Winter Warm-Up Blog Hop!

 

 

Get all warmed up with a sweet romance...As part of the blog hop, I'm giving away an e-book of The Interpretation of Love and the Truth (contemporary lesbian romance). All you have to do is comment on this post, leave your email address, and you'll be in the hat! The winner will be drawn Dec 23rd, noon EST. Good luck, and don't forget to check out the big Rafflecopter giveaway and all the other participating blogs, and visit www.hopswithheart.blogspot.com!

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The holidays are a busy time for everyone—they are even busier when you combine traditions, of two families and local customs.

 

I moved to Québec, Canada three and a half years ago, from a small town in Germany where the climate is mostly mild, often rainy. A White Christmas is hardly a given, though it happens every once in a while. Here in Québec City, there is always a white Christmas. We might have enough of the snow by February, March, but around the holidays, it’s always beautiful. Together, my wife and I combine the customs we’ve grown up with.

Who would have known that one of the most popular winter activities in this French Canadian city is the German Christmas market? And with snow and cold guaranteed, the Gluehwein (mulled wine) and other delicacies of the season are even tastier! Often, we combine it with a visit to the local farmer’s market which is also decorated for the holidays at this time. Marzipan and maple treats!

A tradition I brought with me is the St. Nikolaus Day that comes with a small surprise (and was even observed in one of my workplaces. I’m talking about chocolate. No St. Nikolaus was hired for the occasion). 

We light a candle on each Advent Sunday, and you know how it goes—at four weeks, Christmas seems far away, but all of a sudden it’s only a few days, and you haven’t wrapped any gifts yet!

To me, it’s always an opportunity to slow down and start to reflect on the year which is coming full circle during this time, with the Christmas days and New Year’s Eve, various outings mixed with quiet time.

Something new to me is the celebration of the Jour de l’An, the New Year’s Day in the family, which is an even bigger day than New Year’s Eve—and there was a time when even gifts would be exchanged on that day, because on Christmas, the focus was on the religious aspect of the holiday. In any case, it sounds like a good idea to start the year off with a party, right?

PS: If you'd like to check out my works, this blog hop coincides with my free days for my Kindle short Halfway Home(romantic suspense) which is still free today and on the 20th.

Happy Holidays!


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