Hi, my dear friends! As I have a few rather free days, I am in a very good mood and would like to share it with you especially since Chrismas season has already started in my country. I like Christmas despite being an atheist. It makes me recall my childhood, my parents (who were atheists, too), expectation of something good and pleasant. You know, I don't have any faith in any God and I am proud of that as all my decisions and deeds are based on common sense and reason. So, what I want to say is that I have no intention to offend either Christians or Muslims or anyone else. What I want to say is that Christmas season is so very special for us and has nothing to do with religion, at least for me.
You all are educated people and you know that December 25 is the first day of winter season when the night becomes shorter. This day had been celebrated by ancient people many centuries before Christ. Just recall Greek Saturnalies! It was very smart to choose this day as Christ's birthday to tell the world he came to enlight us. Are you sure he did?
But for me, December 25 is my wife's birthday. She is such a Christmas gift for me and for all those who know her. Some people come to this world to make it and us better and my wife is one of them.
Well, I'd like to tell you one true funny story. Last year I was so very busy during Christmas season that I
hadn't managed to buy my wife's gift. So, early morning on Dec 25 I went to the Mall and started looking for the ring she wanted to have. I was not looking around, just at the showcases. I saw a great ring with a nice sapphire but when I looked at the price I immediately asked a manager what was wrong with those diamonds. He looked at me very suspisiously and asked:"Don't you know what day is today?" And I confidently replied: "Sure, I know, it is my wife's birthday, that is why I am here!" His jaw dropped and he couldn't react at once. When he came to, he said:" Sir! Will you look above, please?" I followed his advice and saw a large signboard reading " 85 % Christmas discounts!" I couldn't help laughing! I was laughing so loudly and infectiously that other people started coming in and buying the gifts. As a result, I've got 10% more discount and bought a very nice ring for pennies! Isn't it funny?
Well! First of all, I'd like to add a great Christmas song by Backstreet Boys to improve your mood or to save it. Here is the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Llx2shF_Eg
And I'd like to wish you all the best in the next upcoming year! Be strong, curious, challenging, adventurous! Don't hide before the screens! Be yourselves! You are so good and so smart! You are our next generation and you can't let us down as we trust in you, in your ability to make our world better.
I have never had better students than you! I love you all and each of you! You are such bright personalities! Thanks for being around!
To sum it up somehow, I will say that Christmas is what you would like it to be: memories, joy, happiness, love, sorrow, sadness. But it makes us think anyway. And it is so great to find your gift in the stocking although you don't belive in miracles. Our lives and those who are with us make us believe in miracle every day!
Comments
http://www.myenglishclub.com/photo/xmas-market-and-my-mulled-wine?c...
Hope u r informed now enough about our Christmas and grrr thanx for this info about Christmas day ...I just meant it like we open the gifts that one evening..who wants to wait till the morning :D it is actually easier to put the gifts into the socks etc at night, when kids are sleeping! Our this action is kinda more risky and full of adrenalin :D
Hahaha, Danny, it's not bad to say it's like medicine. At least we can forget how ill we are when we have drunk some glasses of mulled wine ( lol ). About Grog ... it's very common to drink it here in Germany ... it warmths from inside if it's outside very cold... but it isn't so my own taste, I am sorry.
By the way... I know even Muslims which celebrate Christmas ... not as much as we do... but they give each other gifts ... for example for the kids. I never had expected that, but it's true.
Thanks, Luci! I will read it right away.
hahaa I found it! Here is my two years old blog about our Christmas!
http://www.myenglishclub.com/profiles/blogs/my-christmas-including-...
Dear Rose! Thank you so much for your great comment! Honestly, I would like others to tell about their Christmas traditions here. Sure, our Muslim friends don't celebrate Christmas, but I am really happy they left many replies on this blog.
Sure, I know what mulled wine is. I prefer it with some vanilla, cinnamon, lemon and honey, not to forget about rum. You won't belive, in our hot climate people are used to catch cold because of conditioning or having icy drinks. I prefer mulled wine to any medicine if it happens with me like now. But what about grog? It is much better! Ha-ha!
Dear Danny, I've read with pleasure your story. I think all the members here which have commented on your blog have said already everything what to comment is.
I think people have always their own habits, traditions and memories in terms of Christmas, independ if they are religious or not. It's a time of sensations, sentiments and memories of the past until back to our childhood, for example. It's always a special peaceful flair and people are more friendly to each other than usual. Everything seems to be slow and silent. I love the time of Christmas though I have always a lot to do to cook and to bake for the whole family. We have here in Germany three days to celebrate Christmas. The first day is the December 24th, Christmas eve. It's not a holiday here but the evening of Christmas eve is the most important and most wanted evening for the kids because here in Germany they get their gifts on that evening. Religious people but also some atheist visit the churchs to sing Christmas songs in the community and to enjoy the mood.
In the time before Christmas is the time of Advent. In this time, 4 weeks before Christmas, the people visit Christmas markets in their towns or villages. There can we buy many useful and less useful things and gifts. Families, friends and colleagues meet each other to have a stroll around the Christmas markets. There are many small wooden shops where you can taste traditional dishes and beverages. Children can go by carousel while the adults drink a glass of mulled wine.
In case you don't know what mulled wine is, it's made from red wine ... boiled with some spices as there are vanilla, cinnamon sticks, cloves, sugar, slices of lemons and oranges, and sometimes with a shot of rum. If someone doesn't like to drink alcohol, then he can have it with a red juice instead of wine. It's very delicious in both varities and it warmths from inside like a oven....( hahaha it's important because sometimes ist very cold while standing at the Christmas market when we have snow ).
Dear Serene! Thank you so very much!
Advance happy birthday to teacher Danny, Tanya, and Luci. May Allah blessed you all.
Got it, thanks!
Dear Bet! It is just an expression. Modern people spend too much time before the screens and often prefer to communicate in the social networks instead of going out and communicating with those who surround them. That is all I mean.
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