Back home it seems that all at once, the Christmas season is in full bloom. You wake up one day and, BAM, stores, malls, streets, everything is decked out for Christmas. Here, the season unfolds slowly, though we’re now in full swing, especially because St. Nicholas Day is this Sunday.
If you haven’t read or listened to David Sedaris’ “Six to Eight Black Men” about the Christmas tradition in the Netherlands, it’s worth a listen for two reasons: First, it’s funny as hell and, second, it’s the celebration that is most common in Belgium. I’ll be brief. St. Nicholas, the former bishop of Turkey, lives in Spain during the off season with his helpers, Zwart Piet (Black Pete). Around the middle of November, St. Nicholas takes a boat from Spain to the port cities of the low countries, docks, gets on his white horse, and tours the country, getting the scoop on the good boys and girls in the country.
The children put out their shoes and, in the mornings, usually find a small sweet. On the night of 5 December Saint Nicholas and Black Pete (former slaves, chimney sweeps, friends, who really knows at this point) visit each house and leave gifts for the Children by their shoes.
Christmas day itself is not a gift giving holiday (though with commercialization and the primacy of American Christmas themed Coke bottles in stores, many are giving gifts on Christmas day) but one for visiting family. In the Francophone part of the country, Christmas Eve is the big holiday. (The above story about Saint Nicholas is a Dutch tradition, but also the most popular tradition in Belgium. This place is so culturally complicated, it’s pretty amazing.)
Anyway, that’s the tradition, but lets talk about the atmosphere. Grand Place, in the center of Brussels, becomes a mix of the old and the new. A tree it set up with blue and white lights (that seems to be the color scheme for tree lights). A crèche is also put up on Grand Place. (It was also called “the hut for the baby Jesus” by a woman I overheard while having a drink one evening.) The City Hall – a beautiful gothic building – is decked out in lights, but not our traditional Christmas lights, but in a display that flashes, and strobes, and the like, all timed to music piped in to the courtyard. Electrobel (the Belgian electric company) sponsers this display and it’s pretty cool, though I don’t know why the music has to be techno-versions and DJ mixes of Christmas music….
The old guild halls and, now, café’s on Grand Place are in the spirit, too.
Beyond Grand Place, as you make you way to the Bourse (the stock exchange) and Saint Catherine you come across a big Christmas market with about 240 or 250 stalls selling goods from around Belgium and the world. There’s food and hot wine and cider. About 2.5 million people come to visit the Christmas Market and, evidently, lots of Brits are drawn to it.
Each year, the Market has a featured “guest” and this year it is Mongolia. There is a small section with maybe a dozen “yurts” selling Mogolian goods and foods. I think I’ll stay away from the fermented horse milk, but that’s just me…..
Beyond that is the bulk of the Market, complete with an ice rink and a huge ferris wheel.
When I was out on opening night, there was also an outdoor studio broadcasting “LIVE.” I was pelted with fake snow (soap bubbles) as the hosts wandered from place to place in the outdoor studio talking with various people. (I assume they were venders who got a prime spot on the TV show.) Pretty cool, I’d have to say.
Closer to where I live, the Sablon is decked out with lights and the shops – always cute and classic – look better than ever.
It’s fun to think that I’ll have two Christmases. One here in Europe and then I’ll be back in time to enjoy Christmas in the States….It really is a wonderful time of year.
No comments:
Post a Comment