Germans could never afford to celebrate a big holiday like Thanksgiving at the end of November the way Americans do. But there’s a good reason for this: They’re already getting all revved up for Christmas! Germans invented the car, truly a grea...

After moving to Germany, I was excited to recreate Thanksgiving the way I knew it from my childhood. But then I learned that the traditions I wanted to recreate were not as traditional as I thought.

It's not a holiday without pumpkin pie, but what I bake is a far cry from my mother's version. I was shocked to discover that Germany  didn’t have ready-made, canned pumpkin mix. This was followed by the equally shocking prospect of having...

Americans celebrate fall with Halloween, but Germans have St. Martin. Children carry lit lanterns in processions through the dark, singing. It sounds so lovely, until you’re the one out there battling the cold wind to keep the lantern lit. Afte...

If you’re just settling in on the couch, then don’t let any Germans into the room. They’ll open up all the windows to let in fresh air – regardless of the outside temperature.