Why the festival is really festive only with this one story: Part 20 of the FR Advent stories
It came to pass, however, that the Emperor Augustus gave a command that all the world should be valued. ”With these words, Christmas Eve begins with us every year. The lights on the Christmas tree are burning, candles are being lit, my older son reads the words of the Christmas Gospel solemnly and deliberately, Christmas music is playing from the CD in the background. No “Driving Home for Christmas”, no “Feliz Navidad”, but old German songs, sung by choirs and tenors. For “Silent Night” and “O you happy” it can be Pavarotti! Just as I write these lines, I am gripped by the magic of this Christmas mood and I am already looking forward to it.
As a school child, when he was an acolyte, my older son surprised me for the first time at Christmas with the Christmas Gospel according to Lukas and thus conjured up a festive atmosphere in the room that immediately created contemplation, warmth and closeness. Since then, we have read the Christmas Gospel before the presents are opened. “Since then” – that is now for almost 30 years. Usually the big son reads, sometimes even the little one who has not been little for a long time. Neither of them wanted to read last year, then it was my turn. Christmas Eve is just not Christmas for me without these words.
christmas rituals
For some it is the goose on Christmas Eve, for others it has to be “Three Nuts for Cinderella” in the afternoon program. We all have certain stories, films or rituals that belong to Christmas – and without which our Advent season would only be half as festive. This year you will not only find the popular personal stories in the FR advent calendar, but also raffles every now and then. Good luck and in any case: Happy Holidays! FR
The gifts are placed under the Christmas tree beforehand and distributed according to the reflective Christmas Gospel. One after the other opens their gift, not all of them together! People are pounding on the sticky tape, nobody wants to simply tear off the paper. After all, opening presents has something festive about it. This is how you show the other person that you are honoring your gift – or at least the idea behind it. There are no monetary gifts with us. That’s too impersonal at Christmas, we agree on that. Except for my father. He always gave away money in a Christmas card with warm words. I am now painfully reminded that he is no longer there, that this is now the second Christmas without him.
Vouchers, on the other hand, have always been given away – but they also show that the giver has thought about it. We all attach great importance to this. Even if, admittedly, people are asked beforehand what it might be for Christmas …
Even if the big son has not been an acolyte for a long time, none of us goes to church and I am no longer a believer myself, it happens with us every year at that time that the Christmas Gospel works. It not only helps us with the festive mood, but also shows us how nice it is that we can celebrate this festival together, where otherwise hundreds of kilometers separate us. And I wouldn’t want to miss this special atmosphere for as long as possible.
