Kopsavilkums: Ziemassvētki /// Summary: Christmas

Es esmu tik laimīga par Ziemassvētkiem, tas bija tik skaisti.

Es šogad nolēmu nopietni pievērsties Ziemassvētkiem; tā bija mana iespēja pēc pagājušā gada neveiksmes, kad es tikai sapņoju par pudiņu, un beigās attapos Ziemassvētkos bez pudiņa, ar Ziemassvētku kūku. Nebija slikti, nepavisam nebija, mani Ziemassvētki tādi nekad nav, taču es būtu priecājusies par iespēju maķenīt vairāk par viņiem pajūsmot pirms tam. Tā vietā es tikai žēlojos kolēģīšiem un cietu par savu nevaļu.

Šogad es nolēmu vairs nebūt tik vieglprātīga. Es patiesi uztvēru to nopietni.

Jau novembrī man parādījās vēlme klausīties sildošas 50.gadu izpildījuma Ziemassvētku dziesmas, decembrī es sāku klausīties arī zēnu kora eņģeļu balsis. Patiesībā mana pievēršanās Ziemassvētkiem ir ar ne tik daudz produktīviem rezultātiem (tādiem ekonomistiski produktīviem), cik ar nodošanos Ziemassvētku apcerei. Lielākā daļa manu decembra domu vērsās ap Ziemassvētelīgām bildītēm, recepšu lasīšanu,  pētījumiem par monētām un gredzeniem - kura priekšmeta iecepšana kūkā nes kāda veida laimi, un kura Latvijas monēta nesatur niķeli (esmu dzirdējusi, ka niķelis kaitīgs, un man nepatiktu, ja veiksmes vietā kāds saindētos). Es lasīju arī kādas 5 izglītojoša rakstura grāmatas par britu Ziemassvētkiem, "The Great British Christmas" un "A Country Christmas" bija manas favorītes. Tiešām, visi Ziemassvētku grinči, lasiet šīs grāmatiņas, tas var palīdzēt. Un pārējie lasiet, jo lieliski.

Un kad decembra sākumā uzsniga pirmais sniegs, ah, nu tas bija neaprakstāmi. Es daudz neskumu, ka uz Ziemassvētkiem sniega nebija nemaz. "Skotiski," es parasti domāju šādos laikapstākļos, kad ir +5-8 grādi, sauss vai viegli mitrs, un zaļa zāle. Nu jā, bet tas sniegs, aww. Bija viegli silts, tāpēc sniegs pielipa pie koku zariem, un divas dienas bija tas sapņainais skats, ko mēs šajos platuma grādos vienmēr jūtamies pelnījuši. Mēs ciešam ar īsiņām ziemas dienām, tāpēc mums pienākas skaisti sniegi!

Vienā no šajām apburošajām dienām es devos pie Katrīnas uz Adventes laika branču, kas pārauga tējas laikā. Mēs dzērām branča tēju, un mēs dzērām tējas laika tēju. Es pat nevaru pastātīt, cik tas bija izcili. Pārsvarā mēs sēdējām un runājām apmēram tā "Vīī, Ziemassvētki!" un "Nēe, to taču nevar izturēt, tik lieliski!" Mēs mazliet skatījāmies uz augšu pa logu, uz koku zariem un tumstošām debesīm, sajūta bija kā kotedžā, kur mums apkārt lauki, bet mēs leduslācīša mājīgajā namiņā. Katrīna bija ziemas laika mājas tērpā, un es Ziemassētku gaidīšanas tērpā, un mēs kopā parasti esam tik priecīgas. Un, ja vēl ar mums ir Ziemassvētki, tad priecīgums ir ļoti liels un sprēgājošs.

Katrīna izgāja mani pavadīt, un mēs gājām pa ielām, sniga lielas, mitras pārslas, mēs vērojām trušus. Tur bija arī Sātana trusis, melns trusis ar melnām acīm, man šķiet, ka viņš trenca prom mazu tumši pelēku trusīti.

Pirms tam vel mājās. K: "Man tik ļoti patīk spēļu trusīši!"
E: "Vai tev tik ļoti patīk arī dzīvi trusīši?"
K: [mazliet bēdīgu sejiņu] "Nē, ne tik ļoti."

Elīna: "Ziemassvētki, ahh, tas ir tik brīnišķīgi!"    Katrīna: "Ziemassvētki!" "Man tik ļoti patīk trusīši."

