Twenty Plus Years of Holiday Seasons

*** Under Construction ***


Dear Diary, Friends, and Families,
Started December 21, 2016

For almost twenty years, we have tried to keep a record of our life happenings, both to share with friends and family as we go along, and to allow Marianne and me to remember and reminisce.  With this page, I have tried to draw together a "topical" story: Christmas and New Year's Holidays.   The winter holiday season seems right for a look over time, although I also appreciate difficulty memories might bring. 

Here's the annual story, for better or worse.
1997
Gabby, Marianne, and I splurged on a one-week trip to Shanghai.  This predates our "diaries", but it is certainly a memory worth keeping.  For this "new" diary, I scanned Marianne's (paper) album.  It's a great and well-organized memory-maker.

1998
In Kiev, we started with early December seasonal celebrations before we headed back to California for a family visit.  We had no diary of the Christmas trip, so I built one from photos.  Sadly, this also includes the last pictures I have of my own mom.  She would pass away between this Christmas trip and any chance to return.

1999
Our first full Christmas in Kiev, complete with work and school and other Christmas parties, a visit by Gabby, and a Y2K New Year's celebration in the snowy streets.  This too is a new (2016) diary, constructed from our photo records.

2000
While the original diaries had brief descriptions of work and school Christmas parties, there was no diary record of the following trip to the US.  This new (2016) version has more pictures from Kiev and lots of pictures and memories from the American part of the holiday celebrations, from Maryland to California (Fresno, Monterey, Los Gatos, San Francisco, and Santa Cruz). 

2001
A diary rewritten in 2016, based mostly on what was original text.  Pictures are better and more plentiful.  This was the last time all three of our kids were in the same place as we all tried to help my sister through a particularly difficult cancer surgery.  Definitely a holiday season with highs and lows.

2002
Two parts, first a short note from Christmas Markets in Heidelberg and Frankfurt and then the story of our  Christmas in Virginia and Maryland.

2003
There were lots of picturres from the German Christmas season, but no diary webpage.  Consequently, in 2016, I created one from good pictures and foggy memories.

Meanwhile, I updated the US diary with better pictures.

2004
Our family Christmas in Garmisch-Partenkirche.

2005
A German holiday season.
First, to the big market at Nuremberg and a very small one in Pommersfelden.

Then a Christmas Eve overnight in Rotherburg ob der Tauber.  A magic place.

Before 2006 hit, we also stopped at Pommersfelden, Regensburg, Passau, and Bamburg.  Not Christmas really, but seasonal.

2006
Assorted original diaries of German Christmas stops, some with Gabby.
-- Wernigorode
-- Wuerzburg
-- Rothenburg ob der Tauber
-- Pommersfelden

2007
One of the multi-stop family Christmasses. I get tired just remembering these trips.
-- Maryland
-- Monterery
-- Colorado (diary never really finished.  Oops.)
-- Fresno
Plus, back in Pommersfelden for New Year's  

2008
A record number of German Christmas Markets.  (Click on the cups to jump to each market.)

2009
A standard three-stop home leave trip: California, Colorado, and Maryland.  (All as origianlly written)

2010
A complex Christmas. 
Two general parts, the first white and very traditional (in four parts):
-- Forchheim, Bamberg, and Frensdorf
-- Erlangen
-- Sommershausen
-- Rothenburg ob der Tauber (with Negins)

Then, a warmer break in Lisbon (four more parts):
-- Part 1 -- Part 2 -- Part 3 -- Part 4
(all as originally written)
2011

A Three-Part Christmas in America:
-- Maryland
-- Colorado
-- California
(all as originally written)

2012
Christmas in Pommersfelden and Nuremberg

2013
Another three-part Christmas in America,our new home:
-- Maryland
-- Fresno
-- Monte Sereno and Monterey
(all as originally written)

2014
Christmas in Fresno, as originally written. 
Also, as a bonus, a Christmas Letter

2015
Christmas in Fresno, as originally written

2016
Christmas in Fresno, as originally written
Also, another bonus Christmas Letter

2017

Another Christmas in Fresno
And a Christmas Letter

 

2018An Early Christmas and
One on Regular Schedule
2019

It's Complicated, Chemo through Christmas

 

2020

Strange Christmas (Pandemic Times)

 

2021

Christmas, Just Christmas

 

2022

Quiet Christmas

 

2023

Our End-of-the-year Christmas Letter

California Christmases