Your Egypt

[Hedgehog]

Hellooooo everyone

I am writing this to you from Amsterdam. I am here to spend Christmas and the New Year with my eldest son and his wife. My daughter in law....Irna... is Indonesian and a Muslim, and I am introducing her to the type of celebration our family have in the UK.:santa:

Leigh (my son) and Irna moved to Amsterdam nearly a year ago from Luxembourg where they were married in a civil ceremony. They had a second ceremony in Wonosobo, Java Indonesia a few months later.
They are based in an apartment in an area known as the World Fashion Centre in Amsterdam. They have a large apartment with views over a park, AND they have a balcony. :lol: :lol: :lol: That is part of a joke in 'my letters from Cairo' :D

I thought that arriving on 20 December I would have a difficult time doing the food shopping and getting all the 'extras that go with Christmas. I have been pleasantly surprised. We talked about having a Christmas tree and the decorations which go on it, the turkey and vegetables we have for dinner, and the giving of presents.:dwarf:

This time of year it is very dark, and the old Pagan ritual of Yule burning, was adopted by the Christians when the moved in on Britain. It brightened up the long dark days of winter. Then the Germans via Prince Albert introduced the Christmas Tree, which became an addition to the Christmas celebration's, In Indonesia there are 12 hour days and 12 hour nights, so Irna finds our long winters very dark, cold, and depressing.:rendeer:

So, first mission was to get a Christmas tree. A real one or a artificial one..... We decided on an artificial one. The apartment is very warm well..... I would say HOT, so there is not much chance of the needles on the tree staying on for very long. This is where surprise no 1 came along. There were not that many trees available, I don't know if the had all been bought, but there was not a big choice. Then I noticed they were just putting up the shopping centre tree the day we went for our tree. It was the 21 December. Most shopping centres in UK had theirs up and lit in November. I had got sick of the hype and advertising just two days after returning from Cairo.:smt018 :smt018

Well, we found a tree and lights and some decorations to go on the tree. Then we went food shopping. They had only just got back from a holiday in Indonesia so the frig was empty. Surprise no 2 The food shops were not busy. There were not many people food shopping, and those that were did not have trolly's over flowing with goodies. I was really surprised. Just a couple of days before I had been in UK and the overflowing trolly's, and the masses of people pushing their way through Tescos was amazing. There was peace and calm every where, in this small shopping centre just outside the centre of Amsterdam. The whole experience was joy....:lol: :lol: :D

We returned home with the tree and started to decorate it straight away. Irna had never had a Christmas tree before, Even though she has spent three Christmases in the west. It was a BIG tree. The surprise in her face when she saw the height was a picture. I had also bought a set of 200 little light bulbs, and a selection of decorations. I left her to decorate the tree as she wanted, and then we switched the lights on...
Her eyes lit up and a big smile came over her face, The picture was beautiful.just like a small child seeing their first Christmas tree. I cried....silly old woman :smt022

Irna said the tree needed more balls and stars as decorations, so over the next few days we added these to the tree, and to day we added chocolate Santa's and Snowmen. Her face is still a picture when she looks at the tree, I often catch her just gazing in wonder at it. It has made me feel quite humble, and shown me how I have taken everything we do for Christmas in the UK for granted.

How we are bombarded with advertising on TV, magazines, shops. The busy shops, the bulging trolly's, the over eating, the greedy children wanting expensive presents. The joy on Irnas face at this simple tree, the people of Amsterdam not turning out on mass to overfill trolly's, the lack of TV adverts telling us we need this that and the other, the relaxed way the shoppers in Amsterdam centre doing their last minute shopping, has been a big eye opener to me. :shock:

This country is not closing down for two weeks. The people will not be stuffing themselves silly with food and drink. most people in UK will not go near a church during this time. So why has the UK developed this way of celebrating a Christian celebration :?: :?: :?:

So ending on that rather 'heavy' note.....

May your God go with you and have a Happy Peaceful Christmas








I will be back, to let you know how our Christmas meal went and some more of my observations of Amsterdam


Bye for now :smt006 :smt006 :smt006

[kamar]

Merry Christmas to you and your family Hedge.
have a nice holiday :wink:

[ageperfect]

Hedge, I take so much pleasure reading your letters (no matter where you are). Keep them coming... whenever you can. Love it!

