I‘m frequently asked how to watch German movies or TV shows here in the US. Generally, I turn to MHz or slip a German DVD into my multi-region player. But that’s just a tiny percentage of the German Programming available to us here. YouTube, apps, and certain websites make watching German TV easier than ever. (Even Tatort!) The availability is…
Category: Celebrating German Culture in America
The German Christmas Shop at Easter Favorite Easter or Springtime Memories Giveaway 2020
[no_toc] I’m delighted to announce! The German Christmas Shop at Easter wants to help brighten up our Springtime with a special Contest! The German Christmas Shop at Easter loves those special holiday memories with family and friends. Delicious traditional meals, fun Easter activities, remembrances of special decorations. Maybe cute bunnies hiding on the dining room table? Or making an…
Lunch at the Wurstküche Regensburg- Oldest Restaurant in Germany?
Next to the Steinernen Brücke (Stone Bridge) in Regensburg, you will find a small green building surrounded by crowds. The Wurstküche Regensburg has been serving up sausages to dockworkers and now tourists for hundreds of years in that exact location. So, of course, while visiting Regensburg for the Christmas Markets, I could not pass up eating at the oldest continually…
Thinking about Muttersprache – Tag der Muttersprache
Deutschland.de reached out to me to do a piece for the Tag der Muttersprache (Day of Native Language), which falls on February 21. So I was thinking about Muttersprache and its LITERAL meaning… Mother Speech. Although I grew up in California, German was my first language—the language of my mother. And after THIS MANY years of living in California (imagine…
Sweet Valentine’s Day Angels- Beautiful Gifts from the Erzgebirge
[no_toc] One of the nicest ways to show someone you love them is with a charming Valentine’s Day Angel from The German Christmas Shop. These adorable guardian angels are hand crafted in Germany by the Günther Reichel workshop. I fell in love with them when we visited Seiffen. Süß!!! (SWEET!!) Lovely little angel figures holding flowers, balloons, or of course,…
What is Gemuetlichkeit? All About this Cozy German Concept
When I arrive on my Aunt’s doorstep in Germany, she greets me with “Kommt ‘rein… mach’s euch Gemütlich!” (come in, make yourself gemütlich). And on family evenings, instead of making plans, my mother might say, “Wir machen uns Heute Abend Gemütlich” (tonight we will make ourselves gemütlich). A small, well-appointed room is described as “Gemuetlich,” and a noisy, drafty restaurant…
Was the US Official Language Almost German? The Muhlenberg Legend
One of my FAVORITE urban legends is one I even believed for a long time: The official Language of the United States was almost German. It gets better! The legend claims that in a Congressional vote, German lost by only one vote, and that’s why we speak English in America. I hate to bust this very exciting bubble, but it’s…
Leckerlee Lebkuchen – Authentic German Lebkuchen Made in America
It starts with the smell of spices… ginger… is that cardamom? And then you take that first bite. “oh my gosh”. You get the nuts and citrus. The texture is amazing. I’ve been eating Lebkuchen my whole life, but outside of a German Christmas Market, I’ve never had it as fresh or flavorful as Leckerlee Lebkuchen. This is Lebkuchen baked…
The German Christmas Shop Favorite Christmas Memory Giveaway 2019
I’m excited to announce The German Christmas Shop Favorite Christmas Memory Giveaway! Share your favorite Christmas Memory (in 25 words or less) and you might win a $300 Gift Voucher to The German Christmas Shop! Contest runs from November 21 until November 30, 2019. On December 1, 2020 we will announce the winner of a $300 Gift Voucher!…
The German Christmas Shop- For those Special Christmas Memories
You remember it…that Christmas Eve special magic that comes from the movement and light of a spinning Christmas Pyramid. The special “Christmassy” incense smell coming from Santa’s pipe. Finding my favorite special German Ornaments on the tree… and knowing that under the tree in a special box would be one for my tree when I’m grown. The people at The…