Visa mūsu kopābūšana bija īsts Ziemassvētku iemiesojums. Katrīna ir mans labākais Ziemassvētku draudziņš, mēs kopā jūsmojam un apceram, tikai es šogad biju labākā pozīcijā, jo man nedraudēja nekāda sesija, un manā ģimenē visus interesē eglīte. Es jau ar citiem arī gribu runāties par Ziemassvētkiem, bet citi ar mani ne vienmēr. Mājās mani, man šķiet, uzskata par mazu āmuļfanu vai ko tamlīdzīgu. Kad es biju aizgājusi ciemos uz FreshStep, un Pēteris jautāja, kā man iet, es atbildēju kaut ko, ka man ir ļoti labs Adventes vainags izdevies, un jautāju, vai viņiem ir. Sākumā viņi teica, ka nav, un tad, ka aiz aizskariem ir. Es paskatījos, un tur bija tikai maziņš kaktusiņš. Tā ka Adventes vainags tur ne visai bija. Pēteris piebilda, ka esmu pirmais cilvēks, kas ienācis pa durvīm un sācis runāt par Ziemassvētkiem, man vēl pie zābakiem (maniem pekainīšu zābakiem) tikai vajadzētu zvārgulīšus.

Bet vispār es domāju, ka ir labi likt arī nogurušiem un neieziemassvētkotiem cilvēkiem par to visu padomāt, kaut kāds prieciņš var aizķerties. Vai arī tādiem, kas vienkārši pagaidām vēl nav tik tālu tikuši.

Tagad mazliet nodarbošos ar Ziemassvētku grāmatvedību. Iespējams, tā nemaz nav grāmatvedība, es nekad neesmu bijusi grāmatvede, un grāmatveži par mani varētu sprauslāt tā, kā es sprauslāju par runīgiem cilvēkiem, kas kā savu patiku norāda "filozofēšanu". Es nevaru ar jums draudzēties, cilvēki, kas nelietīgi izmanto filozofijas vārdu!

Manas galvenās Ziemassvētku neveiksmes:

1) es sapņoju par pudiņu, taču uztaisīju Ziemassvētku kūku. (Bija ļoti garšīga vegānu kūka, drusku mitra kā pudiņš. Un es priecājos, ka nosliecos par labu vegānu variantam, jo mani vilka gan "pašu tradicionālāko ēdieniņu, lūdzu", gan "man patīk taisīt ko tādu, ko visi ēd", jo kolektīva viena un tā paša ēdiena ēšana man ir visai svarīga.)

2) dāvana tētim laikā neatkļuva pa pastu, tāpēc man nācās sacerēt komiksu par lidmašīnu nokavējušu pidžamkrekliņu. Man patīk sacerēt komiksus, bet patīk arī laikā atnākušas dāvanas, kuras var nolikt zem eglītes un nodot aptaustīšanai un Ziemassvētku noskaņu uzslāņošanai.

3) man nebija neviena paša āmuļa vai akmensozola zariņa! Es šogad daudz apcerēju britu Ziemassvētkus, un man ļoti gribējās tos mūžzaļos zariņus. Toties Zariņš novembra beigās, kad izdomāja, ka varētu mani aizvest uz filmēšanas laukumu, uzdāvināja manu pirmo Ziemassvēku dāvaniņu. Zariņš sagribēja kafiju, jautāja man, kā man iet un ko es daru, es teicu, ka domāju par Ziemassvētkiem. Zariņš jautāja, vai kleita svētkiem jau skaidra, un mazliet bēdīgi novilku, ka galīgi vēl ne. Mēs piebraucām pie benzīntanka, tur jau pie durvīm sastutētas stāvēja mazas, tuklas eglītes, viņš iznāca ar kafiju un "Serenādi". Ar visu to fonu un priecīgumu, es to tiešām jutu kā pirmsZiemassvētku dāvanu, tik forši. Turklāt Jaungadā Katrīna man uz tāfeles bija uzzīmējusi āmuli. Un vispār es nolēmu, ka ņemšu vērā savu asins sastāvu un izturēšos kā ziemeļniecei pienākas, un rotāju savu apkārtni ar eglītēm, priežu zariņiem, brūklenītēm un sūnām. Very Latvian, stiept dabas veltes uz namiņu. Ah, un jā, (es nevaru par šo tēmu runāt maz - es par to esmu pēdējā laikā domājusi tik daudz!) Jaungadā arī apjautājos Timam par āmuļiem un akmensozoliem, un viņa amerikāņu bērnībā tādi bija, taču viņš tiem nepievērsa pārāk lielu nozīmi. Uzreiz tāda sajūta, ka viss ir pareizi, maziem amerikāņu bērniem ir viņu pašsaprotamie āmuļu zariņi.

