Celebrating Traditions 4

It is the third day of 2009.
Our grandchildren woke us up on new years day: “Wake up, wake up, and enjoy the first day of the new year.” We have a tradition with them: the may come in at seven thirty, or later, to wake us and crawl under the covers with us for a while. I can tell you that it never is “later...”

As I eluded to in my previous blog, we celebrate family gift giving and “stockings” during the time we spend together at the new years’ celebration. This is a tradition we started as a very young family during our first year in Ettlingen, Germany.
Because back in the sixties it was still customary in most of Western Europe to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ during the time of the winter solstice, Christmas was celebrated as a high-holiday, at least two days. First Christmas day was like any Sunday, a day of rest, attending church and having family quiet time. Second Christmas day was more for celebrating with family and acquaintances. Still we focused on the birth of the Savior. In contrast, especially in Germany, it was a grand celebration to let go of the old year and to bring in the new year with a bang, – literally.


We kept this European tradition to celebrate the passing of the old to the new year by gathering family and friends in out home to reflect, play games, and snack on many of the goodies prepared for this celebration. In the Netherlands where we grew up, we always had olie-bollen on new year’s eve (oude jaars dag). We still do, at our house, on new year’s eve. Our children now participate in the annual family tradition of baking this delicacy, which used to be know as “the Dad duty.”


As is our custom, we have a toast at the hour of midnight, after which we pray to our God for a blessing over the coming year. Then it is hugs all around! We dispense with the “bang.” The neighbors, as well as local law enforcement officers, would frown on the use of fireworks primary the very loud explosive kind...