[moll]

Hedge....don't Dutch children get their presents from St Nicholas or Sinterklaas or somebody, on the 6th of December? I seem to remember reading that somewhere...Anyway, sounds like you're enjoying yourself


That's Santa on his way back home :cry:

[Hedgehog]

I thouht it was 6 Jan Moll....will have to check it out....

[moll]

hedge, we've only got 90 minutes left to use christmas smilies :cry:

[Hedgehog]

Even less here...we are an hour in front......

[moll]

I feel a bit sick, just eaten a whole box of turkish delight




oh better keep this topic related

Do they eat much Turkish Delight in Amsterdam?

[Winky]

Hedge I enjoyed that !
I lived a short while in Holland and to solve the mystery of your peaceful shopping before Christmas I would like to add something .

You see the Dutch celebrate Saint Nicolas or Sint Nicolaas on the evening of Dec the 5th .
Its the MAIN celebration far more important then Christmas
It starts one month before that date in November.

Ask any Dutch person about this festival Hedge
...They had probably just tidied away the remnants of Sinterklaas in your Shopping centre and thats why the Xmas decorations were put up late .

Sinterklaas is a nickname of Saint Nicolas.A Historical Turkish priest who has apparantly resurrected 2 boys from the dead (they had been murdered by a butcher)
He gave money to poor street children (in there shoes, thus the shoe part). children don't really know about the 2 boys story, neither do most Dutch grown-ups.

With "Sinterklaas" children set there shoes, stuffed with food for the horse in front of the fire place or door when they go to bed and next morning Sinterklaas (read: parents) has put some present (sometimes chocolate letters, sometimes a real small present) in it, the parents kind of decide when they may set there shoes, cause 30 days giving presents is a little too much.

On 6 December its Sinterklaas actual birtday, so he leaves a big sack (maybe more sacks) infront of the door, stuffed with presents.


Now he lives in Spain ( As the legend goes)and every year around a month before december 5th (december 6th is his real birthday btw.) he comes to Holland by steamboat and then rides his horse accompanied by his helpers : black Piet's ( black guy's)

This is a big event every year, its all over the News papers and to be honest about every town and village has THE Saint Nicolas arriving :lol: . at night he walks over the houses on his horse ,looking for shoes to place gifts in. or throw gifts down the chimney.

Here is something for Irna she can read it :
"Santa Claus (Sinterklaas) itu orang Arab"
http://www.thehollandring.com/truestory.shtml

BTW Hedge THE place to find Xmas decorations is like in the UK in Garden centers , they are huge !!

The Internet guide to Amsterdam :
http://homepages.cwi.nl/~steven/amsterdam.html



Ahhh Moll :) 8) I just wanted to post this and I see you already mentioned Sinterklaas !! Never mind here it is ..

:wink:

[Hedgehog]

God Moll....dont do Turkish delight... :puker:


I think I have found out why it is so quite in Holland at Christmas


Christmas in Holland
St Nicholas arrives early in Holland with his gifts, in November. He is dressed in Bishop's robes and journeys in a boat with his helper who is called Black Peter and who wears Spanish clothes. It is said that the pair live most of the year preparing lists of presents and writing every child's behavior in a very large book. Many people go to Amsterdam docks to greet him. He mounts a snow horse and rides through the streets in a great parade, amid many festivities.

December 5th is Sinterklaas Eve or Sinterklass Eve, and presents are given and received.

Farmers in Holland blow long horns at sunset each evening during the Christmas period. The horns are blown over water wells which makes the sound extremely loud. This is done to announce the coming of Christmas.

All Dutch children know that Sinterklaas or Sinterklass lived in Spain, where he spends his time recording the behavior of all the children in his little red book, while Piet stocks up on the presents.

Christmas Day is a religious time, and the day is spent with visits to Church. In the afternoon, people sit around the tree, sing carols and tell stories.

