More drinks at school

Oh, dear readers, there's something about Germans and their drinks. Or maybe it's Americans and I'm just being exposed to a new world. But drinks in a school?

Today we celebrated another teacher's birthday. At our recess duty, the whole school came out to sing to her and present her with a large bottle of champagne and some chocolates. No kids snickered, asked for a drink of it, or even noticed. Champagne? At recess? Russ and I were staring at each other, astonished, and giggling. That's the behavior I expected from the students. 

Then, at Fiona's kindergarten, I "read" (looked at, got some of the gist, and asked our secretary to give me the information) a sign about the upcoming Lantern Fest. At said Fest (constant fests here in Germany!), children will be asked to bring a stick, sausages, and rolls. There will be a "fire basket" (when I heard that, I thought I'd have to remove her from school. A fire basket! But it's actually a bonfire. Phew. So much more appropriate for sixty toddlers) and the children will use the sticks to grill the sausages in the open flame. Tea will be provided for the children, and Gluwein (the lovely hot sugary wine) will be provided for the adults. This is the same place where, at parent teacher conferences, they gave us champagne. And now, even better, Gluwein! 

I'm completely blown away by all this alcohol in schools. Maybe it's my Puritan, Massachusetts teacher training- but we didn't even SAY the word alcohol in school. If we were planning a party for after school, we'd say "Want to go out for a Coke?" in order to throw those fifth graders off the scent. We would NEVER have presented a teacher with a glass (!) bottle of alcohol on the playground. The kids seem very relaxed about it. Maybe I should too. But really, I'm a bit frightened- Gluwein, the infamous fire basket, and toddlers with sticks? Please tune in next week for pictures of this madness.