Christmas-time memories

I had a wonderful penpal in Sweden - she dropped off the face of the earth (i seriously fear she passed away) - who had me thrilled with the stories of people milling about the streets dressed as the Christmas characters ... Lucia? and the boy with the pointy hat .... my friend was single without children but she dressed her dog up as the boy.




Last year I got such a kick out of Christmas time in Germany. The Kristkindlmarkts in the town squares, a stray Saint Nick or two. Good memories.



My friend who lived in Germany when she was 7 remembers that Saint Nick AND Lucifer would go up and down the streets on Saint Nicholas Day (6 Dec?). Nick had gifts for good boys and girls and Lucifer had a lump of coal for the baddies. My friend remembered 55 years later with satisfaciton that one brother got coal!



Here, our famiy has always celebrated on the Eve. Church, then snacks then gifts.

N.B.: I still miss my husband's grandma, but I do NOT miss barreling down to the country to be at lunch precisely at noon on the Day.  And that wasn't Grandma's rule, it was Uncle's stipulation.  Nice fella, but he needs to turn in his French ancestry card, with that attitude.