SusieJ's Advent Calendar December 2, 2007

The recipe: Pfefferkuchen

This Lebkuchen variation is another make-it-early recipe. The dough sits for two weeks before being baked. Additionally, the cookies will keep for weeks in an air-tight container and ship well.

The surprise: Christmas markets

Whether called Christkindlmarkt or Weihnachtsmarkt, every German city has a daily outdoor Christmas market in December. Smaller towns like the one I lived in had market on weekends. They beat the mall any time, if only because of the hot spiced wine served.

Santa's coming!

Although I'm only just now putting up my Christmas lights, my sister Mary has decorated her house, including wreathes, outside lights, and at least one tree by the day after Thanksgiving (perhaps the day before).

Decorating the tree,
	1988As a college junior, I spent Thanksgiving weekend at her house. The day after Thanksgiving, she hauled out her artificial tree — it was my job to set that up — and boxes and boxes of ornaments. She, my niece and I had a blast decorating the tree.

We both love Christmas, and shopping for friends and family. Mary has always shopped all year for Christmas presents. Even as a single mother with a full-time job and night classes, she finishes her shopping in November.

After the tree was decorated, she started pulling Christmas presents from her closet.

Wrapped presents.

The day after Thanksgiving.

In front of her then three-year-old daughter.

Did you know that three year olds have no sense of time? I didn't know that but my sister should have. My niece started jumping up and down, shouting,

Santa's coming tomorrow! Santa's coming tomorrow!