A HAPPY, HEALTHY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE! MY BEST WISHES AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

Christmas Post

Fotos c) by Margit Anna Binder

This year I got some Season wishes by eMail. I don’t know why, maybe people in time of recession can’t afford to write cards anymore? I usually put the Christmas cards on my chimney, but what shall I do with my eMails? I can’t put them up on my chimney! Well, I suppose I could print them out, but why should I use my paper and my ink, when I wasn’t worth a piece of paper to the person who sent me the wishes in first place? And to put up print-outs on my chimney would not look very decorative anyway.

Did you also get some of your Christmas post by bulk mail? Well I did, I got two. I understand when companies write one eMail and CC it to all customers, but I find it sad, when the closest family, people you love and you don’t get a chance to see very often, are not able to send personal Christmas greetings anymore. Only a few words at least once a year, do I really expect too much? I wish they would take me off their lists as these kind of wishes honestly mean “as much” to me as they meant to the senders, furthermore these dear people could save 1 or 2 more seconds of their precious time, if they took me off from their mailing lists.

Maybe I should be more tolerant and accept that some people have better things to do than to go to a shop to buy a card, to write a few lines by hand and then to go to the post office to send it.

Christmas in Vienna

Fotos c) by Margit Anna Binder

Time passed by so fast and Christmas once again comes nearer in gigantic steps.
It is tradition in Austria that on the first Sunday in Advent, the first candle on the Advent Wreath is lit and on every Sunday afterwards another candle follows, until all 4 candles on the wreath are lighting, that is usually a few days before Christmas Eve.
The Christkindl markets in Austrian cities are beautifully decorated, the stalls offer toys, warm winter clothes, shiny Christmas decoration, sweet Christmas cookies, candles and much more. With people getting hungry and thirsty, walking around on cold winter days, the stalls also offer hot potatoes, fried chestnuts, roasted potatoes, Langos , sausages and hot drinks like Jagatee, Glühwein and Punsch.

I remember when I was a child and lived in my parents’ house, on the afternoon of Christmas Eve, we sat in the kitchen and made knots in the strings of the chocolate decoration, which “were hung on the tree by the angels later on”. At least we thought that angels did that and that the Christ child would bring the presents afterwards. That is the story we were told, when we were young.
My dad was in the living room and helped the angels with the decoration of the Christmas tree.
While my mum prepared the dinner, at Christmas, we traditionally ate fish, rice and potato salad, she told us stories and we listened excitedly. On one occasion she suddenly looked at the window and said: “I just saw a little angel flying by the window.” My siblings and I, quickly looked out of the window to see the angel, but it had gone. I really believed that I had seen a little piece of the long angel’s dress.
We waited impatiently for the traditional ringing of a small bell that permitted us to walk into the living room, as happened every Christmas in our house. We were not allowed to walk in earlier, because the angels and the Christ Child would disappear immediately, if seen, and they would take our presents away.
The candles on the Christmas tree shone brightly and underneath lots of presents were placed for each of us, but first we had to say our little poems and to sing Christmas carols, which was actually very nice and I enjoyed that. Then we looked at the gifts that the Christkindl (Christ Child) had brought for us. Afterwards the whole family sat for the Christmas dinner and everyone enjoyed that feast, well I know I certainly did. That was also the only one evening in the year that we were allowed to stay up late which in reality was past 11 pm.
I like to look back to those times and every year around Christmas time I get a warm nice feeling in my tummy, the same as I had when I was a child. It is a wonderful feeling and it reminds me of my parents and their ability to make Christmas happy for us children.

Having said that, I would like to wish a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and a PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR to all you nice people who visit my blog! Stay healthy, enjoy yourself and come back to read more on my site in 2010!

Weihnachten in Wien

Fotos c) by Margit Anna Binder

Die Zeit ist so rasch vergangen und Weihnachten naht mit grossen Schritten.
In Österreich ist es Tradition, dass am 1. Adventsonntag die erste Kerze am Adventkranz entzündet wird, danach wird an jedem Sonntag eine weitere Kerze angezündet und wenn alle vier Kerzen leuchten, ist Weihnachten nicht mehr weit.
Die Christkindlmärkte sind bunt geschmückt; die Standln bieten Spielzeug, warme Kleidung, Christbaumschmuck, süße Weihnachtsbäckereien, Kerzen und vieles mehr an. Da das Herummarschieren an kalten Wintertagen hungrig und durstig macht, ist auch für das leibliche Wohl gesorgt. Heisse Ofenkartoffel, Maroni, Braterdäpfel, Langos, Würstel, man bekommt alles, was das Herz begehrt. Für die Durstigen wird Jagatee, Glühwein und Punsch ausgeschenkt.

Ich erinnere mich gerne an Weihnachten daheim, in meinem Elternhaus, als meine Geschwister und ich noch Kinder waren. Wir saßen mit unserer Mutter in der Küche und machten Knoten in die Schnüre an den Schoko-Christbaumstücken, die später von den Engerln auf den Christbaum gehängt wurden. Mein Vater half den Engeln im Wohnzimmer beim Dekorieren des Christbaumes.
Während meine Mutter das Festmahl zubereitete, erzählte sie uns Geschichten und wir Kinder hörten ihr mit gespannten Gesichtern zu. Einmal sagte sie plötzlich: „Ui, da ist ein Engerl am Fenster vorbeigeflogen!“ Wir Kinder liefen rasch zum Fenster, um das Englein zu sehen und ich bildete mir wahrhaftig ein, dass ich noch ein Stück des langen Kleidchens gesehen hatte.
Ungeduldig warteten wir auf das feine Läuten des Glöckchens, das jede Weihnachten geläutet wurde. Es war ein Zeichen dafür, dass wir nun das Wohnzimmer betreten durften. Vorher war uns das nicht erlaubt, weil sonst die Englein und auch das Christkind, das all die Geschenke bringt, davonfliegen.
Der Christbaum erstrahlte in einem wunderbaren Glanz und darunter waren unsere Geschenke aufgetürmt. Wir sagten Gedichte auf und sangen Weihnachtslieder, dann erst durften wir uns über die Geschenke hermachen.
Abschließend saßen wir gemütlich beim Weihnachtsmahl beisammen. Es gab immer gebackenen Fisch mit Reis und Erdäpfelsalat. Danach wurden selbstgebackene Kekse gereicht. Wir Kinder durften an diesem Abend länger aufbleiben.
Ich denke noch oft an diese Zeit zurück und immer um die Weihnachtszeit befällt mich ein Gefühl von Wärme und Vorfreude, es ist genau das gleiche Gefühl, das ich in meiner Kindheit hatte. Es ist ein wunderschönes Gefühl, das ich niemals missen möchte.

In diesem Sinne, FROHE WEIHNACHTEN an all die lieben Menschen, die meine Beiträge lesen! Bleibt gesund und geniesst das neue Jahr! Prosit 2010!