I'm a simple emigrant, and in Germany today it's Christmas

I want to tell you about my first Christmas in this country. I moved from Russia a month before the holiday. That is, besides the fact that as a Russian I wasn't planning to celebrate it, I wouldn't have anyone to celebrate it with. But my friend Nadine invited me to her parents' house. I think Germans, if someone stays alone for Christmas, will definitely invite them over. So I first went to a party in Munich, and then we all headed together to a village, to the friend's parents. First, on December 23, we went to church to listen to Christmas carols, and everyone could participate: on all the seats there were booklets with the lyrics. The next day, on Christmas Eve, we went to church again. On that day children performed a nativity play, just like in the movies—imagine that? And I saw it live for the first month and a half in the new country. Also on Christmas Eve, usually they organize a festive dinner, and this confuses even those who have lived here for years. After all, Christmas is the 25th, but they “celebrate” it on December 24. Such dinners often include a variety of raw meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, and cheese is a must. And in the center of the table they place the king – raclette. It’s a two-tier pan, with a grill on top and small individual pans below where you can put already cooked vegetables or meat, cover with cheese and let it melt. Remembering how my mom, during holidays, would start cooking days in advance, and even when everyone was already seated, she would still run from the kitchen to the living room, I grew to love the very concept of raclette. Even though the holiday days off are only December 25 and 26, people usually take vacations until the New Year. And during this time begin the familiar visits to relatives/family friends/neighbors, etc. I was also invited to go around to all the relatives. And on the last day I spent, trying to communicate in my imperfect German with people who spoke a strong Bavarian dialect, telling again and again the same story about our acquaintance with Nadine during our study abroad. #holidays