The appeal of different Christmas traditions by Serena Yates
Having grown up with two sets of different Christmas traditions has made me eternally curious about other people’s ways to celebrate the holidays. And not just Christmas, but that’s supposed to be the theme for this blog. So, for once, I’ll try to stay on topic.
Which two sets of Christmas traditions am I talking about? There was the set we used at home, which was based in my parent’s origins in the German/Austrian tradition. Real trees and candles, with the tree never up before Christmas Eve and a total secret for us children until it was revealed, presents exchanged on Christmas Eve, tons of special cookies. Then there was the set “everyone else” used, the traditions of The Netherlands, where I grew up. The trees were mostly plastic, the lights electric, they started going up right after Sinterklaas (December 5th) and there were far fewer presents, because the bigger holiday (back then) was Sinterklaas.
So when I started thinking about a Christmas story to write in 2009, I figured that my heroes should also have two sets of traditions. I happen to think this makes everything more fun. You get to choose which ones you like best, for instance. You learn something new about a different culture and how they look at the holiday.
One of my heroes, Magnus, is Swedish. So I had a lot of fun researching how Swedish people celebrate Christmas. Some of those traditions made it into my novella The Mistletoe Phenomenon, and I’ve had lots of readers comment about how they thought it made the story richer.
So, what are the Swedish Christmas traditions? This is some of what my research found (in an article by Terri Mapes on About.com Guide):
- Merry Christmas in Swedish is ‘God Jul’.
- In Sweden, Christmas begins with Saint Lucia Day on December 13th. The eldest girl in the family portrays St. Lucia, puts on a white robe in the morning and wears a crown full of candles. She server her parents Lucia buns and coffee or mulled wine (which is called ‘Glögg’).
- The day before Christmas Eve the trees are set up. Both trees and the entire home are decorated in the seasonal spirit with gingerbread cookies, flowers such as poinsettia, red tulips and red or white amaryllis.
- On Christmas Eve (‘Julafton’ in Swedish) there are processions to the church with lit candles in some places. The traditional Christmas Eve dinner usually includes smorgasbord or a Swedish Christmas buffet with ham, pork, or fish, as well as a variety of sweets.
- A popular tradition (which made it straight into my book) is to serve Risgryngrot, special rice porridge with one almond in it. The person who finds it gets to make a wish, or is believed to get married the following year (this varies between families).
- After the festive Christmas Eve dinner, someone dresses up as Tomte (Christmas gnome) who, according to Swedish myth, lives on a farm in the forest. Tomte apparently looks a little like Santa Claus and hands out the presents while doing funny rhymes.
Has this inspired you to add a few different traditions to your next holiday celebration? If so, I hope you enjoy!
About Me
I’m a night owl who starts writing when everyone else in my time zone is asleep. I’ve loved reading all my life and spent most of my childhood with my nose buried in a book. Living and working in seven countries has taught me that there’s more than one way to get things done. I like exploring those differences in my stories.
The Mistletoe Phenomenon
Magnus Carstens, an eminent glaciologist, has recently had to change his life. He’s become his nephew Jakob’s guardian after the boy’s parents died in a plane crash, he’s taken a new job as a park ranger, and he’s moved them to Mistletoe, Wyoming, so he can offer a stable home to Jakob while still contributing to science. There he meets Lance Rivera, a disillusioned physical therapist who is working in his sister’s store to make a living after his lover took off with all their money.
When the two men come together-literally under the mistletoe-both realize all they really want, despite adversity, is a family to love.
Read an Excerpt
http://www.serenayates.com/books-and-reviews/the-mistletoe-phenomenon-mistletoe-science-1.php
Purchase Link
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=1608
2 Responses to “The appeal of different Christmas traditions by Serena Yates”
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Serena,
This was wonderful. I, too, enjoyed the Christmas details that Magnus brought to the holiday in Mistletoe, Wyoming, but you have outdone yourself with all the marvelous and sometimes scrumptious details.
I this you have plenty of material for many more Christmas stories to come be they in July or December.
I loved both the stories about Magnus, Lance and Jakob. I am certainly looking forward to the sequel.
jj
Serena,
Goodness gracious … a typo in my previous comment. How embarrassing!
*** I think you have plenty of material for many more Christmas stories to come be they in July or December. ***
jj