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The Low-Stress Holiday Dinner Party

merry ChristmasThe holidays are here; time for an endless stream of food, fun, family and friends. Only this year, it's your turn to host the big holiday party. That's right, after a few seasons of skirting by with a side dish and a bottle of glühwein, you're up for the main event. So, where to start? What do those symbols on your oven mean again?

Don't let the stress of hosting a large event keep you from doing it! With a bit (well, a lot) of preparation, and a touch of planning, you'll make hosting a holiday dinner party look like a piece of cake... or pie (yum).

The following is a guideline to running a smooth holiday dinner party. Again, this is only a guideline, take what you read and feel free to adjust it, so that it works for you! 

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“It's the Most Wonderful Time, of the Year...”

t‘s the Most Wonderful Time,  of the Year...Ladies and Gentlemen, the countdown begins, Christmas is just around the corner and the Christmas Markets will soon be open! Not sure where to go? No worries, here are a few personal recommendations for you from me.  I hope that my list will help you organize your limited holiday time! In case this is your first Christmas here in Germany, let me introduce you to what a Christmas Market is, if you're already a pro, you can skip straight down to my list!

Christmas Markets: This centuries-old tradition reaches way back to a time where regular seasonal Markets took place throughout the year. The winter markets were a welcome and joyful occasion that added a bit of light to the cold, dark, winter nights. Throughout the years Christmas Markets have evolved, grown, and become less functional and more of a holiday tradition. Usually each village will have  a small Christmas Market, lasting anywhere from a few days to a week, whereas the bigger cities will have both Christmas and New Year’s Markets lasting two to five, sometimes even six weeks. They are places full of cheer, with lovely Christmas lights, delicious Christmas treats, and warm Christmas drinks. From roasted chestnuts, to hot mulled wine AKA Glühwein, or warm “Kinder-Punsch,” the Christmas Markets here are something you do not want to miss. It's also a great place to buy homemade crafts, winter apparel, Christmas gifts or holiday souvenirs; you can find nutcrackers, wooden figurines, traditional German ornaments, incense smokers, baking tins, toys, hats, scarves, gloves, blankets, table cloths,  tea, chocolate, dried meats—the list goes on and on. The markets are also often home to rides, live entertainment, games, and nativity scenes (some with live animals), and be sure to keep an eye out for Santa and his Reindeer (no, really). So, without further ado, here are some of the Christmas Markets I think you'll definitely want to visit this year:

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St. Martin’s Day November 11th

Bild Wikipedia

In case you haven't noticed, Germans love to party and will find whatever reason they can to have another little Fest or celebration. A Guy cutting up his coat?! Sounds like a reason for celebration! No really, let me introduce you to Saint Martin’s day:

St. Martin’s day originated in France and then spread all through Middle and Eastern Europe.

Originally only a Catholic holiday, St Martin’s Day was named after Martin of Tours, a Roman soldier who later became the third Bishop of Tours. He was known for sharing his winter coat with a poor beggar that was out in the freezing cold, so Martin took his sword and cut his coat in half, handing the other half to the cold man. St. Martin was known for being a kind hearted, and he cared for children and the poor.

Dogs in Germany. What you need to know…

Germany is actually a very pet friendly country; you'll see pets in Germany everywhere, the outdoor barn cat, the dog on the train or bus, in the car, at the mall, or the park, and even in many restaurants (where you can often find the waiter will bring your dog a water bowl as well).  If you're lucky you might even see someone walking around downtown with a friendly pet rat or parrot on their shoulder. However, dogs, in particular, are very welcome in Germany, and they are allowed in most German businesses, aside from the grocery store, and in almost any public space. Dogs are also allowed in parks (but for health and safety reasons they are not allowed on playgrounds) and on all public transportation*. Still there are a few important rules to follow when you have a dog in Germany.

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Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival

September 2 to November 6, 2016 at Blühendes Barock (Baroque in Bloom) Ludwigsburg Family (and Dog) Friendly

Just 30 minutes from Stuttgart's Patch Barracks (and 2 hours from Ramstein Air Base) you'll find one of the biggest fall, pumpkin festivals not only in Germany, but in the world (over 450,00 pumpkins)! The event is held in Ludwigsburg at the Baroque Gardens of the Ludwigsburg Castle. The Festival is open every day from 9:00 till 20:30, and the farm and souvenir shops are open from 10:00 till 18:00. It's important to note that the event is outdoors, and therefore, the natural light of the day is the only light available; so be sure to come on a nice fall day so that you can enjoy all of the exhibits and activities. Entry costs are paid directly to the Baroque Gardens and are around € 8.50 for adults and € 4.20 for children and students (with a valid student ID). Family tickets, group discounts and evening discounts (after 17:30) are also available. Visit the Baroque Garden’s website for more details on pricing. http://www.blueba.de/eintritt-oeffnungszeiten.html

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