Frohes Fest!

Christmas time is here at last! My flight home leaves tonight...But, by this time tomorrow, I will be in Chicago...or on my way back to Green Bay! And that's exciting. Too bad I'm missing "real" Christmas at home. But, I have not missed Christmas in Austria, even though I am traveling on the 25th.

It should be noted for those Americans reading this blog that in Austria (and other parts of Europe, of course) that Christmas is not celebrated on the 25th, like we are used to, but on the 24th.

Last year's X-mas tree in WI

My personal theory is that the midnight mass on the 24th (so, the beginning of the 25th) was such an important part of the celebration that, when people stopped wanting to stay up until midnight for mass, they just moved it up to an earlier time on the 24th  - but gifts are opened on the 24th as well. And the Christkind (actually an angel, not the newborn baby Jesus) brings the presents, sort of like Santa Claus, but the kids just leave the room for 15 minutes and come back and there are miraculously presents sitting under the tree. Personally, I think it's a lot easier on the parents to just make the kids go to bed and wait until morning - if you're naughty and sneak out of bed, you break the deal anyway...

Sometimes December 25th is a day to visit family in Austria. Other times, they just don't do anything. And on the 26th (St. Stephen's Day), they go back to church. St. Stephen was a very important saint in Austria.

So, what did I do on Christmas Eve - considering I'm still Amstetten until this evening? I did a little channel surfing, and discovered The Last Unicorn (dubbed into German, of course) was playing on RTL. Very Christmas-y, if you ask me.

The Last Unicorn was my absolute favorite cartoon when I was little. The last time I saw it was as a college Freshman when I brought it back to the dorm from the Appleton Public Library and tortured my friends with it. Totally worth it. Although, I did realize how child inappropriate this film is. Lots of cartoon nudity and heavy subjects. But it is still awesome. In a cornball Peter S. Beagle fantasy way. The German version was totally better, too. Basically, I can't watch American movies in Germany/Austria because they are always dubbed, and it pisses me off when the lips and the voice of the actors do not sync. I have no fear of that in cartoons, however. The German versions of cartoons are actually better. The Simpsons, anyone?


After The Last Unicorn, I went to midnight mass (actually at 11 - wimps) and, this, too, seemed improved by being in Austria. First, the church itself is old and really cool. Second, since I am unfamiliar with the Apostle's Creed, the Lord's Prayer, etc., in German, trying to follow the mass kept me on my toes. Third, the music is better. It's not this dopey new wave Christian Youth stuff, but real music, but Haydn and Handel and Mozart and other composers.

Considering this, my early New Year's resolution is to go to church more - in Austria. A) It is a great way to pick up some German vocab. B) It might be an OK way to meet people. C) I joined the church choir, and must admit, I have not actually shown up to mass to sing with them (but I do go to the practices on Monday nights). After half the choir and two teachers at school asking me why I don't go to mass and sing with the choir, I realized that church choirs sing at church. And as a member, I am expected to do the same. My bad.


One question: if God knows everything, can he tell when I'm being facetious?