A Cute Holiday Idea

Who doesn’t complain about stores pushing the holiday season on us faster and faster each year?

I have to confess.  Martin and I complain.  We also already broke down and bought a Christmas item between running around to take care of this paperwork and that.  Moving overseas always requires so much paperwork.  I feel so bad because Martin has to pretty much take care of most of it for us.  My German skills are growing, but little things like returning an item to the store or telling the woman at the post office what kind of postage I want for a letter to the US are huge projects for me.  Vocabulary like “return this item” and “certified mail” aren’t really words you first learn.

Many people complain about how uptight and unfriendly Germans are compared to Americans.  I laughed so hard when a man here once said to me, “Don’t you Americans get tired of smiling all the time?”  The thing is people really are kind here, and I think they’re really patient with my German vocabulary (or lack of vocabulary!).  You don’t have to smile to be a kind person, and I think that’s so hard to forget when you grow up with smiley faces all around.  Plus it’s absolutely amazing to be around people who are Always Prompt.  It’s a society of people who are all on time.  I love it!

Anyway, I have trailed off from what I originally wanted to show you.  It’s the Christmas item we bought at the grocery store, and we’re already using it every day.

tea in germany

We got this cute little box of tea called Advent Tee.  It has 24 packages of different flavored teas with holiday names like Santa’s Secret Tee – each one numbered for a different day in December.  The best way to warm up after a chilly day of biking from errand to errand is a snack with tee.  Would you agree it’s a perfect way to warm up any time you feel the chill?

Advent calendars originated in Germany, and they’re really popular for candies and little gifts.  I could see things like Advent Tee taking off in the United States, too.

There’s nothing particularly Christmasy about these teas (other than their fun names).  In fact, I think the company just combined 24 of their different teas and made festive little wrappers.

We’re already on Day 7.

Anyone else sneaking in a little holiday stuff?  How about rapidly increasing your hot beverage consumption?  It’s so cold and wet in Berlin.  Now I see why tea and hot water bottles are all the rage in our neighborhood shops right now.