We love Christmas!
It won’t be long before it is that time once again. Four of our colleagues shared their favorite traditions with us. You might be familiar with a few of them yourselves. And for those of you who don’t celebrate this holiday, it might be a nice introduction.
We are certainly in the holiday mood.
"For me, Christmas begins on the first Sunday of Advent (editor’s note: fourth Sunday before Christmas), with the lighting of the first Advent candle on the wreath. I decorate my entire apartment at the same time with Christmas lights, scented candles and Christmas stars. And I always include a little nativity scene depicting the birth of Jesus. Anyone who visits me during this time of the year will be greeted by the aroma of Christmas sweets. I decorate the Christmas tree together with my son – it’s our family tradition. We always listen to a nice Christmas story while doing so, to get us into the Christmas spirit.
On December 24 we never eat any meat. Instead, we enjoy pea soup and carp with potato salad – and we never forget to put fish scales and coins under our plates, to ensure that we have enough money for the coming year. Following the giving of gifts, fortunes are told using cut-open apples or molten lead that is poured into cold water."
Barbora Koukalova, Human Resources Specialist in Turnov (Czech Republic)
"My favorite Christmas tradition is doing our Christmas lights show. In 2017, my husband saw a series of videos featuçring a house that had been decorated with Christmas lights while Christmas songs were played, and we realized that this was something that we wanted to do, too. So, after a few trips to the store and extension cords totaling more than a mile in length, we were ready to go. Now our friends and neighbors can look forward to a captivating light show every weekend during the Christmas season. Some people even come from out of town to see the display. I actually had to set up a Facebook page so that people would know the times at which they could see the show. If you would like to see this spectacular Christmas show, simply follow the “Dlugosz Family Light Show” on Facebook or pay us a visit the next time that you are in Lapeer."
Tiffany Dlugosz, Project Manager in Lapeer (USA)
"I celebrate Christmas with the whole family. Either we get together at our place or at the home of my oldest daughter. My youngest travels to see us – this year she’ll be coming with a baby, my third grandchild. Everyone prepares something for our festive meal. We have something different every year – potato salad with sausage is more of an exception than the rule.
Once we’ve finished eating, we send the children out of the room so that we can get everything ready: that’s when we place the gifts under the tree, light the candles, and put on some Christmas music. Once everything is ready, a bell is rung – that is when the children come running in to see what is under the tree. That’s how we always celebrate Christmas, and I would like to pass this tradition on to our children."
Jürgen Röhrig, long-standing employee at the Homberg plant (Germany)
(c) Andreas Purr
"Here, Christmas unofficially begins on December 22. That’s when we celebrate the drawing of the numbers for the national lottery. We have a tradition at KAMAX Museros of always playing the same lottery numbers. My favorite part is December 24, Christmas Eve, when the whole family gathers around the dinner table. This is when we sing Christmas songs and eat lots of seafoods and sweets, like turron (white nougat) and mantecados (shortbread cookies). On December 31, shortly before midnight, we try to eat twelve grapes during the last twelve seconds of the year – it’s a lot of fun! Then, on January 5, the Three Wise Men bring gifts for all the good children – and lumps of coal for the bad kids. On the following day, it’s time for a traditional Spanish Kings’ Cake (a sweet bread with a figurine baked in and dried beans)."
Ana Laguna, Assistant to the Management Board in Museros (Spain)
KXpress
