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Now and then, you need to have a party. . .

An 18th century print of German Christmas festivities, that made an appearance here on the Grand Duchy of Stollen blog last December.

I think the Grand Duchess and I needed a party.  After some solider painting midday, followed by some swiffering and a stint with the vaccuum cleaner by yours truly,  last night's event certainly fit the bill.  It was small, but lively and, dare I say, jolly.  

It was an interesting and varied group.  Our guestlist included people from Chile, Italy, Sri Lanka, Minnesota, New York City, and Kenya.  Two of our guests were of the Jewish and Islamic faiths plus a bunch of us lapsed Christians.  One of our guests is a native Spanish speaker, another grew up speaking Swahili, and another Italian.  Oh, ad the latter is married a guy who speaks fluent Noo Yawkese!  Among us, we had an anthropologist, a musician, a sociologist, an engineer, a linguist, and someone from the medical field, who is now working on his Ph.D.  Whew!  

German Christmas music (Viennese boys' choir, etc.) provided the soundtrack to an evening of good food, excellent company and conversation, and copious amounts of wine. . .   topped off by the German feuerzangenbowle courtesy of the Grand Duchess.  It was a delightful way to unwind and ring in the Christmas and holiday season.  And do you know what?  I want to do it again very soon.

Here is another old-fashioned Christmas postcard featuring old Saint Nick in the more familiar red robes, though he is a long way from the 1940s Coca-Cola Santa Claus that so many of us know.

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