Fête Saint -Nicholas

Thank you for all the birthday wishes! It was a really great day.

As I mentioned in my last post we went on the St. Nicholas Train yesterday afternoon. It was suggested by some fellow expats as a fun thing to do with the kiddos. But other than being "fun" we really didn't know what this St. Nicolas Train experience would entail.

We boarded a train, headed by a steam engine in Petange, Luxembourg. We weren't sure if the train ride was the experience or if there was a destination. After a 20 minute train ride we stopped at an old train station and we all got off the train. As we walked to the station we could see St. Nicolas himself emerge from the train.
The station was filled with large tables and benches, bratwurst vendors and a beverage counter where coffee, beer, cremant, and juice were available for purchase. At the far end, St. Nicolas had his own private grotto to greet children. There was also a miniature train set up for viewing. And it was a mad house. Did I mention that? It was packed with families who had arrived on the previous train. And a train load of families from the train we'd arrived on.
We grabbed a table and then made a mad dash to the queue to visit St. Nicolas. As you can see only 1 child was willing to visit. This was due to St. Nicolas' helpers, Black Peter(s). They were quite terrifying and Audrey wanted nothing to do with them. {More on Black Peter in my next post.} Eva was more than willing after she saw the goodie bag she would receive from St. Nicholas. I told the girls it was more like a shopping bag of treats not a goodie bag. Sheesh.

After greeting St. Nicholas we visited with friends while the girls consumed mass quanitites of chocolate. Then we got on the train and returned to Petange. It was a great experience. Something new. Something that was carried out in a way that wouldn't be found in the U.S. I loved it. The girls did too!