One of the most pleasant aspects of Germany is Vorweihnachtszeit, the monthlong run-up to Christmas centered on outdoor Christmas markets offering handicrafts, hot chestnuts, ornaments, baked apples, nutcrackers, gingerbread and, this being Deutschland, more grilled sausage than you can shake a candy cane at.

Did I say run-up? Drink-up would be apter. The festive season is fueled mainly, but far from solely, by Glühwein, or mulled wine, literally "glow wine." The wine itself doesn't glow, of course, in contrast with the Birne in a Glühbirne, or light bulb, literally "glow pear." More than a few people get lit drinking the stuff, though. The Christmas markets, with their convivial Glühwein stands, are veritable Bermuda triangles for Germans on their way home from work.

The etymologically minded might be interested in knowing that the verbs glow and glühen are cognates and related to the adjective gelb, i.e. yellow. The enologically minded would do well to know that when a Glühwein glow takes on a yellow tinge, 'tis time to give the ol' liver a rest.