"Happy whatever you celebrate!"

I just listened to Kerry's AAR interview and thought it was funny when he said that at the end.

Anyway, here in France we say:
Bonnes Fêtes! Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année!

We have a quiet Christmas this year. My daughter came home from school early with a bad cold which luckily is better now. My parents are here - they hate the cold winter in Germany - and that's it. My mom who loves to cook made us a great Christmas meal and her traditional German cookies. Julie played Christmas songs from my parents wish-list on her computer and sang along; it was really nice and funny. In Germany we would have another holiday tomorrow because Christmas there is the 25th and the 26th, but here in France all will be back to normal tomorrow... at least outside of our home. As nobody in our family is working tomorrow we will be treated to another great meal made by my mom.

Oh, and here are her delicious cookies and chocolates (sorry that I can only send them virtually to you and not in reality):

I keep trying to reach into the screen to take these, so I'd better log off... Joyeux Noel et Bonne Annee!!!

i read an article on it once and it got me very interested. the cookies and chocolate look great.

Kerry has always been the type to recognize differences in people. not surprised he is acknowledging everyone for the holidays.

Yum Yum Yum!! I'm not even sure my mothers cookies looked that good! Why does Germany celebrate for two days?

I'm glad you're enjoying your holidays.

...some of my mom's cookies along.

"Why does Germany celebrate for two days?"
Good question. I confess that I had to ask my parents who know more about religious traditions than I do. On December 26th German's celebrate Saint Stephen, the first martyr of the Christian Church. This day is especially celebrates in Eastern European countries and Germany since the Middle Ages when it was a custom to feed the poor people the day after Christmas. Nice custom, but it sadly got lost over the centuries. Nowadays Germans just enjoy a second work-free holiday with the family.