It was the first time for many years that I had an opportunity to spend Xmas with my mother. Since I have been in Germany for the last months, I didn't have a good reason not to. In Germany, Xmas is traditionally a family festival, and I didn't have the heart to leave her to herself - in her advanced age....
On my arrival at her house I decorated the windows in the lounge room with straw stars and red and golden Xmas decoration which I found in the cellar - some of it being from my childhood! I also purchased a few more little things in the nearby supermarket. All together, it created a cosy and devotional atmosphere.
My mother was so grateful for my association, and as always, we spent harmonious days in meaningful exchanges - reading together, and sharing thoughts and realizations by candle light. And of course, we were enjoying the recollections of celebrating Xmas when we were small....
Reflecting back on my childhood, I have a lot of fond memories of the Advent season throughout the month of December, leading up to Xmas. I will always remember it as a very significant time for my spiritual journey - not because I am still a devout Christian and celebrate the appearance of Jesus, but because especially during this time of the year my mother planted the seed of service in devotion in my heart.
My mother was so grateful for my association, and as always, we spent harmonious days in meaningful exchanges - reading together, and sharing thoughts and realizations by candle light. And of course, we were enjoying the recollections of celebrating Xmas when we were small....
Reflecting back on my childhood, I have a lot of fond memories of the Advent season throughout the month of December, leading up to Xmas. I will always remember it as a very significant time for my spiritual journey - not because I am still a devout Christian and celebrate the appearance of Jesus, but because especially during this time of the year my mother planted the seed of service in devotion in my heart.
My mother is an artist, and she had the wonderful gift of engaging us kids in creative and artistic ways to prepare our hearts and minds for the festive event of Xmas. We were thrilled in intense anticipation, and for the entire month of December we were counting the days with great impatience and eagerness until the day of Xmas would finally arrive.
Throughout the month of December we were practising the "Xmas bhajans" on the piano, violin and wooden recorder. My mother was baking a big variety of traditional Xmas cookies, and to our great joy we were allowed to help her. Sometimes we would secretly steal them from the storage containers in the cellar. We were also learning all kinds of handicrafts: making straw stars with very intricate designs to decorate the Xmas tree, and creating a little diorama depicting the appearance of Jesus, with Joseph and Maria, with a donkey and ox in a stable - made from colored wax. I remember how the wax was very hard, and it took us hours to warm it up by kneading it with our little hands, until we could form it into little figurines. This diorama was later placed under the Xmas tree. These were some of the exciting engagements on the weekends leading up to the festive event, all the while drinking hot chocolate with whipped cream, eating cookies and cracking nuts.
Throughout the month of December we were practising the "Xmas bhajans" on the piano, violin and wooden recorder. My mother was baking a big variety of traditional Xmas cookies, and to our great joy we were allowed to help her. Sometimes we would secretly steal them from the storage containers in the cellar. We were also learning all kinds of handicrafts: making straw stars with very intricate designs to decorate the Xmas tree, and creating a little diorama depicting the appearance of Jesus, with Joseph and Maria, with a donkey and ox in a stable - made from colored wax. I remember how the wax was very hard, and it took us hours to warm it up by kneading it with our little hands, until we could form it into little figurines. This diorama was later placed under the Xmas tree. These were some of the exciting engagements on the weekends leading up to the festive event, all the while drinking hot chocolate with whipped cream, eating cookies and cracking nuts.
Of course, we also had a Xmas calendar, where we could open a little door every day to discover some little picture inside. Another calendar was the advent wreath made from decorative greenery from pine trees, which was hanging down from the ceiling. And it had 24 tiny little parcels hanging down, with some sweets inside. Every morning before going to school we were allowed to cut off one little parcel, all the while counting the days until Xmas.
The excitement and anticipation culminated in the afternoon of Xmas eve, when we dressed up in festive outfits and performed our little concert of the "Xmas bhajans". In a secretive mood, my parents had prepared everything in the lounge room, without us being allowed to participate: the Xmas tree was beautifully decorated, with real candles burning, and everybody had their little table in a corner of the room, with wrapped up gifts and sweets traditional for the Xmas season.
My father would ring a bell three times, increasing our excitement to its heights. And then the door to the lounge room would open, and we would "take darshan" of the Xmas tree in awe and reverence, while the classical Xmas oratorio composed by Johann Sebastian Bach was playing. It was almost a kind of darshan artik...! And then we offered our gifts to our parents, brother and sister, and we were shown our corner with the gifts we received.
The excitement and anticipation culminated in the afternoon of Xmas eve, when we dressed up in festive outfits and performed our little concert of the "Xmas bhajans". In a secretive mood, my parents had prepared everything in the lounge room, without us being allowed to participate: the Xmas tree was beautifully decorated, with real candles burning, and everybody had their little table in a corner of the room, with wrapped up gifts and sweets traditional for the Xmas season.
My father would ring a bell three times, increasing our excitement to its heights. And then the door to the lounge room would open, and we would "take darshan" of the Xmas tree in awe and reverence, while the classical Xmas oratorio composed by Johann Sebastian Bach was playing. It was almost a kind of darshan artik...! And then we offered our gifts to our parents, brother and sister, and we were shown our corner with the gifts we received.
Later as a teenager, I was lamenting that these festivals had lost their excitement and joyful anticipation, and I was contemplating why grown-ups did not celebrate these events in a deeper way. Were they only meant for children? I developed the theory that festivals are of the greatest significance and mark the year. I was convinced there must be a lifestyle which is centered around meaningful festivals. And after a long search I finally found it - Krishna consciousness, a preparation for the spiritual world, where every day is a festival...!
Up to this very day I am very fond of absorbing my mind in preparation for our Vaishnava festivals, which are the mother of devotion if celebrated with heart and soul - something my own mother taught me when celebrating Xmas....
On the 28th of December I traveled back to Simhachalam - just in time to participate in our little Sankirtan festival over New Year...
Your servant, Devaki dd
Up to this very day I am very fond of absorbing my mind in preparation for our Vaishnava festivals, which are the mother of devotion if celebrated with heart and soul - something my own mother taught me when celebrating Xmas....
On the 28th of December I traveled back to Simhachalam - just in time to participate in our little Sankirtan festival over New Year...
Your servant, Devaki dd
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