I'm going to start off with a funny thing that happened today. We're at Olek's parents' place and today we went for a walk around the old to look at the Christmas lights and have some mulled wine.
And out of nowhere my mil went "Um... Karla... you can call us by our first names. If you're uncomfortable, there's no need to say mum and dad"
I've been calling them by their first names for over four years and I had no intention of ever calling them mum and dad. Olek was just as confused as I was ("But... she does that already?")
She then added, that of course I was free to say mum and dad if I want to. Seeing as I call my own mum by her first name, I don't see that happening. People have also asked us way too often if we were brother and sister and I don't think that calling my in-laws mum and dad would help. *awkward*
Does anyone actually still call their in-laws mum and dad?

Anyway...
Christmas was nice. Olek and I exchanged presents earlier on the 24th. His real present (this awesome fella) is waiting for us in our basement back home, but I ordered him a new mp3 player that conveniently arrived on the 24th and he gave me a subscription to the Polish cosmo. I know it's horrible and stupid, but reading the Polish cosmo is my guilty pleasure. And I obviously can't buy it in Germany. So yay.
In the evening of the 24th everyone came to this house and we had A LOT of food. Then we did our Secret Santa present exchange. Best idea ever! Everyone got one present that they really liked instead of a bunch of useless stuff. Olek's cousin gave me this cool cake stand.
Everyone told stupid jokes, we sang Christmas carols and had a good time.
And here's a photo of everyone laughing at my fil who didn't find a place on the couch.




Yesterday Olek's grandparents and aunt and uncle came around again, we had more food and later the inlaws and Olek and I went to see an Alice in Wonderland-themed light maze. Which was amazing, but would have been a lot cooler if there hadn't been so many people.

Today my mil's brothers and their families were supposed to come visit, but they made up a lame excuse and didn't come (they're all a bit weird) so we went for a walk around the old town. And then had some more food when we got back home.

Olek and I are really enjoying actually having some time for each other and being back in Warsaw. We're staying until the 5th and we have soo many plans, I don't even know if we manage to do everything we have planned. Saturday is Olek's cousin's girlfriend's birthday. Tuesday is NYE and we're going to a club with our good friend L (who did an awesome job translating our wedding ceremony, which we are endlessly grateful for!) and her boyfriend. We were originally supposed to go with Olek's best friend and his wife, but apparently the wife is (possibly) pregnant, which for some reason means she can't go out
Jan 5th is Olek's grandparents' 60th wedding anniversary. And there are so many new places that we want to see (a hummus bar, that I'm totally excited about, among others).

I hope everyone's holidays were as good as ours.