Christmas in Germany

We just spent several days in Germany, where the Christmas decorations are up and the markets are going full blast, serving liters of Gluehwein, tons of brats, and piles of those delicious greasy potato pancakes. It's all about Christmas there. 

We were reveling in the lights and atmosphere and food and drink but I couldn't help thinking how ironic it was that if we were home in the States, we'd be grumbling about the premature advent (not Advent) of decorations and the pressure to buybuybuy. In Germany it just seems right.