06.12.2013

We are very good at spreading a pre-Christmas atmosphere! That’s what the IPB members convincingly demonstrated yesterday evening. At exactly 4:30 pm all employees met to celebrate a big IPB Christmas party.

In the matter of celebrating there was a gap to be filled, because our yearly summer party had to be cancelled this year due to Leibniz Evaluation. That meant business before pleasure. But with discipline and work assignment we have successfully overcome the challenge. This was also emphasized by Prof. Wessjohann, who opened the party with a little speech and once again thanked all IPB members for their strong commitment this year.

Exhausting and busy months lie behind us. The more cheery was yesterday evening, because IPB members do not need to be asked twice to organize a funny Christmas party. An IPB orchestra was assembled very fast and Christmas music was played. Everybody was amazed, because with numerous instruments and excellent singing voices from all departments a Christmas program was studied and presented to the audience in two parts. This was a lot of fun, invited to join in singing and became a highlight of the evening. Scientists are obviously also musically – with a great deal of dedication.

Furthermore, we have to thank our Indian community for the second highlight of yesterday’s evening program. For about three years, our institute supports the yearly traditional Indian Light Festival (Diwali) that is celebrated ever since by the Indian students of Halle in the IPBs Kurt Mothes Lecture Hall. As a little thank you, we all could enjoy several dances either in traditional or in Bollywood way yesterday. The performances were organized by our Indian colleague Anshu Khatri, who is working for her Master’s thesis in the department Molecular Signal Processing at the moment.

Aside from all those highlights the physical well-being was also not be missed out. There were plenty of diverse and tasty delicacies. Our stomachs filled with hearty green cabbage, goose legs and dumplings, we could enjoy tasty mulled wine and the end of a very nice evening. And some people might have had that special sound ringing in their ears on the way home - the sound of the “Jingle bells”. Hey!