4) būtu paticis aiziet uz baznīcu. Paskatīties uz zēnu kori un viņu korāļiem, piemēram. Kopš es vairs neeju skolā, man mazliet pietrūkst baznīcas pirmsziemassvētku laikā. It kā jau daudz to baznīcu, bet es jūtos apmulsusi šajā izvēlē.

Katrīnas āmulis

Labie lēmumi un paveikšanās (man parasti vairāk veicas, nekā es labi izvēlos, taču es arī reizēm labi izvēlos):

1) vilkt to pašu zaļa samta kleitu, ko iepriekšējo gadu. Lietu atkārtošanās un atkārtošana rada kaut kādu saslēgtību ar nozīmības sajūtu, un kleita ir tik skaista un tik piemērota Ziemassvētkiem, un man patīk dot drēbēm vairākkārtējas iespējas sevi izdzīvot.

2) Adventes vainags bija tiešām izcils, manuprāt. Es tagad jūtos kā bērzu zaru - smaragda zaļo sūnu - brūkleņu mētru - melnu čiekuriņu - lentīšu Adventes vainagu speciāliste. Manā vainagā vēl bija guļošs stirnēns, stāvošs stirnēns un sarkankrūtītis. Katrīnas "Jaungada Adventes vainagā" bija baltas, izskatīgas ogas, kuras es nezinu, cik ilgi turējās, taču sākumā bija izteiksmīgas.

3) savlaicīga pievēršanās dāvanu papīriem un lentītēm. Dāvanas es nesasaiņoju laicīgi, taču man bija glīta izvēle, un tikai un vienīgi glītas lietas, no kā izvēlēties, un tas procesu atvieglo. Ik pa skaistai lietai nav jāuzlūko neglīta un jānodrebinās.

4) es visas Ziemassvētku dienas darīju pareizās lietas. Tieši to, kas jādara, un nepieļāvu nekādas kļūdas.

kaķi Ziemassvētko

^^^^^

I am so happy about this Christmas, it was sooo beautiful.

This year I decided to be serious about it. It was my chance after last year's failure, when I was only dreaming about the Christmas pudding, but didn't get any. I made Christmas cake though, which was quite enough for me. The Christmas days themselves were not bad at all, it's not in my habit to have bad Christmas. Still, I would have enjoyed some extra opportunities to reflect on Christmas before it was actually happening. So I was just complaining to my nice co-workers and suffering for not having enough time for Christmas.

So this year I was determined to drop that careless attitude of mine. I took Christmas really seriously.

In November Christmas songs from 50ies seemed the oblivious choice. They have such a warming effect. In December I added the angelic voices of boys choir to my list. I don't think my focus on Christmas was very productive (like, in the economic sense), however I was reflecting on these themes a lot. Most of my December thoughts were connected to pictures containing decorations, to recipes, to the research on coins and rings - which one brings luck, and which Latvian coins don't contain nickel (since I have heard of its poisonous qualities, and I wouldn't have liked it if someone got poisoned, instead of having luck). I was also reading 5 educative books on British Christmas. "The Great British Christmas", as well as "A Country Christmas" were my favorites. I advice to read them to all the Grinches, it might help. And I recommend them to the decent Christmas lot too,  'cause they are great.

When the first snow in the early days of December was falling down, it was, ohh, I won't be able to describe it. I wasn't very sad, when on Christmas Eve there was no snow at all. "It's very Scottish," I usually think when the weather is like that - +5 - 8 C, rainless or slightly humid, and the grass is green. But still, that snow, aww. It was quite warm, so the snow was sticking to the trees well. For two days the dreamy sight of everything-all-white didn't disappear. We, the ones living in the rather northern latitudes, always feel we deserve this kind of beauty. Having (or sometimes suffering from) the tiny winter days, beautiful winter snow is simply well deserved!

One of these pretty days I spent at Katrina's, having Advent brunch which gradually grew into teatime. We were having tea for brunch, and then we were having tea around teatime. This was splendid. For the most of the time we were talking something like "Christmas, aww!" or "This is just too much, soo great!" Looking a bit up, bare tree branches and darkening sky were well visible. It was like being in a cottage with fields around the house, a polar bear's cosy home. Katrina was in wintertime loungewear, and I was dressed in my waiting-for-Christmas garments. When we get together, we are almost always cheerful. And if there is Christmas to await, then the joy is big and sparkling.

Katrina went out to see me off, and while we were walking the streets, huge, moist snowflakes were falling down. Then we got to observe rabbits in their Rabbit Kingdom. There was also Satan's rabbit - a black rabbit with black eyes. I think he drove away a small dark grey rabbit.
Beforhands at home: K: "I like toy rabbits so much!"
E: "Do you like real rabbits just as much as toys?"
K [with slightly sad face]: "No, not so much."

