1932-12-25: 1st Christmas in Germany...What???

Elmshorn
December 25/32

Dear Mother and Dad,

Here it is Christmas Day.  And what a different one it is from last years.  That is, for me.  No dance, no caroling, or playing around but instead, a lot of visiting and preaching.  Yes, I gave my "aufwiedersehn" speech to the Glückstadt branch this afternoon.  And to my surprise they really shed a few tears.  I don't know whether it was because I was leaving them or because of the way I was talking to them.  Anyway it was my first experience of that sort of thing.

But this Christmas is different in lots of other ways.  In the last two days we have had several people come to the door and ask to come in that they might sing us a Xmas song for a few pfenigs (pennies).  It is rather touching to meet up with some of the circumstances that we do.  Yesterday, we were invited to a house, the husband not having had work for over a year, and there we were given probably the only food that they had in the house.  Knowing of course that they were feeding servants of the Lord and that they would receive blessings in return.  They lived in a little two roomed house, the whole house not being any larger than our garage.... Other differences I have found in customs are that they open all their packages Christmas Eve instead of Christmas.  These German people are so curious that whenever they receive a package they have to open it whether it is a week before Xmas or not.  They also celebrate two days here instead of one.  I spent Christmas Eve with the Haus Groth.  We had a marvelous supper after which we spent the rest of the evening talking and playing "Heimal", a German game which is something between checkers and chess.  Tomorrow, we do a lot more visiting and then eat dinner in the evening by some friends.  and the next morning I hop a train northward.  My trunk has already been packed and shipped.  I guess I can say that I have had a most enjoyable Xmas even though I couldn't spend it at home.  Aside from all the cake and candy that you and the Van Gausigs sent me, I received two other cakes, another ten lbs. of candy, one pair of socks, two handerchiefs, two books, $10 from Amos Cook and family, $1 from John Davidson, $1 from May Felshaw and family and many letters.  Now who could ask for a better Christmas???  I guess there are a few of the letters that I will have to answer.  What???  Here is hoping you had just as good a Christmas at home as I have had.  Oh yes, thanks for the telegram.  It gave me a scare at first, not having the slightest idea that I would receive such a message from home.  It took three days to come.  The kids' letters were also good.  As a matter of fact I got big mail this week.  Tell Annie and Henry Rogge that if it hadn't been for the German script, I could have read their Xmas card right off but as it was I had to do some figuring.

The money that I received from friends at home will come in pretty handy.  After paying twelve marks for customs duty and about sixteen mark for a railroad ticket to my new branch I'll be about broke.  However, I'll have my money from home by then.  Twenty-eight marks isn't much money in equivalent to American exchange but it is a lot when you spend it over here.  A mark is worth about as much here as a dollar is at home.  Then after I have been in my new branch for a week, I have to take a trip to Kiel where the whole Schleswig-Holstein district of missionaries are meeting at a conference and also where one of the home going missionaries is becoming married.  His wife-to-be is coming from America and will meet him there where they will be married by Pres. Salzner of the Swiss-German Mission.  Afterwards, they are spending their honeymoon by touring part of Europe.  Some class, what???  I don't know but what I'd be afraid to take such a risk, especially after not having seen my bride-to-be for over two years.  However, such things don't worry me.  Don't tell anyone but I'm really afraid my interest is sagging.

Well, it seems as though Earl is quite interested in his Denver probability.  Doggone-it, he certainly needs a break if anyone does.  But then I guess money isn't growing on trees yet.  My money has been coming and going so easily that it takes your letters to keep me reminded of the fact that it was hard earned.  That's about the only fault I can find in my present living conditions.  Phil struck it rather lucky, did he not, when his own professor exercised enough interest as to give him something to do???

It is my bedtime so I guess I'll shut this thing up and go crawl between the feather ticks.  About sending me that turkey in bottles, I don't think you'd better try it.  Anyway, I'm tired of paying these customs offices for what's already been paid for.  Cake isn't so bad but that other stuff was like buying it over again.  You forgot to wash my garments which also cost me money.

"Alles Leben strömt aus Dir."
("All Life flows from You")

Love,
Clarence

My next letter will be from Flensburg

Flensburg in S.H.
Südermarkt 4--IV