As Christmas draws near, it also quietly reminds us that 2025 is coming to a close. Time moves softly, almost without notice.
Meeting old friends at the Christmas market—people who have walked beside us for so many years—feels like a small miracle. Amid the warm lights and winter air, we talk about life, about where we’ve been, and about the ordinary moments that somehow became precious memories.
The 88 Club 🐉, Ludwigsburg — December 13, 2025
Four months after going our separate ways, the three of us—like three dragons—found each other again at the Ludwigsburg Christmas Market. We agreed to meet near Katholische Dreieinigkeitskirche. After getting off the S-Bahn, I searched through the crowd for Nadia’s figure, moving all the way toward Evangelische Stadtkirche. Then, suddenly, Aolin called out to me.
It was a moment of pure surprise and joy. She had rushed to the Christmas market by bicycle and, in her haste, forgotten to bring her phone. If she hadn’t spotted me in the sea of people, our reunion that night would have been almost impossible. In that instant, I felt the powerful magnetic pull between us—a deep, unspoken connection, a quiet telepathy of the heart.
Aolin is living a life I deeply admire: a loving family, a complete home filled with children. This year, she even traveled to China with her family. The ease and convenience of life there added beautiful new layers to her children’s childhood, gifting them rich and joyful experiences.
Years ago, I couldn’t understand why Nadia—so beautiful, charming, elegant, and successful—chose to remain single. After experiencing my own emotional heartbreak, I’ve slowly grown closer to her philosophy of life: staying true to one’s original heart, learning to love oneself, and no longer clinging so tightly to whether life must include marriage or children. Life continues, and all we can truly do is savor the present moment.
Amid our casual gossip, we learned that a close mutual friend had entered a complicated stage of romance. I didn’t fully understand it, yet I couldn’t help but feel that perhaps the two of them were destined to share this connection—imperfect, but meaningful in its own way.
We tasted new wines and warmed our hands with steaming cups of punch. Later, we passed by an unremarkable fashion boutique and were instantly drawn in by its taste and design. One after another, we picked out clothes and stood in front of the mirror, trying them on. The three of us—playfully vain dragons—laughed freely in that moment. Deep down, we are still those simple, joyful little girls.
It reminded me of when I was three or four years old, walking down the street with a close childhood friend. We were drawn to a mirror, standing together in front of it, happily admiring ourselves until we accidentally got separated. Luck has always stayed with me—my parents eventually found that mirror-loving little girl again in the vast sea of people.
🎄 Stuttgart Christmas Market — Yearly Joy & Friendship – December 19, 2025 ❤️
For over a decade, my close friends in Stuttgart and I have reunited at the Christmas market every year. Even though we all live near Stuttgart, I hadn’t seen Yazhu for almost a year. Meeting again felt as if our trip to Metzingen last year happened just yesterday, and last year’s New Year one-day outing to Tübingen is still vivid in my memory. Time hasn’t widened the distance between us.
Guoguo and Hualiang had seen each other more recently at birthday gatherings. During the Christmas season, we took the opportunity of being in the city center to pick out gifts for our loved ones. Our first stop was Buchhaus Thalia Stuttgart – Am Schlossplatz. Guoguo chose the book Outlive for her husband, and I was immediately intrigued. It’s a book about the science and art of living beyond a hundred years, offering wisdom that deserves quiet reflection. In this restless and anxious age, we need to find inner peace and a sense of purpose.
Yazhu picked out two humorous books for her husband. I felt tempted to buy a book for my own loved one, but my first love is no longer in my life, so I didn’t buy anything. After getting our books, Hualiang and I met at Uniqlo, one of our favorite brands known for its quality.
Whenever we meet, conversation never seems to end. So we quickly found a spacious restaurant, KuaiStyle Restaurant, on the second floor. Outside, it was raining, and across the street we could see Zalando—we had thought about visiting it after dinner. But we got caught up in catching up, talking about life for over three hours until the restaurant closed.
Afterward, we headed straight to the Christmas market. In previous years, we usually drank glühwein in the cold wind, but this year it was unusually warm. We took photos at the same spot as in past years, leaving our footprints of 2025 together. At that moment, I felt deeply content and happy.
Next, we wandered into Käthe Wohlfahrt, an indoor store, where we were captivated by the exquisite craftsmanship. I fell in love with the Musikbox Königreich Adventskalender Dekobox, hoping that next year’s stock market will recover so I can gift it to a friend. We also picked out many delicate and heartwarming crystal globes, which felt incredibly soothing.
We had planned to ride the Riesenrad and enjoy Stuttgart’s city center from above with friends—a truly romantic idea—but unfortunately, it was closed when we arrived. Hopefully, we can make this happen next year.
And so, our Christmas market outing slowly came to an end… May 2026 bring even more fulfillment and happiness to our families and loved ones.