Christmas is on Like Donkey Kong

Concerning most things in our little family, I am usually the staunch voice of reason.  No, we cannot travel to Bern, Switzerland to adopt a Bernese Mountain Dog.  No, we are not eating peanut butter and jelly for breakfast, lunch and dinner…and almost always I am the one poo-pooing Christmas excess.  Every year, like Charlie Brown, I spout off about the true joy in giving, keeping Christ in Christmas and the ever-present need to keep striving to live simply.  This year, though, feel free to tell me I’m full of crap, because I’m not holding back on our first Viennese Christmas.  Which means my Clark W. Griswold-esque husband has also been given free reign.  You should feel fortunate you’re likely separated from us by an ocean at this point because our Christmas is going to be magically nauseating to the casual observer.  And how can we help it?!?  We live in Vienna.  When the gorgeous days of Summer are gone and the last of the Autumn Sturm has been drunk, there’s nothing left to do but Celebrate Christmas for the next two months.  

Now, you know in the states how everybody has an opinion about the proper time to decorate the tree and start listening to Christmas music?  (Or how my husband regulates my egg nog consumption...) It usually has something to do with respecting the Turkey—saving some celebration for our nation’s tradition of giving thanks for the harvest…or for a day off from work and the opportunity to watch football.  Either way, most people are quick to point out to anyone exhibiting early Christmas cheer that Thanksgiving comes first.  

But not here.  Obviously.  The Austrians could care less about our ‘interesting’ relationship with the Natives and how happy those pilgrims were to have a chance of survival in a foreign land.  Forget the turkey.  Christmas here starts in November and no one is going to give you a hard time about it. 

The city that I have come to know and love is starting to change.  Most outdoor cafes have finally called it quits.  Green garlands, twinkle lights, Saint Nicholas and the devilish Krampus have all been out in full force since the end of October.  And now, those delightful wooden booths are starting to crowd together all over the city in preparation for what Vienna does best:  Christmas.  There are nineteen Christmas markets in the city that are all opening within the last two weeks of November and I’m determined to visit them all.  Luckily, I also have a good friend here of the same mindset, who is crazy enough to accompany me.  Sometimes being a stay-at-home mom has perks…like getting to drink Glühwein while perusing the stalls of Viennese Christmas Markets.  

I’ve been to three markets so far this weekend and I’m absolutely charmed.  By far the largest and most well-known market is at the Rathaus (city hall) and we joined the masses Saturday night to celebrate the opening ceremony.  Our group was made up of three families with six kids all-together and it was an absolute madhouse.   I am glad we got to see the impressive display of lights (each enormous tree in the park had it’s own themed lights; hot air balloons, hearts, traditional lights as big as my head) not to mention the plumed ponies and the 120 year-old spruce Christmas tree that was finally lit after an hour-long ceremony.  Obviously, this was a big affair…and a fair bit of Vienna turned out for it.  In an effort to escape the smothering crowds, our group wound up in a back alley (behind the booths) eating wurst, drinking punsch and letting the kids run circles before we found a patch of grass to let them loose in.  Despite the crush, it was honestly an absolutely lovely evening.  All those people we jostled against on our way to find punsch were there to see something that was just legitimately good and to join in the festive spirit of Christmas.  For our part, we got our fill of holiday cheer and a chance to spend time with good people and kids the girls love—Christmas Market season started out as well as one could hope.

And this is just the start of the magic, folks.  Not only are there a ridiculous number of markets left to visit, but I have plans to turn our home into a disgusting display of Holiday cheer.  Sneaky schemes for Saint Nicholas Day are coming together and we’ve already gotten the girls a disturbing number of presents (to my taste—for all I know this could be how normal parents do Christmas)…and it’s not even Thanksgiving yet.  

So, I'm sorry, my fellow Americans.  I'm not just disrespecting the turkey this year, I'm throwing him under the ever-loving bus. If you were here, you'd do it too...it's worth it for the punsch.