Jauchzet, Frohlocket.
Listening to the Christmas Oratorio by J.S. Bach is a Christmas tradition in my family and honestly, I cannot imagine living without classical music during the “festive season”. I don’t care much for modern, commercial Christmas music, but I’ll even concentrate on listening to the music when it comes to Bach or Händel. Which is special once you know that I’m an insane multitasker who likes to do at least 3 things at once that occupy my brain on different levels.
This song just makes my heart glow.
I wasn’t introduced to this tradition until I lived in my ‘new’ family. This is the tenth Christmas that I’m spending without my mum, without a regular, mom-dad-brothers-sisters family. For a while, I really, really hated Christmas. Who to spend it with? Your closest relatives, just because they are your closest relatives? Or the people you care about most? Will you make everyone happy or will someone feel left out? Will you sacrifice your own sanity for a harmonious family holiday?
Christmas is not as idyllic as people picture it in their dreams. Sure, there are still those picture perfect families. They exist, I’m sure of it. But chances are you’re not in one of them. And in that case, Christmas can become a tug-of-war, a time of running around looking for presents, and a time of forced cheeriness.
I stopped doing that a while ago. Christmas, whatever way you frame this time of year, is not supposed to be a stress. For me, it signifies driving home, spending a few calm days just baking and eating cookies, hanging out with the people you love, listening to great music, reading books, drinking tea.
Once I learned to value my own wishes, I stopped trying to make Christmas something it’s not. It’s not like it was when I was a kid. My mum isn’t there anymore, the family is not there anymore. But I found a new family. New traditions came to life. It is not the same, but it is equally great.
And one day, in a few years maybe, I’ll celebrate Christmas in my very own little family.
And that’s how I learned about turning on the Christmas Oratorio whilst lighting up the real candles of the tree and having a glass of Champagne. A magical moment.
This year, we’ll have to do that in our camper van (minus a tree). But I’m sure a bottle of Champagne can be found. And celebrating Christmas in Yosemite National Park doesn’t seem to bad to me… especially since my awesome, amazing family sent me Glühwein spices, an Adventskalender, Räucherkerzen and a Christmas card:
The only thing I really miss is breaking the tree top ornament _every year_ .. heheheh. And of course having Milchreis “because Jesus didn’t have anything fancy either”. Nice reasoning, mum.
