the week have no kind of chronological order!
Other activities during the week were meeting up at the Christmas Markets in Linz with some of Kat's Uni friends, many of whom have gone their separate ways.
Another night we went along to an ice hockey match - not quite as thrilling as watching footy back home, but entertaining nonetheless. Unfortunately Kat has a bit of a reputation for making Linz lose...every game she has attended they have lost, and the curse continued on this ill-fated night.
Finally the reason for the location was approaching - the Christmas festivities were about to begin...a day early! Strangely enough we celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve :D
Kat does something like the Sunday School (but its not on Sundays) at her Church, and on Christmas Eve the children perform some kind of reenactment of the Christmas story - so off to Church we went. The Church was packed with families, although notably most only had one parent in attendance...the reason for this being that the Christkind will be visiting the home....
Unlike our debate about when the Christmas Tree should be put up, the Austrians have it much simpler..but I think not quite so fun :D The Christkind (some kind of feminine angel like being, no one has ever seen it, so we cannot be sure what it is) brings the Christmas Tree and the Christmas presents on December 24. After the Children's Service at Church they arrive home to find the Christkind has visited :D
First stop was Christmas at Kat's maternal Grandma's. The family sat around the table, singing carols, doing reading and some discussion about the significance of Jesus' birth for our own lives.
Then the exciting part - the Christmas Tree is covered in real candles, which are lit - making a very pretty Christmas tree. Then presents, followed by food - some special kinds of sandwiches that Kat was looking forward to all day!
Next stop is home...and the Christkind has been! The presents are under the tree, and the family gathers round. Kathi (Kat's Mum) lights the candles on the tree...another beautiful tree alight! Then the anticipated giving and receiving of presents, with much joy, ensues.
So...Christmas celebration count so far is two...and there's one more to come - Gerhard's parents place, just a minute's walk down the lane. Again the family gathers round the table (the kind of wooden table with seats built into the wall that all Austrian homes seem to have) to sing carols - granted, this time with a bit more volume and a little less solemness.Again, my favourite part -the Christmas tree is lit...and then the presents are given and received.
But that's not all folks - we haven't been to Church yet! The Christmas service starts at 11pm - it's a long day! Interestingly the service attracts a very youthful crowd...and after the expected carols, reading, sermon and communion the reason becomes much clearer: we head across the street to the local for a drink, or two....only in Austria!
The temperature is getting colder...and there's been rumours of snow all week...but still nothing white falling from the sky :(
By the time we get back it's Christmas Day - but the celebrations are over as far as the natives are concerned. Luckily for me I'm just in time to catch up with the family for the real deal, on Christmas afternoon back home. After a long catchup it's finally time for bed...only an hour before Brydie usually wakes us up on Christmas Day!
A few hours later my chances of getting a White Christmas are running thin. Its a dreary morning, with no sign of snow. Convinced that I would wake up to white all around, I dejectedly go back to bed for an hour so....after finally getting the motivation to rise, I take a discouraged peek outside the window...and surprise, surprise, there is the smallest sprinkling of snow starting to fall :D The snow doesn't last long, and there isn't much of it...but that is barely the point! On the walk to Gerhard's parents place its cold out, and there is enough snow to make the ground, fences and roofs appear white - yay!!
Christmas Day is very pleasantly spent with Gerhard's family - grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins over lunch and then an afternoon of chocolates, gossip and news for the oldies and poker for the kids, before more food! Sounds perfect...unfortunately all my luck must have been invested in the snow fall, cause I win just 3 hands in 3 hours of poker...ruining my flawless European Poker record. After a day of sitting and eating we're in dire need of some exercise - as the sun is setting we brave the chill for a lovely walk in the icy lanes around Kat's home, through fields overlooking Katsdorf, with the setting sun in the background.
Boxing Day arrives and its time to head off for Spain - warm weather! sun! no, the weather has had it in for me since I arrived in Europe (something Jordi has a theory about) - its colder in Barcelona than in Linz! Snow showers are expected in Girona!
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