Happy Niu Year!

The 3 Lil' Pigs wish everyone a Happy Niu Year! Da Ji Da Li!

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Wan Shi Ru Yi!

Xing Xiang Shi Chen!

Bye Bye, Mr. Rat!

Today is the last day of the year of the Rat. Chinese all over the world celebrate Chinese New Year's Eve with their family by having reunion dinner. When the clock strikes 12 tonight, a new year of the Ox begins in the Chinese lunar calender.

Bye Bye 2008!

Today is the last day of 2008. I have to constantly remind myself that it's only a matter of hours before the year is over. Actually, it's already 2009 in Australia.Having an active Golden Piglet means 2008 has flown by doubly fast for Mama Pig and Papa Pig.

The 3 Lil' Pigs are staying home this freezing new year's eve.

No parties, no countdowns, no firecrackers. Just a simple early dinner at home and playing with Piglet before hitting bed.

Happy New Year 2009!

Oink Oink oink,

Mama Pig + Papa Pig = Golden Piglet

Nikolaus Tag

It's Nikolaus Tag (St. Nicholas Day) today. Kids in Germany love this European festival because Santa will put gifts and sweets in the boots (Nikolaus-Stiefel) which the kids have left outside the front door the night before.We wanted to get our Sweetie Pie acquainted with Santa, so we went "hunting" for one in the local supermarket.

Now, doesn't it look like Mini Mrs. Santa was out doing Xmas shopping with her not-so-dwarfish black elf? Ha ha ha.

Unfortunately, we missed Santa because he had "Feierabend" (knocked off) some 4 minutes earlier than stated, so Mrs. Santa Jr. had to call Rudolph on Palm Centro to pick her up.Luckily our Piglet was too young to realize what she missed, but Papa Pig was very disappointed and chided Mama Pig for not remembering Santa's office hours.
Sorry Precious, Mama Pig will do better research and planning so you won't miss Santa and will get lots of sweets next year.

BOO!!!

It's Halloween! Oh, how fun it would be to go trick or treating. Too bad there isn't such a tradition in this small German town. However it's Reformationstag (reformation day), a religious holiday observed only in the protestant former East Germany. It was on this day almost half a millenium ago that Martin Luther posted a proposal at the doors of a church in Wittenberg, Germany to debate the doctrine and practice of indulgence. That was the start of Protestantism

Anyhow, I wanted to introduce our Sweetie Pie to this fun American tradition, so I dressed her up as Mrs. Santa Claus and baked some cookies. Even though Papa Pig was out of town and we stayed at home, our Pumpkin was having a delicious sweet time. She loved the cookies! And her belly button!

Our Golden Piggy likes to check her belly button and "belly dance".

Selamat Hari Raya!

Today, Muslims around the world celebrate Eid ul-Fitr which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan. In South East Asia, this holiday is celebrated for a month with family and friends over lots of delicious cookies and food.

Festival likes this makes me miss South East Asia. Oh, how I crave for rendang, sate, kue lapis, pineapple tarts and many more mouth-watering yummies. Yeah, I'm greedy!

Of course, I could cook up a feast here in Germany, but that would miss the whole point of getting together with friends of different cultures and joining them in their celebrations.

Living harmoniously in a multi-cultural society is both enriching and delicious!

Wishing all Muslims around the world a wonderful Eid ul-Fitr!

PS: Selamat Hari Raya to my dearest friend X and her family! X, loosen your belt and feast!