Christmas Tales
Like clockwork, when the holiday spirits begin to glow my dad beings to tell of Christmas in Germany and what it's like. He tells of the magical Christmas markets with the sweet smells wafting over stands to tickle your nose, of the presents delicately unwrapped on Christmas Eve, and of the precarious tradition of real candles on the tree. With his stories, my dad passes on a little piece of our cultural heritage as German Americans, retelling those memories we've never had the chance to experience. While we've been to Germany many times to visit family and explore other European countries in the summer, we miss out on much of shapes the culture. As the much-awaited day slowly creeps closer on the calendar, CDs filled with German Christmas carols spin along, with merry children's voices singing "Oh Tannenbaum" - "Oh Christmas Tree". Storytelling is a way to not only learn but also to bond, growing closer to the storyteller and the story alike. Germa