Hallowe’en done, time for Christmas

Hallowe’en is a new holiday here, we didn’t have any trick or treaters, but we did go to a community event in a small nearby village. We carved pumpkins, saw a play in the church, walked through a haunted forest, and enjoyed dinner in the community hall, a building with the word ‘frihed’ (freedom) in large letters over the door. I did not miss North American Hallowe’en in the least; in fact this version was better as candy never even entered into it. I understand that there is a holiday here in February that is like Hallowe’en, there is dressing up, and candy, and something about a cat in a barrel? We’ll see if it matches the excesses of Hallowe’en Canada style. I like candy, but filling a pillowcase with the stuff just doesn’t seem right no matter what the date.

So now that Hallowe’en is over it is time for Christmas and Carlsberg has released its Tuborg Julebryg. It was released on the first of November and if I understand correctly it is free at first, but I’m not 100% sure what that means, I know you can’t go to the store and grab a 6 pack and walk out without paying so I assume you have to be in a certain place to take advantage. We tried one at the Hallowe’en event but had to pay for it. We also learned about Christmas traditions at a colleague’s house when we went for dinner on Friday, sounds like there is a lot of singing, and a lot of eating. The tradition that I was most interested in was the rice pudding with almonds; if your dish contains a whole almond you get a present. Our hosts’ youngest daughter was so excited when remembering times when she had the almond that we couldn’t help but get excited too. You are supposed to act casual so no one knows you have the almond, stick it in your cheek and reveal when all have finished so no one gives up hope.

Our holiday plans will see us in Bavaria just outside of Munich in Bad Endorf where Leanne has visited before and kept in touch with a friend from the first visit. She has been spoiling our children with mailed gifts for years and has promised to give us a traditional Bavarian Christmas. I don’t know if they go in search of almonds, but I’m pretty sure what we find will be good.