Christmas market-ing

Sarah and I recently decided that we liked the idea of going into a career of "marketing."  Christmas marketing, that is :)

I'd heard of the elaborate celebrations in Luxembourg and most European cities around Christmas time but I had no idea to the extent that Christmas was celebrated here.  Beginning the week after Thanksgiving, city centers and major squares all over Europe transform into winter wanderlands. Rows and rows of little wooden stalls are brought in to house everything from mulled wine to gingerbread to Christmas ornaments and other gifts.  The set up, complete with lights, decadent smells and live music is still very similar to what the markets looked like hundreds of years ago.  The first Christmas market took place in Nuremberg, Germany and dates back to the 16th century.  Though we didn't make it to Nuremberg this year (its just over 4 hours away from Lux), we did hit 4 other markets and brought back commemorative mulled wine (hot, spiced wine) mugs as souveniers.

Here are a few photos from the Luxembourg Christmas market in Place d'Armes - one block from our apartment...

And here are photos from Trier, Germany's market, which was adorable!  We caught the train to Trier with our friends Kristy and Jacques and met other friends, Christie and Eddie at the market...

With Jacques and Kristy

Gingerbread!

Because Alex and I were headed to the States in mid-December for Christmas, we were running out of time to see more of the markets on our list.  Strassbourg, France is known to have one of the best markets in Europe so Sarah and I decided that a girls' trip was in order.  Conveniently, an old client of mine was on tour in Germany and performing 30 minutes from Strassbourg in Offenburg, just over the German border.  Sarah and decided that meant the trip was meant to be!

We took off early on the morning of the concert and made the 2 hour drive to Strassbourg.  Though we weren't the only ones who thought to travel to Strassbourg on that Wednesday (it was jam packed!), the market and city surpassed our every expectation.  We were so incredibly happy that we made the trip and didn't miss out on what we think must be one of the best markets, indeed.  Here are a few photos from the Strassbourg market...

The Strassbourg market with the grandest cathedral I've ever seen in the background

The magnificient cathedral

A shot of the store fronts, which were all decked to the nine's for Christmas

Another store front decorated with a cute, gigantic gingerbread man

My partner in crime

When Sarah and I returned with big eyes and great tales from Strassbourg, Alex decided that he had to see this place before we headed home.  We had one day to do this so we also drove to the magical city the weekend before our US departure.  Alex loved Strassbourg and the market there just as much as Sarah and I did.  Here are a few more photos from my trip with Alex...



One of the many canals running through the city

Needless to say, Alex and I will be going back to Strassbourg.  It will also be put on the list of places to take guests when we have more visitors :) 

Though I'm so happy to have made it home to Atlanta and Nashville for Christmas, I'm so glad that I was able to experience a little bit of a European Christmas a few weeks before we left.  It was special indeed!  Hope y'all had the merriest Christmas!

With Love from Luxembourg...Melanie

A Thanksgiving Feast!

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, Alex and I planned a big Thanksgiving feast / Birthday party for last weekend.  We wanted to celebrate Alex's birthday, as well as our friends Jacques, Nollaig and Valerie's special days, which were all at the end of November.  We also wanted to show our friends here (from Luxembourg and all over the world) what an American Thanksgiving was like. 

I cooked all day on Friday and Saturday preparing the turkey - my first ever (brave, I know, with 30 mouths on the way :) homemade cranberry sauce, green beans, glazed carrots, a 3-layer strawberry cake (for the birthday cake) and two pumpkin pies.  I'd asked everyone else to bring one other item to share and gave a few suggestions since this was almost everyone's first Thanksgiving.  Our home was full and the evening was just wonderful!  Here are a few photos...

Hopefully I don't get in trouble for posting this one.  Definitely the first time I've seen Alex in an apron but he was an excellent turkey carver :)

Mr. Turkey (a huge thanks to Sarah for her help getting this bird oven-ready :)

The Spread

Sarah and her turkey leg :)

The birthday girls and boys with their cake

I wish I'd taken a group photo but with all that was going on, I didn't get around to it.

I think everyone enjoyed Thanksgiving and it brought me joy to be able to share the special day with our "family" here since I was away from home.  Now, the countdown is on until I board a plane on the 13th for Christmas - destination USA!

Love from Luxembourg...Melanie