Here in Germany Christmas Eve is the most important part of Christmas.
Most people go to church in the afternoon followed a big meal and the gift giving in the evening.

In my family we normaly celebrate Christmas Eve without other guests. When my siblings moved out to start their own families they continued that custom.

Christmas Eve is for each family on thier own and then on the two Christmas Days some of us get together at one of their places if it is possible.

As I'm the only one in our family still single I always just went to my parents place to keep them company and celebrate together.

So that way I was at our home, my parents place for all my first fourty Christmas Eves.

This year it was different. My parents decided (after 46 years of also always being at home for Christmas) to visit my youngest brothers family four hours north from here.

Two of my brothers families are also living still in our home town and invited me to join them for coffee in the early afternoon and to go to church afterwards.

This afternoon was very remarkable.
The last days we always had dark and rainy weather.
On the way over there suddenly the sun came through the clouds, creating a big colorful rainbow.

After coffee and a nice service we were still standing in front of the curch.
I don't know why, but I looked up in the night just to see a big and bright shooting star crossing the sky above the clouds.

So this year that's what I got for Christmas: My very own, real Christmas Star!