ドイツのクリスマスは日本のお正月のような位置づけで、家族で集い祝う。だから、12月になると「いつ帰る？」が頻出ワードになり、ドイツはソワソワと帰省モードになる。これに平行して、ベルリンのような首都には、いろんな事情から実家に帰れない人、つまり私のような外国人や、休暇を楽しむツーリストだけが残される。だから、こういう人種は大晦日までほぼ毎晩のように、開催場所を変えながら「クリスマスパーティー」に呼んだり呼ばれたりして、食い倒れ、飲み倒れのデカダントな日々を過ごす。子供が生まれる前の私も、もれなく「こういう人種」だった。

今年は世界中がコロナに包まれ、というかコロナのうねりに飲み込まれた1年だった。ある意味、SF映画を見ているような「非現実」であるはずの光景をたくさん目にした。来年の今、私はどこにいるだろう。ベルリンで大勢の観光客を嬉しそうに眺めながら、日本への正月帰国の荷造りをしているかもしれない。「非現実」を乗り越えて、すがすがしい気持ちで。

In Germany, Christmas is a family event like New Year in Japan. So, when December starts “when are you going home?” becomes one of the most common phrases, and the Christmas mood makes most people restless because there are so many things to prepare! But in a city like Berlin, those who cannot go to their parents due to various reasons, that is, foreigners like me and tourists who enjoy vacations; I call it a cannot-go-home-race. What will these people do during this festive season? The answer is endless “Christmas parties”. Until New Year’s Eve, “this race” will go to a party almost every night, inviting or being invited at different venues (mostly someone’s home), and spending decadent days of eating and drinking a lot. Literally, that’s all we do. Yes, I was also a member of this race before my children were born.

This year, the whole world was surrounded by covid-19, or we were rather affected by the swell of pandemic. I saw many scenes of “unreal” that were likely to be seen in a science fiction movie. I wonder where will I be at this time next year? I may be watching a lot of tourists in bustling Berlin and packing my suitcase for a new year trip to Japan. Hopefully, I will be feeling good and fresh, having overcome “unreality”.

_{photographed in dec/2017}