Christmas Tales from Another Land

Every year when December approaches I can’t help but tense up. Usually it’s the early-bird decorations that tease out my annual disgruntled growl. This year it was the announcement that stores would be open for shoppers ON Thanksgiving that sent me over the edge!!! If I were a bird you would have seen me indignantly ruffling my feathers. Since no one was there to listen at the time, I only threw an internal hissy fit. But I can no longer help myself, and simply have to share.

Coming from a country far, far away, I am tainted with a slightly different experience of “the Season”. First of all, in the depths of Bavaria, we call it “Advent” (the good ol’ Christian term to describe the four weeks before Christmas) and it is celebrated with a very clear structure. On the first weekend of Advent, you put up a wreath of evergreens, studded with four candles, and, depending on taste, some flourishes like pine cones, ornaments, etc. Once evening descends, the family gathers around the wreath, which usually sits either on the dining table (I know, remember those?) or a coffee table, and lights the first candle. My family used to enjoy a cup, or three, of Glühwein (mulled wine) or hot tea along with the first batch of Christmas cookies of the year. A note on the cookies - they were homemade (which is not an elitist thing in the old world, that’s just how things are done there), and were ONLY to be ingested during official Advent evening gatherings. With every subsequent Sunday one more candle gets lit, and more cookies and wine are had. Now, allow me to recite a poem of high literary esteem, which speaks to the specialness of Advent:

Advent, Advent a candle is burning. First one, then two, then three then four and then stands Christmas at your door.And when the fifths candle is lit, you have missed it!

Trust me, it sounds good in German.

But seriously, that tradition makes sense to me. Mother Nature gives us all of these cues to slow down -- no light after 4 p.m., no more extravagant foliage on trees, snow providing a muffled silence, etc. – and so we, too, slow down. Throw in some candles, sweets, and a hot beverage, and you have yourself a cozy evening, perfect for reconnecting with those you care about. Granted, if your family isn't down for this kind of thing, or you’d rather not “connect” with them, you can always make it a thing with friends.

Let’s revisit the decking-the-halls point. In thecountry far, far, away I’ve previously mentioned, the decorations that set the mood throughout those four weeks (note: FOUR! Not eight. No human is physically and emotionally capable of taking more than four), have a well-defined job to do: bring warm and fuzzy things to mind to create an atmosphere you just can’t help but relax in. Now, compare this to frantically blinking lights, gaudy figurines, and plastic trees covered in white chemical paste...well, I guess tastes differ... WIDELY!

So why do I harp on about Advent? Because after you've made it through the anticipation of the four weeks of Advent, your mind, body, and spirit are well-primed for the big night. You know what all the brouhaha is about and it is clear that Christmas Eve is the culmination of it all. The night when you celebrate all that is good in your life: family, friends, beauty, light, the circle of life, good food, and much more.

Sadly, I feel that I often get swallowed up in the mania that has come to surround during the last few weeks of the year. I forget the meaning of the Season and, instead, do the hamster wheel-thing -- run, run, run.

Whether you are religious or just a person who enjoys a dignified end to their year, this is worthwhile to reflect on: What do you want the end of the year to mean for you? What actions do you take to live these values?

Although my Catholic days are well past, and I find myself caught, just like anybody else, in the fast-paced life of the West, it is worth it to me to pull myself out of the rut, put a wreath on the table, and make an effort to sit down with my honey to reconnect over wine and maybe even some, dare I say, store bought snacks. I am grateful for the solid structure of ritual that’s been ingrained in me. It’s been adjusted and changed and I encourage you to create your own, or restyle a traditional way of honoring the end of a long, beautiful year.
Carolin