Merry Christmas!!
It's hard to believe that this is our sixth Christmas in Gaming, Austria!
Although we, of course, miss seeing extended family, we also love our Christmases here. This year was no exception despite COVID-19 having changed a few things.
Normally everyone gathers in a nearby town for the Bethlehem Light (a candle lit in Bethlehem and then dispersed throughout Europe and elsewhere, I imagine) to arrive carried by a man on horseback. This year there was no gathering, but the Bethlehem Light was still brought to parishes. So we went to the parish church in Gaming on Christmas Eve morning to light our lantern. Turns out we forgot our lantern, so we actually lit it later from the Kartause - but still, it eventually made it's way to our house!
Parish Church:
Nativity Scene with Bethlehem Light:
Our Lantern with the Bethlehem Light:
We went to Mass on Christmas Eve at 5pm -- and again on Christmas Morning at 10am! Brian led the music on Christmas Morning. Ellie and Francis sang in the Children's Choir directed by our wonderful neighbor on Christmas Eve. The closing song was Silent Night, sung in five languages (English, German, Poland, Spanish and Slovak)! The lights were dimmed for that song and it was so moving!
Warming up with some of the choir members:
Brian did the First Reading, so Isaac got to help present the Gospel in the procession at the beginning of Mass:
The church was so beautiful (those of us here decorated the day before). Especially all lit up in the dark, it looked amazing!
Christmas morning the kids were up around 5:30am, but knew they had to wait until 6:15am to go downstairs to see what gifts awaited them. By 6:30am all presents had been opened! This was the first year there was some degree of order as the kids took turns unwrapping their gifts. After presents, we had my Great-Grandma Parker's coffee cake, singing Happy Birthday to Jesus first, of course!
This gift was actually for Ellie:
This gift was actually for Ellie:
After Mass on Christmas Morning, we all gathered at our neighbor's home in the Kartause for lunch followed by Christmas caroling and dessert! Due to the pandemic, a lot of our neighbors that normally travel "home" to neighboring countries stayed in town instead! I just love hearing about the traditions of friends from other countries. I realized that decorating for Christmas at the end of November and opening presents from Santa on Christmas morning is really only a tradition in the USA! And that a lot of the Christmas Eve celebration in other countries revolves around the idea of Jesus being born after midnight.
I may not have remembered all of the details correctly, but below is a sampling of how my neighbors would typically celebrate Christmas if they were not “stuck” here in Gaming...
Austria
Traditionally, the Christmas tree is brought in and decorated on Christmas Eve. Decorations traditionally included real candles! At 4pm on Christmas Eve (Heilige Abend) the tree is lit for the first time and people come to sing carols around the tree. The most famous carol is Silent Night (Stille Nacht), which was written in Austria in 1818. Some children believe that the Christkind decorates the tree (they would go out with their father and the tree would be behind closed doors waiting for them to open). The Christkind also brings presents to the children on Christmas Eve and leaves them under the tree. The Christkind has been described as a golden-haired baby, with wings, who symbolizes the new born Christ. The main Christmas meal is also eat on Christmas Eve. Traditionally the main course was Gebackener Karpfen (fried carp) because Christmas Eve was considered a fasting day by Catholics and no meat could be eaten. However, now roast goose or turkey are more popular. Desserts may include Austrian Christmas cookies (Weihnachtbaeckerei) like Lebkuchen (gingerbread) and Vanillekipferl (almond cookies made in the shape of a horse shoe). Everyone would go to Mass on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day, those who live in the mountains might go skiing and eat schnitzel!
Poland
Christmas Eve is the big celebration in Poland. Traditionally, the house is cleaned and everyone wears their best festive clothes. The Christmas tree would be decorated on this day. For dinner there are 12 dishes - some say it gives you good luck for the next 12 months and some say it represents the 12 Apostles. The meal is traditionally meat-free as it is a fasting day. Everyone has to eat or at least try some of each dish. A soup is served - traditionally beetroot soup or mushroom soup. Carp is often the main dish. The fish itself is traditionally bought a few days earlier (alive) and it swims in the bath until it's killed by the lady of the house! Nowadays most people just buy a filet of carp instead. The carp's scales are said to bring luck and fortune and are kept by some for the whole year. "Bigos" is a dish made of cabbage and bacon - so it's saved for Christmas Day or the 26th as it has meat in it. It is made about a week or so before Christmas Eve, because with each day it gets better. We were able to have some of our neighbor's Bigos!! We were also able to try some of the desserts - mixed dried fruits and nuts with wheat seeds and a vanilla sauce and gingerbread cookies and cakes!
