what christmas in europe looks like!

we had a wonderful christmas time here in prague.  on christmas eve (which happened to be unseasonably warm) we had an EPIC pancake breakfast with eggs and bacon.  i had NO IDEA it was so dang easy to make pancake batter.  and they turned out amazingly.  it’s just flour, egg, baking powder, a little sugar, milk, and that’s about it people!  i will never purchase another pancake batter mix as long as i live.

we rode the tram to namesti miru with the intention to go to the christmas market there and stumbled upon a czech christmas carol session that was just starting up.  there were several musicians and the entire crowd was singing…. it was one of those special “anacortes-like” music moments.  everyone seemed to know each other and ladies were passing around homemade cookies.  it was a nice scene.  later that evening we had a smorgasbord, went for a night wander around the castle area with some great views over the city, then watched home alone 2 (HARRY, I’VE REACHED THE TOP!) which is my personal favorite of the two.

christmas day was lots of fun.  we had a traditional czech christmas bread called vanocka for breakfast and walked across charles bridge to stare mesto (old town square) to hang out there for awhile and walk around, take photos, and look at all of the christmas market booths.  we ate czech hot dogs, which are essentially a hot dog almost completely enclosed in a bread roll with mustard and ketchup inside.  amazing invention, forgot to take a photo of it however.  we headed to good ol’ starbucks in our neighborhood mala strana for some cups of christmas cheer.  

then we made what turned out to be one of the most epic christmas feasts of all time.  (see above) it had to be tasted to be believed.  alex made his famous mashed potatoes and i made little dumplings with sauerkraut and polish sausage.  a proper central european christmas dinner.  so delicious!!!

Cynthia: “Alex, are you sure you should have more mashed potatoes? You might go into potato coma!”

Alex: “……..It’s Christmas, dear.”  (eats potatoes)

and the potato coma ensued.  as well as skyping with our moms, christmas trivia game, and puzzle.  epic christmas, indeed.  i hope all you friends and family out there had a happy christmas as well…. thinking about you all!

even though it was my first christmas away from family, it was a christmas present alone to be here in prague with alex on my favorite day of the year.  as corny as that might be, it is very true and i’m so grateful.  happy holidays!