Newsletter Winter 2025

Welcome to Winter, Babe.

And these markets aren’t specific to Germany, but to many of the countries on this side of the world. They all do them a little differently and it’s fun to see the differences and similarities between them.

This year, I had my first cup of Glühwein in Budapest, Hungary so I welcomed the season with some Hungarian, rum Glühwein. And this weekend I will go to a Christmas market that always sells out within an hour, the Ravenna Gorge market, in the Black Forrest. If you ever heard of black forest cake, this is where it comes from, the southern western part of Germany. Needless to say, I will have more Glühwein to drink and cake to eat so I am going to get to it, but not before we touch on one thing.

If you read the last newsletter, you may know that I am just as happy to see winter upon us, as I was with fall. Definitely no more sweating with these temperatures! And German winters can be quiet, well, German, but in a really fun way. Even with the grey skies and shorter days, the Germans do something that always helps you through the cold. And that’s Christmas markets. Now I am not really into celebrating Christmas, but it is so fun to walk through the markets while it’s cold out, drinking mulled wine a.k.a. Glühwein, and seeing all the intricate decorations, smelling and of course, eating the hot food. It makes getting outside in the cold extra fun.

What’s the Deal with Winter?

In the northern hemisphere of this planet, we are experiencing winter. Those in the south are just entering their summer though. This time of year, also brings the holidays … so, yay?

Holidays bring about, let’s just say ‘a lot.’ Why? Because there are so many memories, and therefore, emotions, tied to these days/times of the year. While it can be fun for many, for other ‘many,’ it can seem overwhelming and a tad dreadful (or like, really dreadful).

If you are currently and/or have experienced loss of any sort, especially of a loved one (pets, plants, career etc., all included), this time of year can seem hopeless. We miss what we were once familiar with, what once may have given us comfort, routine, assurance; and during holiday events or just the holiday itself, it can leave us feeling alone and fearful that we cannot cope with this time of year.

Add to this, the winter, babe. The fact that the days are typically cold, getting dark early, just add to the intensity of the experience, right? And, gatherings of any sort, can be a lot, especially on people with certain diagnoses like dementia (I will cover this in my social media posts and live stream this month).

So, anything good about this season? Maybe we stay away from the ‘good’ vs ‘bad’ and just see it for what it is. A time where, just like nature, we retrieve inwards (literally and figuratively), unless you have some Glühwein to keep you warm, you’re probably heading inside! But with the heaviness of the emotions we can feel, we turn inward and become reflective. Especially during the damn, new year with those damn, resolutions. No hate to anyone who does them, but the pressure, really? Like, RIGHT AFTER the holidays?!

In nature, winter is a time to hibernate and rest. Doesn’t seem that way though for us, am I right? But, that is what is naturally occurring in the cold, the stillness that is winter. With this time, the trees, animals etc., rest, conserve their energy and come back to renew in the spring season (we will of course, get to spring, in the spring newsletter, love).

Maybe consider this a time of introspection, a time to tend to your insides; eat and drink something warm and nourishing, pay attention to what is going on inside of you and try, if you can at all, to get some rest, like real rest; not the type of rest where you’re scrolling on your phone (am I guilty of this, yea, but who isn’t?). So, try to rest, rest, where you close your eyes. Even it you want to reach for you phone, allow yourself to be bored for a few minutes to see what your body needs.

Dead Famous

"Dead people are easy to love. It's the living ones who are hard.”

Laurence Overmire

Kind of apropos for the holidays, am I right?