[Culturechat] Christmas celebration with disclaimer

Wed, 26 Dec 2001 14:37:09 -0800

Thanks.  This is a wonderful Christmas story.  The spirit of the extended
Greutert family (and the lipids) warmed our hearts.  Jonas is one of our
favorite children and we were proud to hear he read the Christmas story with
such skill.  Guess I shouldn't ask who plays Juliniessen--just accept the
Christmas magic.  It is no wonder why we return to Sachseln.  Sharing a few
weeks with this loving family lasts a lifetime.

Best New Year wishes to all.  Joan.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Vance Roy" <gigli.saw@dplanet.ch>
To: "culturechat" <culturechat@untours.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 26, 2001 4:29 AM
Subject: [Culturechat] Christmas celebration with disclaimer

> First the disclaimer:
>
> This is a story about people that most of you don't know. Over 200
> families in the USA do know at least some of these people and have spent
> a part of their lives with them as Idyllers. This, and the pictures are
> for them, but the rest of you are welcome too.
>
> For forty odd years, a Norwegian lady (Berit) and a CH man (Albert) have
> lived in Sachseln. Albert says he married Berit because of her blond
> hair and blue eyes. Whatever the reason, he got his money's worth and
> more. One thing he had to give up was ever having a typical CH Christmas
> again. Christmas in the Greutert household is a year round event which
> really becomes serious about the first of December each year.
> The crescendo reaches its peak on Christmas day after days of
> preparation of cookies, cakes, homemade pate, the drawing of names for
> gifts, the decoration of every nook and cranny of the house, and of
> course the procurement and decoration of the tree. The Greutert kitchen
> is awake when I get up and still running when I crash at night. For some
> years, I have been allowed to enter this family circle for a wonderful
> experience. Including the "run of the fox" (more about that later).
>
> A few things that will make the pictures mean more, with apologies to
> those who already are in the know:
> There are three generations of Greuterts
> Albert and Berit
> Jan Erik and wife, Gabriella
> Heidi and husband Peter
> Elisabeth and husband Guido
> Diana and Oliver are children of Jan Erik and Gabi
> Simone, David, and Tobias belong to Heidi and Peter
> Michele, Domonik, and Jonas belong to Elisabeth and Guido
> Jonas is a special case, since he is my Godson and is also the youngest.
> In the pictures, he has
> an orange shirt on. Being a Godfather in CH is a lot more than in the
> USA. It is taken literally as being the person who would try to help
> care for the child if the parents die. If you see more of this child, it
> is because he is as precious to me as if he were my own.
>
> The Christmas feast begins with sixteen Greutert family members and
> three of us. Barbara, Gigli, and Roessli. Roessli is the senior outsider
> and a former nanny for many of the children. At about dusk, the nineteen
> of us gathered for some grog (mulled wine with raisins and
> chopped almonds in it) and "Guetzli" which are cookies and cakes. Then
> an important person arrives, dressed in a red and white outfit with a
> flowing white beard. He could pass for Santa Claus in the USA but his
> name is Juliniessen. Juliniessen brings a huge sack with him. He takes a
> place and begins to call out names. Each named individual goes up and
> sits on his lap. Then says a verse or does something for him (Barbara
> and I sang Jingle Bells for him). A gift is received, and all enjoy
> seeing what he has brought. This is all accompanied by general laughter
> and foolishness. "Bestafahr"sp? was Berit's Norwegian father and gave
> the children something every year. He still does even though he has been
> dead for over six years. All suspect Berit has a hand in this, but no
> one can prove it.
>
> After Juliniessen is done, the whole mob adjourns to sit at what can
> only be described as the epitome of a "groaning board". First, sdomeone
> reads The Christmas Story. This year it was Jonas. He read it from a
> book with superior ability for a second grader. Then the food begins to
> come out. This takes place once a year, and people who normally are
> prudent in what they eat, just lose their inhibitions. The whole meal
> can best be described by the word "lipid". There is roast pork, a veal
> roast, some wonderful things that look like meatballs, but are much
> better, and a platter of small sausages. With all this goes potatoes,
> vegetables, cranberries (the European kind), and drinks of several
> kinds. If one dared to eat only one plate of all this, I think Berit
> would become suicidal. The last thing served in this part of the feast
> is a "digestiv" of Aquavit, a potent concoction drunk neat and
> guaranteed to make your teeth whiter than Pepsodent. The table is
> cleared, and all get ready for the "run of the fox."
>
> This is the part about which I dread to write. I don't think anyone can
> adequately describe on paper what this is and how much it is the
> highlight of the season. It begins a few weeks before when all the names
> that are going to be at the Christmas bash are put in a hat and the
> drawing takes place. If for some reason, you aren't going to be there,
> then you don't draw. "Your" person is a secret known only by you and is
> to receive some sort of present. There is a limit of about 20 CHF on
> what you can spend. After the dinner, all gather around in a big circle,
> and one is chosen to begin. This person rises and begins to walk around
> in front of the others with his gift. There is a song sung about the fox
> running around while this person looks about, feints as to give the gift
> to someone but backs off several times until he finally gives it to the
> person he drew. As you can imagine, the children get very excited about
> this. Maybe what you don't imagine is that the adults do this also. This
> goes on with the one who receives the gift being the next to go around
> with his gift. I hope this is clearer than it sounds when I write it.
> There is an inordinate amount of excitement and joviality that goes
> along with all this. The gifts are inovative sometimes. Barbara got a
> glass bowl full of Lindt chocolate. I got a pair of silk boxers with the
> "Snoopy" logo all over them. Barbara gave a "Gutschein" (gift
> certificate) to the Imax in Luzern to Guido. I gave stationary to Diana.
> Others received CDs, books, etc.
>
> Now about six hours into this affair, it is time to have dessert! This
> year, I bailed out on this, but it always accompanied by a ring cake
> made in the shape of a Christmas tree with a biscotti taste. It went
> well with a bowl of ricota filled with fruit and whipped cream. We amde
> it home about seven hours after we began. I am sure that I will be
> hungry again someday, but I don't know when.
>
> The intangible here is the love between all of this family. The fun they
> have is evident, and I think due to it being one of the few times in the
> year that they are all together. Unless one is out of the country, one
> would not want to miss it. I know that for a semi-Scrooge like me, it
> makes Christmas as I think it should be.
>
> A few pics are at:
>
>
http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/gigli_saw/lst?.dir=/Christmas+in+CH+with+disclaim
er&.view=t
> --
> Vance Roy
> gigli.saw@dplanet.ch.
>
>
>
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