Christmas and New Year passed us by like the speed of light with not much memory other than cooking, eating, toilet and sleeping. Not necessarily in this order. We had plans of going out of course but they were all thrown out of the window when Mann first got sick and then me.
In some moments when we were clear in the head, we got to see the kids open their gifts. Girl asked me if she could just tear the wrapper. I was confused with her question until she clarified that her friend always had to carefully open her present, because the wrapper will be reused for next year.
And here I thought that I AM cheap. I guess my definition of saving money can never match with how some Germans do it. But am I going to change and nag my kids to be careful with the gift wrapper like my girl’s friend’s mother? Probably not.
Something about “you cannot shift an old tree without it dying”. But knowing about it was an eye-opener. Still, there is a reason why I do not drive a car or have an appointment with a hair salon or go for mani-padi like the women here do. I find saving money for a gift wrapper to be over the top. But I wonder what other practical things Germans do that I might be able to apply or learn from.
Anyway, happy 2026 to all of us. Wish we will all have good health.
Greetings,
Karlota
