Christmas!!!!!!!!! with photos

Just for Pete. :) A picture of the inside of the house.

My presents

This is the 3D decoration

The owl necklace to match my earrings

Apple cake

My kiwi hanging proudly at the top of the christmas tree

Today was what we in NZ would call boxing day. However, christmas here goes for almos three days. Celebrations begin on Christmas eve and continue until the end of boxing day.

On Christmas Eve we went to Mass at 6pm. We had to go there 40 minutes early though so that we could get a good seat. We were still ¾ of the way down the church and I couls barely see a thing. It was a beautiful Mass though. The choir was AMAZING. And the church itself is so beautiful.

Once Mass was finished it was time for dinner. Wow! What a fantasic meal. Wiesia had spent the whole day cooking and cleaning prepaing both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners. First we had a brocoli soup and then salmon baked with cream and spinach and then for dessert ice cream and chocolate. It was a brilliant meal. J

Then it was time for presents….. I know presents on Christmas eve how bizarre. But yes we then gave presents. They loved the New Zealand book. We spent about an hour going through it. Vanessa got concert tickets and a new perfume. Wiesia also got perfume and Helmut got tickets to a comedian. Then there was me. I was stunned! There were about 10 presents sitting infront of me with my name on them. I couldnt believe it! My family are so nice and generous. I could not ask for a better family. J I got a bracelet from the Cologne Catherdral shop. That was sneaky because I thought they were only buying the DVD. Then there was a very cute key ring with an angel on it. Milka chocolate. YUM. A owl keylace to match my owl earrings. Haha. Very pretty. A wooden stable from a Christmas market that you can hang on the wall or use as a christmas decoration. A Christina Aguilera mini perfume and shower gel. A gorgeous little pink fleece/wool(not too sure which) angel. Yes one of the ones from the previous pictures of the christmas markets. Another wooden decoration but for the christmas tree. It is so pretty. It is 3D and wow so so beautiful. Then there is another decoration that lights up. It is an angel again for the christmas tree. Like the one shown in the pictures. Oh and some cards with christmas decorations and then out fell €100 and Wiesia said For you to spend in Berlin! I was so so surprised and very grateful.

Once presents were over we played a game and then all of a sudden it was 12.40 and well in truely time to go to bed.

The next day was the 25th. The morning was reasonably normal. Breakfast, getting ready etc etc. Then the family from Cologne arrived for afternoon tea and dinner. They were all really lovely. The table setting was beautiful for afternoon tea. Then we had another spendid dinner. For a starter we had Macaroon soup then noodles and gulasch as a main and then a ice cream cake with alcohol cream, bosenberry sauce and peaches. Yum yum yum. It was truely delicious. What was really funny was the little boy Mats. He is 3. He went upstairs for a nap and when he came back down he had Checky my little soft toy I decided to bring with me as a little bit of home. He played with him all night and then came and gave Checky back to me before he left. It was very cute. J

Today all of the shops in Germany were closed as it is still Christmas but in the Netherlands all the shops were open. So after a fantastic breaskfast (which I was told not to take a photo of because it is completely normal…..) we went shopping in the Netherlands. J As you do. :P We went to a designer outlet centre. It is a bit like a mall but it isnt all one building. It took us 15minutes to drive there and then 30minutes to find a park. I am not joking. There were over 3000 car parks and still we couldnt find a park. :O Crazy. Now when I say designer I mean Nike, Gucci, Prada, Hugo boss, Marc O´Polo, Tommy Hilfiger, Puma,  Armani, Billabong, Dolice and Gabbana, Guess, Burberry and many many more. Wow it was all so expensive. Even though it was an outlet centre and even though it was boxing day sale time! I picked up one bag worth €450 reduced twice!!!!!!!!!!! I also fell in love with a bag in a shop called Fossil. WOW! But it was €115 so I only just managed to convince myself that it wasnt worth it. Maybe if I have money at the end J. If you want to google it, it is called Roermond, Designer outlet. Very cool.

The random photo of the lounge is for Pete. This is what there house looks like inside. They are very proud of their newlounge.

That is all for now. I will update you all again soon. J