Rouen Cathedral in Rouen France. Photo by Elizabeth Craig
Plan ahead, prepare for crowds and allow time for delays. We all know how to travel during the upcoming holidays. Once we rush past Labor Day, Halloween looms ominously and then Turkey Day is here with Black Friday shopping, Christmas gifts and the ring of bells filled with hopeful resolutions. The communities of those homebodies who care nothing for travel use this time to pack up the car, kids and presents and take off to visit family in all corners of the world. For those traveling to unknown locals and destinations, there are a few more tips to add the list. Remember that this is not the typical holiday at Grandma’s house.
Leave your traditions at home. Different places, different locations and especially different countries have their own traditions. In places such as Germany and France, these traditions have been steeped over centuries to a fine perfection. Revel in this environment and forget what is usually on the to-do list. Halloween and Thanksgiving are only in the states and even then different cities and even families celebrate uniquely. Instead of bringing your favorite dish or asking when the trick-or-treaters start, research the local celebrations and festivals.
Tasting the local fare is my next favorite tip. I remember walking the Weinachtsmarkt (Christmas Markets) with my host parents. The first treat they introduced me to was latkes or potato pancakes. The mixture resembled pancake batter but when the vendor poured it onto the hot skillet, I could see the potato lumps frying up crispy. They flipped it once and then piled it into a small paper tray covered with a small sliver of wax paper. The grease started to immediately soak into the wax paper and the heat from the latkes steamed into the cold air. My host father took a large squeeze bottle I have normally only seen for ketchup and dropped warm applesauce all over the pancakes. I never would have ordered it myself, but now, as the fall weather comes and the temperatures begin to drop, I remember that taste.
Buy yourself a present. Walking through the streets of the old town, the cobblestones and quaint shops yelled out Old World Christmas. Spiced wine was in the air and I was on the hunt for a souvenir tradition of my own. While traveling, I always thought, do I really need this? After moving from city to city in the States and then traveling via bus and train in Europe, one learns to live lean. However you need a present; you need something tangible with textures to remind you of your favorite memories in a way that photos just cannot mimic. I chose Christmas tree ornaments; every year I strive to stage the perfect Christmas. The word stage fits perfectly since it really all comes down to performance. Cookies must be the perfect consistency, the tree timed perfectly so it is early enough to enjoy during December but not so much that it is dead by the 25th. Fitting in with my love for this holiday, I collect Christmas ornaments from every city I visit. I have blown glass, pictures, spoons, a small Venetian mask, and from this Christmas in Germany, a small figure clad in typical hunter garb, complete with lederhosen. Holding this memory every year transfers me back to the cobblestone streets and of course brings to my lips the stories my friends and family have heard now over and over. However, for me at least, the stories feel new every Christmas.
