Spiegel Online - 12/27/12
Merrymakers hoping for a White Christmas were disappointed in Germany and some parts of Europe this week as a low-pressure front created record-high holiday temperatures. Beer gardens reopened and bathers flocked to nearby lakes.
Rather than shivering as they might during the normal holiday season, these Munich residents can be seen playing croquet at Königsplatz.
Usually at this time of year, the beer garden benches and tables have been placed in storage until the big thaw comes in spring. But instead of a White Christmas, many in Germany have gotten a sunny and bright weather over the past several days.
The German weather service recorded some of the highest temperatures ever for Christmas Eve in the country on Monday, with news agencies describing it as weather suitable for driving a convertible car. In Munich, beer gardens reopened to offer Christmas brews and cheers, and in one Bavarian lake swimmers could be seen splashing around amidst 20-degree Celsius (68-degrees Fahrenheit) temperatures. Street cafés in many parts of the country overflowed with guests.
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