2. Weihnachstag (Boxing Day)

Over here, Boxing day is called the 2nd Christmas day. We had a heavy snow fall on the evening of Christmas day, so Boxing Day was beautifully white!

So we went out to Johanna park again, but this time with Owen in a baby carrier so he could more easily get out and about and actually experience the winter air.

The lake (pond) was starting to freeze over. The ducks kept a channel open by continuously swimming back and forth, but we're told they will migrate once they can't access the water any more.

Vera made a little snow man for Owen - his first ever!

In the afternoon, Nathan went to visit a family we know from Church. He played Niagara with the parents and two older kids, and saw their fully decorated REAL Christmas tree. The decorations included lighted candles, which seems a little dangerous to us!




In the last post, we forgot to include this photo. At the christmas markets, you can buy the lebkuchen hearts with tacky messages on them. We bought Owen this one - it means "for my treasure".

Important language tip: Beware of Falsche Freunde (False Friends). This is a phrase used to describe words that sound the same in English and German, but actually have very different meanings. They can get you into trouble if you don't realise! Some examples. Sensible in German means sensitive in English. Bekommen in German means receive/get in English. Gift in German means poison in English. Kontrollieren in German means check in English.

Real life examples (edited for clarity) of false friend mistakes:
1) I'm worried about this manufacturing process - it is very sensible.
2) He becomes a computer tomorrow.
3) Customs officer (in German): What is in your bags? Traveller: Es gibt nur Gifts (There's only poison). One sure way to delay your exit!
4) Tomorrow morning we will control Owen's blood.