Germans in London - is anyone going to a St Martin lantern parade?

[LilianGish]

Recently returned to the UK after four years in Berlin and feeling very nostalgic. Does anyone know of any St Martin festivities planned for next month. We'll being doing bonfire night for the first time this year with the children, but they really want a lantern parade (same procedure as every year!).

Ich geh' mit meiner Laterne und meine Laterne mit mir...

sorry can't help you but I know what you mean, I really miss this tradition too!

Exactly! The children are already tuning up. They've seen all the halloween stuff in the shops and as far as they are concerned St Martin is next - we're not even German, but I'm really missing Germany at the moment.

Do you know that really warms the cockles of my heart now. Normally the threads about Germany on here are rather scathing... I am German btw!

Yes I miss Germany most at this time of year, St. Martin and then Advent are just such a lovely time.

I've just bought a scented candle because the smell reminded me of the Christmas market in the Gendarmenmarkt. We had a wonderful four years in Berlin - the German people were fantastic, I can't imagine I'll ever have nicer neighbours than we had there.

at praise of Berlin

(am Brit expat Berliner)

Whereabouts where you?

hello em We are having St M in Kinderladen in a few weeks. It will e the first time for us because ds1 wasn't in kiga last year.

We were in Wittenau - next to the Steinbergpark. London seems very urban in comparison. Keep picturing all the leaf sweepers outside our old house at this time of year - then the hour will go back and you'll be plunged into darkness at 4pm, but you won't care because there will be fairylights everywhere. As you can see I really am getting VERY nostalgic!

Oh, there are some nice houses up in Wittenau aren't there, and lots of 'green'. We are in Steglitz - more semi-suburban but very leafy too.