Valentine’s Day?” and “How is Valentine’s Day celebrated in Germany?” I’m unsure if I’m getting the question from people who want to do something “German” for Valentine’s Day or because people want to use a negative response to get out of celebrating Valentine’s Day (yes, I’m looking at you). So let me clarify things a bit by saying, “YES, some…
Author: karenanne
German Eiswein- The sweet Dessert Wine created by Frost
Although you wouldn’t think that frost or icy conditions are good from wine production, some growers count on the the cold so they can make Eiswein. But …. what is German Eiswein (Ice Wine)?? Is it frozen wine? Is it wine-flavored ice cream? Eiswein (Ice Wine, Eis Wine) is a refreshing and sweet (but not cloying) dessert wine produced in…
What is a Lumpenball? The End of the Karneval Party!
While adding events to the Fasching Celebration pages and the German Girl in America Events Pages, I keep coming across something called a Lumpenball… but, What IS a Lumpenball?? A ball of lumps? (that can’t be right!… although one website had an article about painting a ball of rags…). A Lumpenball that final Karneval party. The clearing out celebrations. This…
Submit a Guest Post To German Girl In America
As you may have noticed… I love it when I get to share guest posts to the German Girl in America site…. It’s so fascinating to read other people’s stories and see that we really are all one big club. Don’t think to yourself “oh, I can’t write” or “no one is interested”! We would all love to hear…
The House By the Lake by Thomas Harding- History of a Home
[no_toc] The House by the Lake by Thomas Harding: One House, Five Families, and a Hundred Years of German History Lately I’ve been spending a lot of time reading books I would have avoided a few years ago… books about Germany in the 20th century. The emotional toll was just too high. But, despite my anxiety about going down that…
The Dinner for One Film- A German New Year’s Eve Tradition
Some German Traditions are completely baffling to me, like the German love of the Dinner For One Film on New Year’s Eve. How on earth did this British Comedy sketch become a nationwide phenomenon? So, of course, I had to start digging to find the origins. Why is an English-language movie about an elderly woman’s 90th Birthday party so…
What is a Bunter Teller? A Plate of Christmas Cookies for Everyone
Last week, a friend said, “You’re German; would you like these? I found them at an estate sale,”… and then she handed me these cardboard plates/bowls printed with Christmassy images. She had found paper plates for “Bunter Teller!” I was so excited to receive something from my childhood. But What is a Bunter Teller? These special plates come out every…
Gifts for Nutella Lovers… Because Nutella is AWESOME!
Do you know someone with an absolute weakness for Nutella… someone who is more than content to sit down with a jar of chocolatey hazelnut goodness and a spoon? (ME!!!) I’ve always loved Nutella, ever since my Opa started sending it to us in packages back in the 70s. And now my older daughter does too (she’s sort of…
St Nicholas’s Companions- Knecht Ruprecht, Krampus,
On the evening of December 5th, children all over Germany leave their cleaned shoes outside the door for St Nicholas to fill with treats. While St Nicholas may be the same, Saint Nicholas’s companions change depending on where you are in Germany. Krampus, Knecht Ruprecht, Schwarzer Peter… even Mutter Hulla! Here is a brief explanation of each of some of…