Dear reader
I waited as long as possible to write this editorial to you,
because I wanted to report some snow. Unfortunately this has not
happened yet and I had to find other ways, just like you, to get
into a Christmas mood. Snow always helps, as Consul General Mrs.
Sparwasser pointed out at the opening of the Christkindl Market
in Kitchener, in fact, snow is essential to make the experience
perfect. Every retailer knows from experience that the seasonal
business is better when snow is on the ground. It is difficult
to think of Christmas when the geraniums in the containers are
still in full bloom and competing with pansies.
On the one hand it gives me great pleasure to wrest a bit of
summer from the colder season, which is too long by far. But
cheating winter into believing that it cannot come is denying
nature its true purpose.
So how can we get into the mood?
For some people it is the time they spend shopping in the
festively decorated malls that does the trick, something I do
not do, shopping for Christmas gifts that is. I do that
throughout the year whenever I see something nice and suitable
for one of my friends. I hardly ever go just Christmas shopping
other than for food. And this year I lost my entire gift
shopping budget in one fell swoop out of my wallet, while
picking up some roasted chicken. Now I really was required to
look at what I have in stock, because I belong to those old
fashioned people that do not go over budget to please other
people. Well, it turns out that I was a good shopper overall
this last year and have nice surprises for all my family,
friends and acquaintances.
I really got into the mood when I visited the Christmas markets,
and yes, I did pick up a few extras, can you blame me? The best
part was receiving some home baked cookies from Katie Schwemlein.
Gosh, those Danube Swabian women can bake! Some of that was to
be had at the "Kaffee Stube" at the club during the Christmas
Market. The sights and sounds and smells of such a market simply
supply the sensory perceptions with so much pleasure, I cannot
help but get into the mood.
Of course, a bit of Christmas music does not hurt. In the car we
are playing some very old Christmas tapes that my father left me
26 years ago. At home my favorite classical channel plays
seasonal sounds that I enjoy tremendously. Then there are a few
CDs I favor and the list goes on with concerts to be visited,
like Via Salzburg’s seasonal offering on the 17th and
18th of December in the Glenn Gould Studio. I can
hardly wait to go and see what surprise is in store for us.
Check out the website for more info: www.viasalzburg.com. Mayumi
Seiler and her merry band of guests and players will astound us
once again.
My house is decorated with all sorts of trinkets and lights, and
I add every week some more, until most of my supplies are used
and the house looks like a Christmas store. Thus the mood
heightens with each day and I am looking forward to cooking my
Christmas goose, welcome friends to my house and share what is
best of the season with them.
 I hope you have a very wonderful Christmas! And by the way, I
have noticed that it is very fashionable to say that this year!
Political correctness took a vacation this year!
All the best to you and yours!
Sybille Forster-Rentmeister
P.S.: Don’t forget the "Salute to Vienna"
at Roy Thomson Hall,
Toronto, January 1st, 2010.
Check out www.salutetovienna.com for other locations.
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