Dear Reader
While you are still ringing in the New Year we are sitting at
our computers and are composing our New Year’s greetings for
you. This is not meant to sound like a complaint, quite the
contrary, I enjoy sitting here and reflecting on the past year,
the past season. Especially Christmas and New Year celebrations
have a special magic, I find. I always wish I could be in many
different places at once, but that is unfortunately not
possible.
Some of us could not make it at all to our community events.
They ended up in bed with cold and flu symptoms. Our house too
was invaded by these unwelcome guests, yet somehow we managed to
overcome the challenge without too much trouble and enjoyed
everything that I could create in the spirit of the season and
whatever else came our way.
Christmas dinner was again a traditional goose, the way my
grandma taught me, added with a few touches of my own. It was
not easy finding a goose this year. In the past many different
stores still had geese, this year I searched in many locations
and came up empty. I always shop around for price comparison and
it also interests me who has what to offer. The food channel and
all the chefs really talked a lot about geese for Christmas and
I thought for sure that I would find a good fat goose, so I can
make goose lard, may be from Poland like we used to get, but
even polish stores had no geese. Of course, Brandt Meats came to
the rescue. I found a nice big one that tasted fabulous and even
rendered some fat. I could feed 7 people and had leftovers for a
great ragout later.
This year I had especially fun decorating the house. Beside
traditional items such as a Christmas tree with lights, this
time outside, a garland of evergreens on the mantle and suitable
figurines and angels I always have to have lots of flowering
pots on the windowsill and every other place where I can put
something blooming. The windowsill was filled with Cyclamens and
Poinsettias. On the mantle and in the hall I have beautiful
orchids that will last me a few months.
Along the wall of the staircase I always put the Christmas
cards. This year there were fewer than usual. Sadly this is a
custom that is slowly going by the wayside. Instead the amounts
of email messages are growing in leaps and bounds. And while I
enjoy receiving those, I must say, a card gladdens me much more.
I want to thank all those that did remember us one way or the
other and especially those that put a little something extra in
appreciation of our efforts in the envelope!
 There is one mail I especially appreciate. It came from Holger
Raasch, our previous German Consul General in Toronto who now
lives in Germany. He still expresses “Heimweh” for Canada,
something we do understand well. He and his family wished us and
the readers of Echo Germanica all the best for Christmas and the
New Year.
I doubt that I will take down the decorations early. I never do.
Firstly I think it looks lovely, secondly there are a few
friends that want to come over a bit later in the month to
celebrate because they were away over the holidays, and thirdly,
it is too cold to remove everything outside anyway. I shall drag
it out as long as possible. So if you are in the neighborhood
come by. I still have lots and lots of Christmas goodies for a
leisurely coffee hour.
 For the New Year I can promise you a few new directions and
stories that we hope you enjoy. And of course we wish all of us
the fulfillment of our dreams and aspirations, may they be small
or big. Good health is probably on the top of most of our lists.
Happiness largely depends on healthiness.
May the world become a better place!
Sybille Forster-Rentmeister
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