Merry Christmas Markets

We have had so much fun celebrating the holiday season across the world this year. In early December, David and I were both back in Austin for work. While there, we were able to attend the Volusion holiday party at the UT stadium. Every year David’s company hosts a casino night for their party. At the end of the night, guests turn in their chips for prize tickets. We have won a prize every year… except this year. The company has continued to grow so much, along with the chances of winning anything. Plus it doesn’t help when David loses all of his money during the first ten minutes of blackjack. Oh well! We still had a great time hanging out with Texas friends and schmoozing with the Volusioneers. And I have to give a shout-out to my hubby for earning the Trailblazer award for blazing the trail across the pond for the company. Yay David!

Molly and David with their well-deserved awards

After Austin, I had to head back to Bratislava for work. While there, I went to the Bratislava Christmas market in the town square in the evenings. I sampled mulled wine, traditional Brat food like fried cheese sandwiches, and ENORMOUS German potato pancakes. I also picked up a hand-painted Christmas ornament. David and I started a tradition about a year ago collecting Christmas ornaments from all of the places we travel to. Bratislava, check!

Bratislava town centre

Giant Christmas tree in front of the Bratislava opera house

Snowing on our walk back to the hotel

Back in London, David and I also spent our weekends at the local Christmas markets. We visited the Southbank market on Queens Walk next to the London Eye, across the river from Big Ben and Parliament. There were tons of booths set up selling everything from funny hats to fake snow to wooden ties. Wooden ties are really popular in the London markets – we don’t get it. It’d be perfect for a white elephant gift, I guess…

Southbank Christmas Market - Big Ben and the London Eye are barely

visible in the background of this picture

David enjoying a bratwurst and mulled wine

About a week before Christmas, it snowed like crazy! It was beautiful but very hazardous. London is not equipped to deal with a lot of snow and ice, so Heathrow shut down for days, along with many other public transportation systems. This is the second year in a row that London has had a lot of snow, so the city should get its act together now and be better prepared for any future snowstorms.

Our street at the beginning of the snowstorm

Kirby posing with the snow-family the Fujitas made in our front yard

Unfortunately, one of David’s coworkers from the states who was here for business was stranded until Christmas Day. But to lift his spirits, we decided to show him a true London Christmas and take him to the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland one evening.

Hyde Park is transformed during Christmas into not only a market full of food and craft stalls, but also a carnival. There are a ton of rides, haunted houses, restaurants, and bars. This year we even saw a giant inflatable bar. Inside was way too fancy schmancy for us, though. There were reserved tables with bottle service and oysters – kind of strange in the middle of a winter wonderland carnival… Hyde Park is also home to London’s largest ice rink during this time of year. We stayed at the park for most of the night, hopping from stall to stall to try the different warm drinks and yummy German food.

David and me with Santa in front of one of the wooden tie stalls

After leaving Hyde Park, we walked down the street to check out the window displays at Harrods. This year’s Christmas theme was Peter Pan. The windows were beautifully and elaborately decorated. We didn’t go inside, though, because we would’ve been trampled by last-minute holiday shoppers! Luckily we had already done all of our shopping, so we were able to just enjoy the week before Christmas at home relaxing with the House family (and celebrating Amy's recent engagement - congrats)!

On Christmas Eve, instead of doing the regular midnight church service, we decided to change it up this year and go to the Carols by Candlelight concert at Royal Albert Hall. It was a beautiful concert, and such an amazing experience singing Christmas carols with 5,000 other Londoners on Christmas Eve. The musicians and choir were dressed up in Victorian costumes and Santa even made an appearance! We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year!