Have yourself a traditional little Christmas!
T'was the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
Clement Clarke Moore
I LOVE Christmas, you might have noticed! It's not always been that way, things happen in your life which takes the magic away however, life moves on and the magic slowly starts to return. I think I'm actually making up for lost time now, I totally immerse myself in the spirit.
One of the things I love about it is the traditions. In a city where over 40% of people were born in places all around the world, I've been fortunate enough to experience some new traditions.
Several years ago, some Polish friends introduced me to Wigilia! Wigilia is a twelve-course celebration of food which is prepared throughout Christmas Eve, and is served to family and friends. The meal starts when the first star is seen in the sky which means with the British weather and light pollution, we often have to improvise! The meal traditionally has a few courses including fish, the main course is often a carp or turbot, I like to bake a whole salmon. The meal also includes the sharing of a special bread wafer called "Oplatek", which symbolises forgiveness. In Poland the end of the meal is the time adults exchange and open pressies, this is where I draw the line, we share and open one present, Christmas day will always be the day for opening pressies!
Some Dutch friends introduced me to Sinterklaas! Sinterklaas isn't simply the North Pole dwelling Santa Claus, no, Sinterklaas, lives in the sunshine in Spain and arrives in the Netherlands on a boat at the end of November. He travels across the Netherlands dressed in red bishops’ robes. He also doesn't ride in a sleigh like Father Christmas, instead, he travels on a white horse called Amerigo. Hence when the Dutch kids go to bed on Christmas Eve they leave a horse shoe and a carrot!
Some Finnish friends introduced me to a lovely tradition. Since the 1320s, at midday on Christmas Eve a declaration of Christmas Peace is announced which is kept for 20 days. The Declaration starts; Tomorrow, God willing, is the graceful celebration of the birth of our Lord and Saviour; and thus is declared a peaceful Christmas time to all, by advising devotion and to behave otherwise quietly and peacefully, Love it!
Traditionally on Christmas Eve morning, people will eat special rice porridge and have plum fruit juice for breakfast. There is a tradition to hide almonds in the porridge and whoever finds them will have a lucky year ahead of them, providing they don’t break their teeth!
Over the border in Sweden there is a special celebration on St Lucia Day, which is 13 December. It isn't completely clear where the tradition of St Lucia came from, as there's a few stories that could have been mixed together. One story says that St Lucia was young Christian girl who was killed in the 4th Century because of what she believed in.
Swedish people mark this with many Lucia processions, led by a girl in a white dress with a crown of candles, it’s a truly beautiful spectacle!
The night before Christmas Eve, when Swedish children traditionally open their pressies, they are expected to leave a bowl of porridge out for Tomten – their name for Father Christmas – so that he will leave presents for them, it’s no wonder he’s a little on the rotund side!
When visiting a German friend of mine, I noticed as I rand the door bell, there were shoes left outside, apparently German children leave shoes outside of their front door, which Father Christmas, or Nikolaus, as he’s fondly referred to, leaves presents in if they have been good.
If they've been naughty, his servant Knecht Ruprecht will leave twigs for them!
And finally, a colleague from Iceland was telling me that Christmas Eve is the big event, where the family sit around the dining table to eat Hangikjot, which is a leg of roast lamb, yummy! Iceland actually has thirteen Father Christmases, called Yule Lads! These mischievous characters are said to live in the mountains and visit towns one by one in the 13 days leading up to Christmas. Like their German counterparts, Children leave shoes out for the Yule lads, who will leave presents in them if they've been good, if they’re on the naughty list though, it’s not the sanitary twigs they get as in Germany but a big stinky rotten potato!
I love all these little traditions; I love the fact that people love to share them, it always makes me smile!
What’s on this week?
Head & Eyes – CATWA Catya v4.0
Ears – ^^Swallow^^ Charm Ears @ Kustom 9
Hair – DOUX - Lisa Hairstyle - on sale @ The Holiday Shopping Event
Skin – [theSkinnery] Amber (Catwa Applier) toffee
Body, Hands & Feet – Maitreya Mesh Body - Lara V4.1 [theSkinnery] Toffee Applier
Nails – Alaskametro Ornament nail art appliers on sale @ Holiday Shopping Event
Physics – Physics by Temptation -MAITREYA SUPER PACK.
AO – Vista Animations *HUD 5.33*-ERIKA AO NOFACE CURVY-V21
Freckles – Izzie's - Cheek Freckles light
Shape – [theSkinnery] Amber (Catwa Catya) Shape Modified
Earrings & Necklace – EarthStones Mr. & Mrs. Gingerbread
Rings – **RE** Real Evil Festive Rings - Maitreya
Jacket – L&B * LARAfit* Swear Fleur Studded Jacket w Bra
Boots – Eudora3D Arid Boots Loose (Maitreya)
Pictures taken at the gorgeous Cherishville
One More thing as a bit of a PS this week. Lots of people have been very kind about my pictures and for that I'm grateful. Several people have mentioned the lighting for that I have to thank Carlyle Theas for creating the (CTS) Skylight It's a brilliant little gadget that amongst other things allows you to quickly scroll through lots of different windlight settings, personally, I use it all the time and wouldn't be without it!! You can find it in world here or on the Market Place here