Christmas Time

“Marley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it: and Scrooge’s name was good upon ’Change, for anything he chose to put his hand to. Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail.”

Literature freaks will quickly recognise this passage. Those are the first sentences of the novella A Christmas Carol written by Charles Dickens. Reading this book I made for myself to an annual Christmas ritual and no, it never gets boring 😉 And if I have not enough time I will listen to it as an audiobook while commuting on trains. But why starting a post with the grumpy Scrooge who does not cherish Christmas at all and thinks of it as being a humbug. Because I am not the most excited person when it comes to Christmas. You will not see my room decorated with stars, snowflakes, glitter or mistletoe. To be frank, I am not really enjoying the pre-Christmas period whether it is baking cookies or visiting Christmas markets. This may arise from the fact that since I started University my pre-Christmas time is learning time and preparing myself for the upcoming exams. However, unlike Scrooge, there are some things I do enjoy about the Christma Day.

Food

Yes, I enjoy eating. And indulging into all the yummy stuff is just great and on top of all, you haven even a great excuse for it. I am not only referring to the sweet treats but also  to the delicious dinners and the luxurious brunch in the mornings with fresh bread, salmon, eggs and what we call in Switzerland Zopf. This is actually a plaited loaf of bread which contains flour, butter, milk, yeast and a little bit salt. The butter and milk make the Zopf smooth and nutritive.

Giving Presents

I really like the moment when your present makes the other person happy. However, finding the right present is often a real challenge but whenever you bought or made the perfect gift it creates a content and fulfilling feeling. And let us be honest, not only giving presents but also receiving them is a great part, because it shows that someone was investing thoughts and time in order to surprise you with a little gift.

Rituals

Having rituals is something nice as they have a very comforting aspect. We have several Christmas rituals, be it the same food on Christmas Eve, singing before the gift giving or be it the walk through the city which is lighted with the  beautiful  and traditional Christmas illumination.

Candles

The flame of a candle has something heartwarming and cozy to it and although I seldom lit candles during the rest of  the year, on Christmas, I am the one that makes sure that each and every candle on  and around the table is lit. If we have a Christmas tree it is obviously very nice to lit those candles as well. However, the nicest of all flames is probably the one from a wood burning stove as it creates a homey and relaxed atmosphere, and moreover, it keeps the room really warm.

Friends

Although my friends go to different universities we manage to see us several times in a year, but unfortunately often someone is missing. When you are a group of seven people it is hard to find a common date. However, every year around Christmas we are able to arrange a date which fits everyone. And our gatherings are always filled with lots of fun and joy.

 

Family

Last but not least, coming together and spending time with the family is probably the best part about Christmas. Obviously, no family is perfect and disputes are normal but on Christmas, everyone puts their needs behind and focus on enjoying the time together and being there for each other.

What is your favourite part about Christmas? Let me know in the comments.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas! Enjoy time with your loved ones.

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A very special thanks to Milly, who provides free wonderful photographs with her project 777. It is a great way to include pictures into your post whenever you have either not much time taking your own or you are unable to find one in your own collection.