Lantern Night

We celebrated St. Martin's Day with Lauryn's German Kindergarten class in the Wald (Woods) tonight.  We all gathered at the Waldheim, a beautiful place in the woods where there were two buildings and a fabulous playground area.  The kids performed a play about St. Martin.  The story is a wonderful lesson in generosity. St Martin gave a needy man his cloak as he was riding by on his horse.  When it became dark, the kindergarteners lit their lanterns (with real candles and flame!) and we processed through the forrest and sang beautiful German songs.  We returned to a banquet of "suss und salzig" sweet and salty treats that were prepared by the parents.  We drank hot "teepunch" (teapunch--hot cider tea) and enjoyed the brisk night air!  Another American family brought spinach dip with blue tortilla corn chips and there was a crowd gathered around.  The German families were asking if the corn chips were dipped in something blue and raving over the flavor of the dip.  We got such a kick out of it, that all the American families have decided to make a Southwestern meal to share at some point during the year.