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| Birth of Jesus |
Ever since I was a kid, was fascinated by Christmas and Lord Jesus. Maybe it started at school which was a Missionary, but till today fascination for the same has remained. Whenever Christmas was to come in Kashmir all of a sudden my woes would vanish in thin air and I would shine like a star! Christmas in Kashmir meant Cake from Jan bakery and going to church with my Bade Papa who was the only member of my family who encouraged me to follow what my heart likes. Ah! I felt like a queen on this day moving around in a chauffeur driven car then buying candle then praying before the Lord and then cutting the cake and distributing it among family. Unfortunately, due to migration I no longer could celebrate this Day. I don't know with loosing a home I somewhere lost the enthusiasm and faith. Hence Christmas was never ever celebrated again till the time I shifted to Germany. But the pain of not celebrating it kept tickling me.
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| Weihnachtsbeleuchtung |
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| Mutter Maria |
Germany gave me a new lease of life and gave me back my dreams to follow. Germany! Thank you so much. I love you and owe a lot to you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
In Germany, Christmas is called Weihnacht and the celebration for the same starts one month before. The entire city is illuminated with lights and from place to place you will find Weihnachtsmarket. In-fact Nürnberg holds the world's biggest Weihnacht's market. Laks and lacs of people travel to this part of the Germany only to have a glimpse of this market, in Winter.
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| Bayrische Schanz |
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| Illumination |
I live in "Main Spessart" and we also have these markets. One such famous market is held in the middle of "Main Spessart" and is called "Bayrische Schanz Weihnachtsmarkt". It is really beautiful and if there is snow then it becomes magical.
In these markets you see all kinds of things made of normally wood, glass and stone with you can decorate your home, your tree or wherever you want to!. The specialty of these markets is a special type of Wine which is called Glühwein. This is a hot wine cooked in herbs like cinnamon, cloves, honey etc.. Trust me, it tastes like Divine and within no seconds after drinking it you are on top of the world:). Also don't forget to taste Lebkuchen - A traditional German baked Christmas treat, somewhat resembling gingerbread and the ingredients for the same usually include honey and spices such as aniseed, coriander, cloves, ginger, cardamom and nuts including almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts, or candied fruit.
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| Main Spessart |
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| Weihnachtsmarkt |
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| Weihnachtsmarkt |
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| Wooden and Stone Figures |
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| Holzkrippe |
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| Hand made Decorations |
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| Licht Sterne |
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| Stein Pilz |
All these wonderful things and the atmosphere, filled with peace, happiness, joy and hope forced me to celebrate one of my favorite festival, once again!. I realized how much i have been missing in my life by not embracing it. Christmas has made me alive again and it has spread happiness and joy in my life. Though, I lost my Home, my School, my Jan Baker, my Church and above all my Bade Papa but that inner peace and happiness was brought back by this wonderful, wonderful festival.
Let this Christmas fill your hearts with love, joy, peace and happiness and hope it does wonders for you, the way it has for me!!!
