Protesting the Exit of Christmas with Swiss Pics

I absolutely hate it how there is such a build up to Christmas... on tv, the radio, the sales ads, the signs, the decorations, everything!  And then literally 3 minutes after Christmas is over the Lifetime Channel stops playing the cheese-ball movies, the radio station that has been playing Christmas music for the past 57 days reverts back to pop hits from high school, and that the stores already have Valentine's Day nonsense stocking the shelves.  

I type this as I sit and bask in the glory of my Christmas Tree's lights less than 24 hours after anxiously unwrapping gifts to see if I really was a good girl this year.  Please society, just give me a few more days of twinkly lights, cookies, and carols.  

Now, how about some Swiss pictures?!  (I have yet to upload my Christmas ones, and the Swiss photos are a lot more interesting!  Plus, this is just one way for me to protest the exit of Christmas... how about we agree to celebrate Christmas here on my blog in a couple days?  Deal?!)

I absolutely hate flying.  But there are a couple locations I absolutely LOVE to fly into.  Norfolk (my hometown airport) at night is the runner up, because you can see the ocean, the military bases, the huge navy ships and just a handful of tall buildings.  Zurich, Switzerland takes the award as my favorite place to land a plane!  Flying in on December 3, we were greeted with dark skies parting way to a beautiful sunrise, the alps in view, snow on the ground, and lights from the Swiss communities.

My family lives in Schaffhausen, Switzerland.  It's a small town with a big waterfall.  Unfortunately, I do believe this was my first time NOT going to see the Rhine Fall.  But I guarantee you that if you google it image search it, it will look the same as it has the past 15 times I have seen it.  On one of my first days there, my cousin Kirsten and I (and sleepy Benjamin) walked along the Rhine one afternoon before the snow started.



After a bitter cold walk it was time for some hot spiced rum tea!  Sugary, sweet and delicious doesn't even begin to describe this beverage.

Little Benjamin slept for our entire walk!  He had no clue that we parked him in a restaurant while we sipped on hot beverages.  

As much as I adore my little nephew, it was nice to have a "big girl date" with Kirsten one afternoon in the middle of my trip.  We hopped on a train and headed to Konstanz, Germany!  While we were there we enjoyed a traditional German meal on a boat ... (a pretzel and some brats, along with a tall beer!)

After warming up a bit, we ventured back out to the Christmas Market.  If you have not been to a traditional European Christmas Market, I highly recommend you put it on your bucket list.  There is nothing more Christmas-y and festive than this!  (Do you see the rusty metal houses below?  Kirsten and I both took one home!  Such a nice present - thank you Kirsten!)

And nothing says "Legit" like a couple cups of Gluhwein!  (It's amazing spiced red wine served hot!  And I love it!)

Did I mention it snowed almost every day I was in Switzerland?  Come back tomorrow (yes, I promise it will be here, because I am typing it up now!!) and see some photos from my snowy day trip to Stein am Rhine, Switzerland!