Elina: "Christmas, ah, that's awesome!"  Katrina: "Christmas, aww!" "I like rabbits a lot."

I wouldn't dare to underappreciate our Christmasing. Katrina is my best Christmas friend, we gush together and reflect on it. I did try to lead a conversation about Christmas with others too, but not everyone was very interested. I guess at home I am considered a little mistletoe fan or something like that. When I was visiting one production company, Peteris asked, how was I doing and those sorts of things. I said that I was doing well, had made a really good Advent wreath, and asked if they had one. At first they denied having one, then they said that actually there was a wreath behind the curtains. I checked it out but found nothing but a tiny cactus. So, there wasn't really an Advent wreath. Peteris also mentioned that I was the very first person to cross the door step and to start to talk about Christmas. And that I needed to attach some tiny bells to my boots.

For all that, I find it good when tired or not yet Christmased-up people get to think about Christmas time, they may catch some winter cheer.

Now I am planning to do some Christmas book-keeping. It's probably no real book-keeping, since I have never been an accountant. Maybe real accountants would snort their disapproval of the word's misuse, just like I snort my dissatisfaction about chatty people who indicate their liking for "philosophy" and "philosophizing". I can't be friends with you, people, who caddishly misuse the name of philosophy!

The main Christmas failures:
1) I was dreaming about pudding, but made a Christmas cake, again. (It was a tasty vegan cake, moist enough to remind of pudding. I am also glad I decided to go for the vegan version, since I am usually torn between the wish for "only the most traditional for me, pls" and "I want to make something that everyone eats",'cause eating collectively the very same dish is quite important to me.)

2) the present for dad didn't make it in time, so I could do nothing but make up a comic about flannel pajamas, that had just missed their flight. I like to draw comics, but I also like presents that arrive in time, so that I an put them under the Christmas tree. And then they can be touched, and they add something to the Christmas feel.

3)  I didn't have any mistletoe or holly, not even the tiniest twig! This year I was contemplating a lot on the British themes, and I would have so loved to have these evergreens. At least Zarins [in latvian Zariņš means "twig"] in late November, when he gave me a lift to the location, he also gave me the very first Christmas gift. He wanted some coffee, and asked what was I doing those days. I said: "I think about Christmas." He asked whether my dressing choice for the Christmas Eve was made yet, and I sadly answered that this was still unclear. Then the car approached gas station, where chubby Christmas trees were leaning towards the door. Zarins came back with coffee and a chocolate for me, and with all that cheerful mood and sudden background decorations, I had to conceive this chocolate as a pre-Christmas gift. Besides, on New Year's Eve Katrina had drawn for me a mistletoe on the blackboard. And actually I decided to take into account my blood and to behave in a way that suits northerners. So my surroundings were decorate with fir-tree, pine branches, lingonberry and moss. It's very Latvian indeed, to carry home different kinds of plants. Also, (it's impossible for me to talk only a little about this topic when I have been thinking about it volumes!) on New Year's Eve I got ask Tim about mistletoes and holly leaves, and they indeed were present in his American childhood, although he didn't pay much attention to them. It felt right, little American kids and their obvious mistletoe.

4) I would have enjoyed to go to a church. To watch a boys choirs and to listen to the corals they perform, for example. Ever since I have abandoned the habit of attending high school, I miss a little bit church in December. There are heaps of them, those churches, still I somehow feel confused presented with this wide choice.

the mistletoe, drawn by Katrina

The right choices and luck (usually I am better at the luck department than at making choices, but sometimes I manage to choose well):

1) to wear the same dark green velvet dress, that I wore a year ago. The recurrence of things and repeating things creates some kind of closure, it feels important. And that dress is so beautiful and suits Christmas so well. I also like to give garments several chances to live themselves through.

2) according to me, the Advent wreath was pure perfection. Now, having made two, I feel as a specialist at making wreaths out of birch twigs, emerald moss, lingonberry bushes and little black cones. In my wreath there were a standing bambi, a lying bambi and a robin. In Katrina's "New Year's Advent wreath" there were white good-looking berries. I don't know for how long did they managed to look good, but in their early days they looked impressive enough.

3) I started to collect gift wrapping papers and ribbons well in advance. I didn't wrap the presents well in advance, but at least I only had pretty things to choose from. That makes the whole thing easier. One doesn't have to see an ugly thing between all the prettiness, so there is no need to shake that disturbing feeling off.

4) I was doing the right things during the Christmas period. Nothing but the right things, and made no mistakes.

cats Christmasing