Christmas – suddenly it’s there. We somehow missed the whole Advent season – there were too many things going on and stuff needed to be organized. Not only logistically quite challenging, but also emotionally. So, there wasn’t much time for reflection.

We both don’t really care about Christmas (anymore) – neither for religious nor for social reasons. The whole consumerism around Christmas, all the hassle about buying presents, commerce everywhere, everything has to be big, colorful, and glittering – all this rather puts us off. Christmas season as a time to reflect and a time to calm down – it is difficult to find between all those mountains of presents.

But despite the hassle around Christmas, it is hard not to start thinking and to reflect during this time of the year – especially in view the end of one year, and the beginning of a new one. Some things didn’t go well in 2011, some did – and life held a lot of surprises (see the post about how we met).

The last year has turned our lives literally upside down. It was an exciting year, sometimes difficult, very intensive, wonderful, sometimes crazy, happy, never boring, and sometimes it was also a sad year. But now we are looking forward to 2012: we are going to marry, we will start our big trip, we will live our big dream – but there are also some points that still put a strain on us, things that have to be sorted out and problems that need to be solved.

Thank you very much to all that have supported and motivated us in 2011, as well as to all that cared about us and that have read our blog. We hope that you will stay with us in 2012 and continue following our trip and the preparations – it is going to be really exciting!

And we wish for all those that are looking forward to Christmas – or not – some quite days that allow reflection about what really counts in live. Maybe a little hint: it is not the biggest present under the Christmas tree!