[Hedgehog]

Thanks Winks...i was checking out the same as you...at same time.... :lol: :lol:

[moll]

Winky wrote: Hedge I enjoyed that !
I lived a short while in Holland and to solve the mystery of your peaceful shopping before Christmas I would like to add something .


flippin' heck, winky.........is there anywhere you HAVEN'T lived? :shock:

Hope you had a nice Christmas anyway

[Winky]

moll wrote: Winky wrote: Hedge I enjoyed that !
I lived a short while in Holland and to solve the mystery of your peaceful shopping before Christmas I would like to add something .


flippin' heck, winky.........is there anywhere you HAVEN'T lived? :shock:

Hope you had a nice Christmas anyway





Hahahaha Moll I am sometimes a bit surprised myself !!
But unlike Hedge who is now in A'dam West I lived in The Hague :)
I did have anice Xmas moll thank you :wink: I also feel a bit sick
all this food everyday :x but tomorrow I promisse its just chocolate water and bread :wink:

[Hedgehog]

Moll...there are a lot of Turkish people in Holland....so I expect they like a little bit of DELIGHT....... :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Hedgehog]

Hellooo out there...

Hope you all had a peaceful and great Christmas. :king: :king: :santa:

I am still speechless that the shops were not busy and the lack of pushing and shoving like you get in the UK. We went out on Christmas eve, quite late and it was all very civilised. :rendeer: :rendeer: :rendeer: The reason for this is explained further up in this thread.

We visited the Chinese district and wondered down side streets full of Chinese deli shops, jewellery stores and the classic magic/fun shops. Had a very nice roast duck at one of the many restaurant's. :P :P

When we had finished eating we thought we would visit Dam Square, so we wove in and out of many side streets, taking a short cut through the Red Light district. YES the girls were still 'working' on Christmas eve. Standing in their windows with just a whisper and a smile showing... :smt053 :smt053 ....I brought up the rear end as I was 'interested' in checking out what was on 'offer ' so to speak... It is not the first time I had visited the area, but I noticed there were small ques waiting out side some of the windows/doors and I wanted to see what was so special about these girls......I am nosey like that...I could not tell the difference ...well,not from looking anyway.... :scratch: After much demanding that I behave and keep up and 'be sensible' I tore myself away and continued walking...
Then ....I saw a big sign.......SEX SUPERMARKET.... windows all covered over but a few display items in the window.... 'Goody ' I thought... I will go and check it out..... :thumright:
No chance. I was told to act my age, and behave like a 'Mum' should.... Could someone tell me what I should be doing :?: .... I am too young for a bun and glasses at the end of my nose.... I will say no more on the subject.... :smt019

In Dam square there was a big Christmas tree, but in keeping with the low key to Christmas it had no lights on it, although all the buildings surrounding it were brightly decorated. In the middle there was an ice ring with masses of children skating, squealing and having a great time. All round were log cabins selling food and goodies for people to buy as presents or have a feast while they were shopping:santa: :santa: :santa:

Christmas day arrived all bright and sunny. We opened presents after breakfast then prepared the 'meal of the day'. It started with smoked salmon then I showed Irna how to cook the turkey, although we had to do without the bacon and sausage meat. But I covered the bird with lots of butter to keep it moist. There were roast potatoes, several vegetables and gravy. Something which is not in her vocabulary....but now is. This was followed by Christmas pudding and mince pies. The pudding did not impress so it was lucky I had bought some chocolate profiteroles to end the meal. This was accompanied with a nice slurp of the red and white juice.... for people who are normally 'dry' the taste of champagne went down very well..... :drunken: :drunken:

I sat back to watch the Queens' speech while the others went for a walk. They came back with lots of flowers, saying that all shops were open, and trains and trams were also working. In fact they went out on the day after Christmas.....known to us in the UK as 'Boxing Day'....took a tram into the centre of Amsterdam and came back with freshly made strawberry tarts. All the shops were open although there were not too many people around. It was just like a civilised normal week end :santa: :rendeer: :santa:

It started to snow late in the day and came down quite thickly. It has stayed around and to-day when we were out the snow came back. We had had several days of -5 temperatures.......Egypt...THAT IS COLD....When we were returning from yet another shopping trip to-day.... the snow falling was really thick. We looked like a couple of snow ladies walking through the door. :smt051 :smt051

I have enjoyed my experience of Christmas in the Netherlands. No rushing, people being courteous, I saw a child give up his seat on the tram to-day to an older person....something you don't see much in the 21st century. But I also saw the conductor of the tram hit a passenger after words were exchanged. I will explain more another time as I feel I am still in shock over the whole incident. :shock: :shock: :shock:

Another year will be showing its face soon and I will still be here in Amsterdam for that. So there might just be another letter on its way....


Bye for now :smt006 :smt006 :smt006