Stephen and Elaine Biddulph: Christmas Frankfurt Germany

21 - 27 DEZEMBER 2015

Anneliese u Wolfgang Obst

Our one and only Christmas in Germany is over. It was simple, relaxing, and filled with talking to family and spending time with German friends and senior missionaries. By Wednesday afternoon, the area offices were dark and vacant. All employees were home with families. A few of us die-hard missionaries worked through Thursday. I had several phone calls with missionaries on Thursday. On Thursday evening, we drove to Obertshausen and spent a few hours with Anneliese and Wolfgang Obst and their three children: Melanie, Matthias, and Joachim (and his wife Irina). Irina is Russian but speaks good German. They are sweet, kind people.

German Weihnacht (Christmas) traditions vary in different parts of Germany. However, traditionally families open their gifts to each other and from the Christkind on Christmas eve (Heligabend), instead of on Christmas day. Santa Claus or Father Christmas (der Weihnachtsman) brings his presents on Christmas eve. Some families are extravagant in their gift-giving to young children and other families are more reserved. The Obst children are all grown, so it was more subdued.

Offenbach PV Kinder Nativity

On 6 December (St Nicholas's Day) children put their shoes by the door hoping that 'der Nikolaus' will fill them with sweets. Der Nikolaus is accompanied by Schwarzer Peter (Black Peter) or Knecht Ruprecht (Krampus) who carries a whip for naughty children and gives them a lump of coal or a Birch stick in their shoes. Christmas eve in Christian families is accompanied with a nice meal, reading of the Christmas story out of Luke 2, and singing of favorite Christmas carols, such as Stille Nacht Heilige Nacht (Silent Night), O Du Frohliche, and others.

Lukas, Nora, Hans Gehrig

On Christmas day we rode with the Galbraiths (senior couple - retired Marine) to the Familie Gehrig's house in Altheim Münster for Christmas lunch (Mitagessen). Hans is a teacher and our Sunday School president. Nora (his wife) is our young woman's president, and their son, Lukas, is our young men's president. Lukas just returned from a mission to Korea. They have a cat named Patch. We had an enjoyable couple of hours with them, then, returned home and spent the evening calling and talking with our children.

Patch the Furball

We got to speak with each family and hope to speak with Blake on Sunday. Jeff was sick with stomach flu so his Christmas wasn't great. Greg had 26 people sleeping at his house. All I can say to that is WHEW!! Utah is getting a strong white Christmas. Frankfurt is balmy 50 degrees. Our grandson, Jake, (Jeff and Michelle) finishes his 2-year mission to Jamaica in one month. We are please and humbly grateful for his service in spreading the truth of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ in that part of the world. We hope that all of our grandsons and some of our granddaughters will fill honorable missions. We hope that they will prepare themselves now mentally, spiritually, physically, and emotionally. As an area mental health advisor, I have learned much about the rigors of mission life. As a 19-year old 50 years ago I don't remember it being as hard as it is for some of these young people. I don't think it was harder; it is just harder for those who are not as well prepared to endure the hardships.

December Saturday walk along the Main River

Saturday we went for a very nice walk along the Main River in Offenbach. I've included a few pictures of the river walk. We then stopped by the church house to make sure it was clean for tomorrow's meetings, and returned home. Tomorrow we plan to visit Robert and Judith and John (friends we became acquainted with who come from Malaysia I believe) and drop off a food basket of goodies. It has been a good Christmas season. We hope in January to make a temple trip to the temple in The Hague, Netherlands, and then in February to Bern temple (Zollikofen). Life is good!