December 2000 - Nr. 13
Christmas Celebrations
Some
of the nicest traditions of the season are the get-togethers in the German
Clubs. I do not recall any such events while I lived in Germany, so it might
be that this tradition is actually a North American one, but it works very
well and is a delight. The memberships of clubs and associations get
together and celebrate as a group. On the first Advent Sunday the Danube
Swabian members swarmed the club to share a meal and participate in the
annual pageantry. I have never seen the house this packed with people,
especially young people! The second and third generation had turned out in
full force. Whole family clans arrived and occupied whole tables and more.
The separating walls to the restaurant had to be removed to accommodate
everyone.
The
mood was not as much festive as it was loud and enthusiastic. No wonder with
so many little ones that show their infectious excitement. On the stage,
first the Christmas Story was re-enacted with the help of a great deal of
angels in pristine white costumes. This way many children could participate
instead of just a few. Another way of increasing the rate of participants
was the dividing of the story telling among quite a few of the older
children, some of which did not even need their sheet to read from, they
knew their part by heart! A few of the performances let us glimpse a future
performance talent.
After
this great playacting there was another story performed. This year is
obviously Gringe year and the kids who were not in the play were crowding
around the stage to watch how the Gringe was trying to steel Christmas but
was persuaded to reform. This was quite the competition to the newest film
version and I would not have missed it for anything!
At
the end of this performance everyone waited impatiently for Santa Claus to
arrive, which he did. Every child had an opportunity to sit on his lap. It
was worked out that each child received a gift. There are always a few
children that are not happy with Santa’s visit or his close proximity.
They cry even when they get their gift, but luckily the tears dry quickly
enough.
Down
the hall the "Sudeten Deutsche Gruppe" was holding a Christmas
get-together, and the Historical Society of Mecklenburg Upper Canada also
had invited its members to a cozy meeting. This is where we landed before
going to a Christmas concert. Christian Klein welcomed everyone and allowed
me to read a couple of poems as my contribution to this meeting. Then we
joined him in song and remembered the way we used to celebrate Christmas in
our youth, without all the commercial trimmings. (My thought s on that
subject in my letter from the editor)
Wherever
we congregate, we always sing our old songs, read our favourite poems and
recall the way it was. Especially as we are growing older those memories
become so vivid again and we love to revisit the past. On the day prior to
our Danube Swabian visit we drove out to friends in Oshawa. Also of German
background and belonging to the barely postwar generation, (born in the
early nineteen forties) they hold on to the old customs, complementing them
with the local ones. I looked at the decorations we all have come to like so
much and which was definitely not a German invention like the Christmas tree
for instance. After our afternoon coffee with a delicious Linzer Torte, we
went for a walk in the neighbourhood. Like nearly everywhere in Canada, even
out in the country, the houses and gardens are illuminated with all sorts of
lights. Some of the displays are very colourful; others are creating an
elegant effect. Some look like children put them up for and, while others
have a very professional appearance.
Once upon a time these displays were smiled about in
Germany. Now we hear from relatives that this custom has caught on over
there. I am wondering if anyone here is complaining about the
Americanisation of German culture in Germany when they see this phenomenon.
It does not matter how we celebrate Christmas. The symbolic value of light in this otherwise dark season is universal and all efforts to counter the darkness are welcome.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Sybille Forster-Rentmeister
Comments to: sfr@echoworld.com
