To bring or not to bring..a Christmas travelers woes

I am spending Christmas in my hometown Munich this year, with my four girls and my husband.  The good news is that we are seasoned travellers and have done the pack and go (lightly) many many times before. And yet I am (again) stumped when it comes to packing for a Christmas vacation; well, I did buy the gifts for my sister, her live-in boyfriend, her son, and his parents. (Thank you Barnes&Noble!!!!) I packed the almost self made but still very personal photo calendars for everyone who wants to have 12 months of the Lie’s in their kitchen, and numerous groceries that are ONLY available here in the States (Chai Tea from Trader Joe’s?)   BUT – what should I bring for the girls? If I packed all their items on the wishlist, well, a jet would not be big enough and I think even the rather generous two suitcase allowance per person(free of charge mind you!) of Lufthansa would not really suffice.

Which brings me to my second dilemma, Germany or not, I really want my girls to learn to be happy with the simple things in life – and having the Littlest Pet Shop Super Sized MacMansion including all 36 bobbly head weirdos – seems so, well complicated.   So I guess Santa will come early this year (he really cannot come all the way to Germany and besides, the Christkind is totally taking the night of the 24th)  and I hope that the Christmas markets, with their smells of roasted chestnuts, candied almonds and mullen wine will make up for missing wobbly heads under the tree. And maybe, just maybe we will have live candles on the tree this time around.