Fantastic start in the new day: nice comments on my blog and an email from Jenn who got her package at last. And she likes it. And even better: Krista fits and looks gorgeous on her. Don't you think so? David is a great photographer: the colour is exactly the same as it is in real and Jenn looks amazing! I couldn't help myself: I had to grab it and put it in here.

I want you all to know that I was so happy to meet and spoil her. She is a warm and friendly person filled with humour and joy. It was a great experience putting the gifts together: looking for hints in her blog, guessing her taste and reading her mails.

But I guessed and know now it is true: I screwed up the secret part: Although I created an anonymous emailaccount, I forgot to click the right box: .com would have been better than .de ... she knew all the time who I am ... So in fact it was her secret, not mine ;-))

I really really hope that we will stay in contact and will meet one day in the future.

Dear Jenn, let me invite you once more: If you are really going to travel to Germany again, you do not need to find a hotel! Düsseldorf airport is not far away and I would like to spoil you both for some days! Thank you so much for being the perfect swapee!

And I want to mention another Christmas around the world partner: I am her swapee and I also have a guess who she might be. I enjoy her mails very much and am curious to see her/my package. Hugs for you, too! :-)

in the middle of the night and trying to write an English entry. One hour ago I got mail from my secret swapper. She is American and extremely nice I can tell that already.

Thank you for your nice letter and I will try to find out who you are :-)

And because the translator software is not better than my poor English I will summarize my entries from now on until Christmas in English - I promise!

The fun begins!

Time to use my poor English although I am married to an Australian ... or because?

1. Are you religious?
No, I am not. But a liittle part inside me still hopes.

2. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider yourself a Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced?
I started like many others in the 80ies, forgot it in the 90ies and began again 3 years ago. I'd say I'm advanced but my finishing is not perfect and there will be always at least one mistake in every finished garment. So whoever will receive my knitted present: I do apologize in advance.

3. Do you have any other hobbies besides knitting?
Reading and writing.

4. Favorite color(s)?
My colours are: grey in every shade from silver to charcoal, cherry-red, dark purple and plum, black and a very difficult colour to describe: it is kind of turquois, very pale and greyish - I call it my Jane Austen Colour, because you'll see this shade in every film playing in the regency. I like my yarn in one colour or in a tweedy look, but no self-striping,or variegated yarn, please - it does not suit me. And: I can even be tempted by acrylic fibers if the colour were yummy.

5. Do you collect anything?
Books (roundabout 800) and - hmm - yarn ...

6. Are you allergic to any fibers or animals?
No, but I find it difficult to wear mohair.

7. Do you have any pets?
No. I used to live with cats and I still miss it somehow.

8. Coffee, Tea, or Hot Chocolate?
Tea and Hot Chocolate.

9. Cookies or Sweets?
Aren't cookies sweet? I do love sweet things like marzipan and nougat - they are part of Christmas time.

10. Do you knit socks?
No.

11. If not socks then what? (tell us about your favorite knits)
Sweaters and jackets, rarely scarfs,mittens or bonnets.

12. Do you put up a Christmas tree? If not then what do you do?
Yes, having two small children and living in Germany it is a must!

13. Favorite holiday treats?
Difficult to say. I always try to cook something special - last christmas found us eating a Thai Chicken Curry soup, a mixed salad with vegetables and fruits and fresh bread.

14. Favorite holiday smells?
Glühwein on the Christmas Market although I don't like to drink it.

15. Do you celebrate Christmas in a traditional or unconventional way? Please elaborate.
Difficult question again. It is kind of traditional. In Germany we celebrate christmas on the 24. December. As soon as it is dark you start playing christmas songs, start the cooking and probably tasting some sweets. My parents and my brother will be there for dinner and after we are all fed it is time for - the presents. When everyone except my husband and I have gone to bed, we will hopefully sit and enjoy the quietness. And having some mor sweets.

6. What are your favorite holiday traditions?
The Christmas tree and "Drei Nüsse für Aschenbrödel" which is an czechoslo (... I am lost) film for kids coming from the 70ies - just google the name und you will be sure to find a lot of information and memories.

17. Finish the sentence: “For me Christmas is all about....”
kids and wishes and smells and sweets and hope.

18. If you were a Christmas ornament you would be…….?
O dear - not an angel I am afraid. A silver bell perhaps but don't ask me why. I do not know.

19. What was your favorite gift you've ever received? Or given?
I don't really remember such a special gift. But my first son was born December 22 2004 - and that was the most important christmas we ever had.

20. When do you start your Christmas?
The Christmas Day or the Christmas time? Christmas starts with December the first.

21. Do you send Christmas cards? Do you make them or buy them?
No, because they are always late :-)

22. What is your favorite Christmas dish?
There is no special dish but special cookies: Vanillekipferl, Zimtsterne, Lebkuchen.

23. Carolers are at your door. What do you do?
I would be all astonishment. This is a tradition that doesn't exist in (my part of?) Germany.

24. When do you open presents? Christmas eve or Christmas morning?
Christmas eve. Isn't it great for kids to stay awake that long and that darkness outside can be so delicious instead of frightening? That's what I thougt more than 30 years ago.

25. Do you celebrate with family or friends or both?
With family on christmas eve and perhaps with friends the next two days

Well that was hard work :-)

Ich bin dabei ... bin verdutzt und verdattert. Damit hätte ich nicht mehr gerechnet. Nun bin ich neugierig, was daraus werden wird und wen ich kennen lernen werde.

Die Einladung passt zu meinen fast schon weihnachtlichen Gefühlen: heute nachmittag hatte ich einen Termin im Krankenhaus, da ich seit einigen Tagen einen sehr harten Knubbel am Schienbein habe. Nennt mich hypochondrisch, aber bei Schwellungen unbekannter Herkunft werde ich nervös. Aber es ist alles in Ordnung und ich fühle mich sehr erleichtert. In meiner Familie sind meine Großmutter und ihr Bruder an Krebs gestorben, die Mutter meines Vaters an Leukämie und mein Vater hatte einen Tumor hinter dem Auge ...

Angeregt durch Spinnes Beitrag habe ich mich hier soeben angemeldet - bislang habe ich alle Anmeldungsfristen für Swaps verpasst. Ich bin etwas nervös, da auch etwas selbstgesticktes als Geschenk dabei sein soll ... es gibt kein Teil, das nicht einen Fehler hat, den ich erst nach dem Waschen bemerke: Zopf in die falsche Richtung gedreht, krause Masche im glatten Teil und ähnliches. Nicht verschenkwürdig:-( Was mache ich da am besten?