During the past two months, Canadians and Americans around the world have celebrated Thanksgiving Day and Muslims have celebrated the Feast of the Sacrifice (Kurban Bayramı, Eid al-Adha). And of course, before this we had Ramadan and the Ramadan Holiday (Ramazan Bayramı, Eid al-Fitr). Ramadan is a month in which most Muslims keep a mandatory fast.There is a saying about this: “Ramazan onbir ayın sultanıdır” -- which infers that the holy month of fasting is referred to as the “sultan [king] of the other 11 months.”
I came across a line of poetry by J.K. Hoyt from “The Meeting of the Months” which expresses a similar idea but from a Christian perspective. The lines read:
Shout now! The months with loud acclaim,
Take up the cry and send it forth;
May breathing sweet her Spring perfumes,
November thundering from the North.
With hands upraised, as with one voice,
They join their notes in grand accord;
Hail to December! say they all,
It gave to Earth our Christ the Lord!”
When holiday celebrations come around, probably every child -- no matter their nationality -- asks his or her mom the question for the millionth time, “When will they get here?”
My mom and grandma, both sweating and with flour up to their elbows as they rolled out the dough for pumpkin pie and pecan pie, ignored the questions and hoped the guests didn’t arrive before the pies were in the oven. Every nationality has its special dishes and desserts it eats on special occasions.
Growing up in Texas, as a child I was only aware that in December people celebrated Christmas. I did not know about other religious celebrations. For my family, the season had a more spiritual significance than for others. I was taught that the true meaning of Christmas had to do with the birth of a child named Jesus Christ and hope and love of God for mankind.
Some of my school friends seemed to be taught more about Santa Claus, reindeers and snowmen. They sang what we call popular Christmas tunes, which were a variety of music heard around the Christmas season. Songs such as “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Deck the Halls” and “The Holly and the Ivy” were more popular in their homes than the traditional carols we sang such as “Joy to the World” and “Silent Night.”
Along with the celebration of Christmas, Jewish people have special celebrations and other world and folk religions worldwide observe many seasonal days of celebration during the month of December. Most are religious holy days which originated in ancient history and are linked in some way to the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere. You can read more about these at: http://www.religioustolerance.org/winter_solstice.htm
I wonder what one of your favorite memories is as a child of your special religious celebration.
While I would sit on a stool and peel some vegetables while my grandmother and mom were busy with last-minute preparations, Papa, my grandfather used to come into the kitchen after having been sitting in the living room visiting with my brothers to check on our progress. He would ask my grandmother, Nonie, if he could sample the brandy sauce. This was her special sauce for the pumpkin dessert. After tasting a spoonful, he would always say the same thing every year. “It needs a little more!”
Brandy sauce is like the hot Turkish winter non-alcoholic drink called sahlep in that it really warms your innards on a cold December day.
One thing about family get-togethers that changes is that those who are dear to us are not with us forever. Those days as a child passed too quickly. As years pass, there will be empty chairs at the table. Some of my loved ones have gone to heaven and other family members are on military assignments overseas or have moved away for work.
It doesn’t matter where you are in the world in this day and age -- another change in family get-togethers is that the menu for the festive occasion is now often planned over e-mail.
“In cold December fragrant chaplets blow, And heavy harvests nod beneath the snow.” Alexander Pope (The Dunciad ,bk. I, l. 77)
Note: Charlotte McPherson is the author of “Culture Smart: Turkey, 2005.” Please keep your questions and observations coming: I want to ensure this column is a help to you, Today’s Zaman’s readers. Email: c.mcpherson@todayszaman.com