At the beginning of the meal, a large wafer biscuit called "Oplatek," which has a picture of Mary, Joseph and Jesus on it, is passed around the table and everyone breaks a piece off and eats it and says a Christmas greeting. We were able to share in this tradition with our neighbors. We noticed the empty place they had set at the meal table -- they explained it is for the unexpected guest. Polish people say no one should be alone or hungry, therefore if someone unexpectedly knocks at the door, they are welcomed in.
After they finish all 12 dishes, Christmas caroling may take place, and then it's time for presents. It varies by region as to who brings the gifts. My neighbor grew up with the tradition that the Star brings the gifts. So everyone would go outside and the children look at the night sky to spot the first star! Then presents could be opened (or the meal could be eaten, depending on the tradition). Looking for the first star is also a reminder of the Wisemen who followed a star to visit Jesus. Christmas Eve is finished by going to church for Midnight Mass.
Slovakia
On December 23rd, the Christmas tree is put up and decorated and the house is deep-cleaned. The big Christmas celebration will begin on Christmas Eve night. On the 24th, the Christmas meal is prepared during the day - the traditional meal is a soup (in some regions cabbage and mushroom), carp or another type of fish, and a mayonnaise potato salad. Our friends surprised us this year and shared with us all of these wonderful traditional foods they had prepared--Brian and I loved eating them on Christmas Eve after our kids were in bed :) In Slovakia, the meal would be eaten together by the family. Certain predictions may be made - like who will die or who will get married in the coming year. After dinner, the head of the family goes to the living room where the Christmas tree is. A bell is rung and then everyone else is allowed to enter. There are presents from Baby Jesus. The window may have been opened to allow Baby Jesus to deliver the gifts. At midnight, people go to Mass. On Christmas Day, everyone wakes up late and no one hurries. They visit family and friends and wish each other Merry Christmas. In some villages, children get together, dress up in folk costumes and walk around the village and sing Christmas songs. At each house they visit they would get a treat (pastry and alcohol-for the adults). Many people go to church again to celebrate the birth of Jesus. On the 26th, St. Stephen's Day, it is very similar to Christmas Day - Slovaks would spend it with family and friends, finishing all the food from Christmas Eve. There may be parties (not held during Advent) on this day!
Hungary
Christmas Eve is very important and is called 'Szent-este' which means Holy Evening. People spend the evening with their family and decorate the Christmas tree. Sometimes only the adults decorate the tree, so when the children come in and see the tree it's a great surprise and they are told that angels brought the tree for them!
The main Christmas meal, which is also eaten on Christmas Eve, consists of fish (often fish soup), stuffed cabbage (stuffed with rice, minced pork, onion, garlic and other herbs) and a special kind of poppy bread/cake called 'Beigli' for dessert. Gingerbread is also traditionally eaten.
Presents are left under the Christmas tree by Jesus. Children wait outside the room where the tree is and when they hear bells ringing they can enter. The evening is concluded with Midnight Mass.
Colombia
The main Christmas meal is eaten on Christmas Eve night. After the Christmas meal, people will go to Midnight Mass. And after Mass, they will open the presents brought to them by Baby Jesus left under the Christmas tree! So yes, they essentially stay up all night and Christmas Day is for relaxing and eating leftovers. Our neighbor from Colombia, married to a Hungarian, told us how they kept their children awake until after Mass to open their presents -- well, tried to keep them awake! He said it was impossible to wake them :)
Ukraine
Christmas in Ukraine is celebrated on January 7th because, like many countries where the main church is the Orthodox Church, they used the old Julian calendar for their church festivals. So I do not know yet what their traditions for that day are!
My take-away: how blessed our family is to be surrounded by all these wonderful traditions! We'll see which ones we end up adopting over the years!
However you and your loved ones celebrated, I hope it was a blessed occasion as we celebrate the birth of Our Lord!!
