Saturday, November 25, 2023
Sean, Benjamin, and I went to the Christmas market in St. Paul. It had very cute little buildings holding vendors of food and drink as well as things to shop for. It was the delicious (DELICIOUS!) wafting aroma of the sugar nuts that held us enthralled. How do they smell that good? How do they smell like that? They are delicious, but don’t really taste like that smell.
There was a tiny Christmas train that went past signs of Christmas traditions from around the world. Benjamin and I learned…but we also had a few questions.
Costa Rica seems pretty straightforward – the apple stands and we look at orchids while we drink Rompope, which seems to be eggnoggy. Ethiopia has a game (yay games) and coffee (mmm, ew coffee) and three ladies who are named (?) Netala. And what is a Timkat?
Japan seems fancy with the romantic dinner (where are the children? Is Christmas not for children? I can get behind that), then on the day you eat KFC and cake while looking at (or going to?) Mt. Fuji.
Venezuela is awesome! Roller skating to church! I have never even thought of that! (So many exclamation points) Listening to the gaita music and eating the Hallacas (eating them? maybe unwrapping them?) and PAINTING HOUSES! Everyone’s house? With a mural or just a fresh coat? Mmmm?
Hungary really seems like where it is at for Christmas. Eating some Halaszle is probably good – why wouldn’t it be? Nothing says holiday like a pink boot filled with presents. Sitting on the Luca chair is probably great, but a witch hunt?! How exciting. (Benjamin wants to know how many people had to mistranslate something to get a Halloween witch on a Christmas traditions poster.)
So much information and yet the questions remain!
I’m just LOADED with questions… This event requires a full-time question-answerer. Maybe one at each booth.
Just think of the fun stuff you could learn!