Celebrate a German Christmas in Billings With This One-Night-Only Buffet

Immigrants from around the globe have been calling Montana home for roughly 200 years now. First came the fur trading mountain men, then the fortune-seeking Gold Rush, followed by the railroads' big expansion West, along with the homesteaders and dreamers that came with it.

Back in those days, it wasn't uncommon to hear a wide assortment of dialects in Montana mining towns, train stations, saloons, and mercantile stores. German, Swedish, Italian, Chinese, and Norwegian languages and accents were probably as common as wild bison back then.

Nowadays, the Top Five home countries for immigrants to the Treasure State are: Canada, Germany, Mexico, the Philippines, and China. However, according to the 2000 Census, here are the five most common ethnic heritages in Big Sky Country:

• German - 27%
• Irish - 15%
• English - 12%
• Norwegian - 11%
• American Indian - 7%

Are you of German descent?

I'm mostly German, with a little bit of Czech. My mother-in-law was mostly German. And while I've never been to Deutschland, I do appreciate German food and drinks. If you do too, you might want to check out a fun event coming up this month in Billings.

The German Christmas Buffet & Market at Thirsty Street Brewing.

Okay... did you know that Thirsty Street Brewing has tasty bites to eat with an on-site chef? No? It's called Michelle's Pantry, and this gal has a knack for creating palette-pleasing "home-made from scratch snackage" inside Thirsty Street Brewing.

Michelle's Pantry is typically open Tuesday - Friday from 3 PM to 8 "ish" PM and Saturday from noon to 8 "ish". On Saturday, December 20th, she's throwing a German Christmas party with a delightful buffet-style spread of authentic foods.

The yummy festivities start at 4 PM and run until they sell out of food. It's $40 per person, no tickets necessary. With admission, you can enjoy the buffet, sample German wines, and shop for local, last-minute gifts. Find out more on Michelle's Pantry Facebook page.