Word of the Week

'Tis the season for wine (mulled or not), egg nog and punch. With Christmas markets in every German town, holiday parties at work, and family get-togethers, you practically always have an excuse to grab a glass and take a swig or two, at any time of day. After a few too many swigs, you will at some point become "voll" (full) - and we're not just talking about your bladder.

Let's not beat around the bush: If you're voll, you're drunk. And if you're sternhagelvoll - literally, star hail full - you're, well, really drunk. Typically when it hails, it's too cloudy to simultaneously see stars. But it's amazing what a bit of mulled wine can do to the sky!

A starry, icy night … It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas, isn't it!