Friday, December 2, 2022
Wir waren heute Abend auf dem Weihnachtsmarkt in St. Paul. Unser Freund Peter sang dort mit seiner Gruppe, den Minnesänger.
I was thinking, and singing, in German tonight and you needed to be part of it. We went to the Christmas market in St. Paul tonight to hear our friend, Peter (you know, of the Wickerts) sing with his group, the Minnesänger. They were scheduled to perform from 7:30 – 9:00. We got to the far away parking lot a bit after 6 and the snow/rain was coming down hard. We had dressed for some outside time, but we had read that it was at Union Depot (train station) and thought it would be primarily indoors. Wrong. It was completely outdoors.
Keith was ready to hop right up and go to the market. I was pretty sure I was going to get very cold very fast. The temperature must have been just around freezing, because it was definitely snow that was falling, but it was wet wet wet. The water was running down the windshield. I considered an umbrella, then a blanket, then decided on an umbrella. Keith said I wouldn’t need either. We walked about 8 feet and I went back and switched umbrella for fleece blanket. I walked along, heartily singing Christmas songs I know in German (first, and then again, and again KLING, GLÜCKCHEN, KLINGELINGELING. It is so much fun to sing.)
There were a lot of people there and it was really cute. Lots of beautiful little booths decorated for the holiday, covered in snow. The poor vendors! They were trying to keep their things from being wrecked by wet snow and blown away by gusting wind. We enjoyed some spaetzle and cheese curds, the cinnamon nuts (you know, the ones that smell so good!), pierogi, and blintzes. Peter’s group was very good, and we enjoyed it with Sue, and their delightful son, Andrew, and his friend, McKenzie. I enthusiastically sang along to Kling, Glückchen, Klingelingeling. Obviously. I think I learned that song in 10th grade. I am pretty confident (really confident) that nothing I taught 10th graders today will stick 40+ years later. I am DEFINITELY telling them on Monday that I knew the words to a song I learned in 10th grade. That they will probably remember for 40 years.
People kept telling me I was smart to be wrapped up in a blanket. Yay me.
Great song! I don’t even mind the earworm–what fun to sing “Glückchen” and “Klingelingeling.” Great photos, too!
I especially like that klingelingeling is one word. Way to go, German!
Brilliant idea to wrap up in a blanket.
Looks so Christmassy too.
It wasn’t even that cold, but the wind! And the wet! It was such fun anyway. I was so surprised how many people were there – I heard no complaints as we walked around, just people offering to help vendors and offering their sympathies that it was such a hard night. Nice Minnesotans out in force!