Angelika Now it's that time again. Christmas is just around the corner, and I want to sit down and write my Christmas letter. Of course, this year I can't avoid saying a few words about the upcoming turn of the millennium. It almost seems like Christmas is taking a bit of a backseat this year because everyone is preparing for the big event. Yes, soon we will really have to write 2000, or, somewhat ridiculously, "00". I remember practicing writing this year number during my teenage years and almost recoiling because the image seemed so strange. I also used to calculate how old I would be in the year 2000--and I was no less shocked.

So now the countdown is on, and in San Francisco, there's a sense of disaster in the air; after all, they are expecting an enormous influx of visitors, as San Francisco is the dream city for many for the millennium switchover. People want to be here and celebrate. Police officers, firefighters, and paramedics have had their vacations canceled leading up to this. The Christmas tree at Union Square will be taken down early because there are fears that drunk people might try to climb it. Aid organizations will set up emergency tents to treat minor injuries on the spot.

Some restaurants on the Embarcadero (a street that runs along the waterfront in San Francisco) will close on New Year's Eve (and that's in America) because they fear their guests won't be able to get to them due to the crowds wanting to watch the fireworks from the Embarcadero. There was also a long discussion about whether to close the Golden Gate Bridge to car traffic at midnight to avoid potential accidents with pedestrians. Of course, for weeks, we've also been bombarded with letters from our bank, the electricity company, our credit card companies, etc., assuring us that they have everything under control and that their computers will not crash. At AOL, some employees will probably be equipped with a beeper, like doctors, to log into the company from home in case of an emergency and solve any problems that may arise. Up to three days of additional vacation (an invaluable luxury in America) are offered if you are willing to sit at home with a beeper.

Of course, the business surrounding the turn of the millennium is booming as well. At Macy's, a large department store in San Francisco, you can buy accessories like champagne glasses, balls with "Year 2000" prints, plastic champagne bottles, etc., to decorate your Christmas tree appropriately for the event. Everywhere, you can purchase digital clocks that show you how many days, minutes, and seconds are left until the year 2000. It feels more like a rocket launch. However, the absolute hit is time capsules. Often, these are just simple cans or boxes filled with paper and pencils. The idea is to write down future wishes and thoughts for subsequent generations, place them in the plastic container, and bury it. There are, of course, no limits to imagination. You can also bury objects, photos, or other memorabilia. If you want the can or box to be dug up again someday, you should remember the spot well. The idea of the time capsule reminds me a bit of a project I had to create for one of my last photography courses, far removed from any millennium hysteria.

We had to create a collage of objects and/or photos that reflected our personal history. It was about finding things you never part with, that move with you every time, that often seem inconspicuous but hold immense sentimental value for the owner. Well, and that immediately reminded me of our move to America, especially how I stood at the Munich airport security check on December 30, 1996, with my carry on luggage bursting at the seams and had to unpack in front of the security officer. What emerged was not only our beloved camera with all its accessories and some important documents but also photo after photo that I had painstakingly reproduced at Saturn Hansa.

There were pictures of our wedding, favorite photos from our vacations, pictures of our Munich apartment, but most importantly: a photo of everyone close to us--family and friends alike. The officer asked me why I had all the photos with me, and I simply said that I couldn't risk losing them. Shaking his head, he let me through. And I think, whether it's the year 2000 or not, what matters are the people you meet and have met, and so we wish you, more than any wild party, at least one dear person to celebrate the turn of the millennium with.

In this spirit, we wish you a wonderful Christmas:

Angelika und Michael