German Club celebrated a traditional German Christmas without leaving Liberty. The first event was the annual gingerbread house making, then Christmas carols and soon to come, a concert at the Kauffman.

   The gingerbread houses were made from graham crackers, icing and a ton of different candies. It was an opportunity to be a part of the club and eat a ton of sugar while being immersed in the German culture.

   The gingerbread houses were built on December 4.

   “[As well as building gingerbread houses] we drink hot chocolate and listen to [German] Christmas carols,” German teacher Cynthia Biermann said. “It’s a warm fuzzy feeling.”

   The gingerbread houses were made from each individual’s creativity.

   “Frau Biermann has the graham crackers and we have all the accessories, like icing, and then we display them,” senior Varun Lahoti said. “Of them [the houses] we pick a winner.”

   Although there is a winner, it’s not a big deal.

   “Usually if you’re the winner, yours is the last one to get destroyed in class,” senior Mason Carey said.

   The Christmas carols were something that most people enjoyed and attended. The classes learned traditional German carols and English carols translated into German, like “Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer.” These are the songs that were sung on December 12 at Benton House of Shoal Creek retirement home.

   The reason for going to the retirement home was because there are many residences that have German heritage and they enjoy the performance.

   “[My favorite part is] seeing how happy it makes the residence when we go,” Biermann said. “The last time we went several of them teared up and sang along. It makes us feel good about ourselves.”