I know that many would be annoyed at seeing supermarkets pulling on the Christmas theme at the end of October, I share your feelings …. there is something gone wrong if we’ve started buying everything just for the sake of it, when we actually don’t need to. Christmas is definitely not about presents for me … First of all we celebrate it on the 7th of January in Ukraine and that’s imprinted in my heart for life, I’m not changing that, no :). The unique traditions related to Christmas from home are simply too wonderful to exchange for the global supermarket Christmas, which take over the world every year, straight after Halloween. And second, I’ve been through so much packing and unpacking lately that I prefer all my presents to be as small as possible or simply electronic, downloadable, viral, paperless, boundless 🙂 … Write a postcard, I’m sure you must have forgotten your handwriting, yeah, do that, it is wonderful, that will do … At least for Christmas do that!

But here is Vienna and in their tradition it is to have a market! Christmas markets  or Weihnachtsmärkte originated here, in the German-speaking part of Europe, sometime in the Middle Ages. I would highly recommend to stop by somewhere in Germany, Austria or eastern France during end of November and December, to feel the atmosphere! You might also find the same atmosphere in Sibiu, Romania, as it is a German-speaking part of the country.

Ah, and cinnamon, it smells of cinnamon 🙂

Have some hot wine or Glühwein, as they call it, some Bratwurst, some Apfelstrudel ….. they are so delicious, you will want to remember those names ….

There is no snow yet … Maybe Weihnachtsmann will take care of that! Vienna is beautiful with or without snow anyhow! Cinnamon Winterfresh 🙂

Btw, as I’m still talking about festive winter, we have two New Years in Ukraine, one new new and the Old New Year :). The second one we love more … maybe because there is more chance for snow on the 13th of January … but I will tell you about that some other time 😛