Advent, Advent, a little light is burning

Christmas Time Then and Now

In the past, there was more tinsel and, if you remember the last few years, more snow—at least here in Upper Franconia. This year, too, there probably won’t be a white Christmas and, even more unusually, no Christmas markets either.

For those who love Christmas, the Advent season is firmly linked with wonderful childhood memories. The smell of cookies and punch, sledding, the many lights everywhere, the crunching sound under your shoes when walking through freshly fallen snow, and how much your hands hurt when you came back inside after building snowmen.

Unfortunately, over the years, the sense of reflection tends to fade. At some point, like all the other adults, you get overwhelmed by Christmas preparations, and the to-do list just keeps growing. Buying tons of gifts, baking 30 kinds of cookies, and of course, gingerbread, stollen, and confections. Since the children naturally want to help eagerly, every time there’s a flour explosion to clean up afterward. Of course, Christmas decorations can’t be missing, inside and outside—string lights, angels, elves, all the trimmings that would make the Griswolds turn green with envy. And finally, don’t forget the 7-course meal! Ideally, all of this is done effortlessly alongside work and raising children. If you then spend hours being pushed through department stores by the crowds on an Advent weekend and hear “Last Christmas” on the radio for what feels like the hundredth time on the way home, the cheerful and blissful Christmas season is definitely over. The end result is always lying on the couch on the evening of December 24th, stuffed and with heartburn, wondering what all the fuss was for.

This year, however, the brakes are applied unexpectedly. Why not just slow down a bit? The Advent season rushes past everyone because it’s no longer experienced consciously, as the mind is full of things that aren’t really essential. Baking cookies with the children should be fun. Since even the little ones want to help, a very simple recipe is perfectly fine. Sometimes less is more.

Our Recipe Tip:

Smarties Cookies

200g soft butter

100g sugar

1 packet vanilla sugar

2 egg yolks

1 pinch of salt

250g flour

50g starch

100g ground almonds or hazelnuts

Knead the ingredients well by hand. The sugar amount has already been reduced; if you like it sweeter, feel free to add a few more grams. Chill the dough in the fridge for one hour. Then form small balls, press a Smartie into each ball, and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 10-15 minutes at 180°C top/bottom heat or 160°C convection.

Since things are a bit leaner this year, feel free to come up with some alternatives. Decorating is most fun when the whole family helps. Add some music and nibble on a few gingerbread cookies—just enjoy a nice time together. And instead of the Christmas market, simply take a thermos and cookies on a walk. And if there’s no snow, there will definitely be beautifully lit windows to admire.

Play Shops and Accessories Are Classics Across Generations

Then as now, there is something very special that only once a year makes its way from the attic into the living room. For most children, the play shop is a must-have under the Christmas tree and never loses its magic. Often, several generations even play with it together. This also brings back beautiful childhood memories. Not much has changed. Where once only Maggi bottles stood on the shelves, today maybe cupcakes have been added. There are endless possibilities to stock the play shop. The great thing is that both young and old, and even several children, can play with it. In some families, you can buy the entire Christmas menu directly from the children’s play shop on Christmas Eve. There might be sausages and meatballs to go. Playing along is definitely worth it. We need to learn to simply enjoy the time again, switch off, and not think about endless to-do lists. What matters is that we are healthy and not alone—and that’s true not only this year.

Many play shops, plenty of accessories, and other Christmas gifts can be found in the howa online shop.