The clinch with the Grinch
5 moments in which even Christmas grouches get in the mood
© Victoria Chudinova / Shutterstock
The same fun every year: While some can hardly contain their joy at the festival, others turn out to be real Christmas grouches. Don’t worry, we have a medicine against the Grinche underneath and in us…
In mid-October, I usually ask myself for the first time when we can start listening to Christmas music. I’m aware that no one will deny me access to my speakers, especially because I live alone, but I want to choose the time wisely. I want to get as much out of the Christmas spirit as possible. This means that I shouldn’t start too late, but certainly not too early – afterwards I’ll still be fed up with the dally at the end of December, and that really wouldn’t be in the spirit of contemplation. The latter is much less noticeable for others anyway, as I also have to find out anew every year.
At the end of the year, even the friendliest people suddenly mutate into a Christmas grouch. It’s often the ones you least expect a little Grinch to live in. They are all the more amused by my indignation. What, you don’t like Advent? How can you not like Christmas? Usually the conversations split into two branches at this point: either the questions are hummed away unanswered and I prefer to crawl into my Christmas house alone so as not to get on anyone’s nerves. Or it sparks the annual discussion about whether Christmas is a consumer construct or a festival of love. In the worst case, the latter ends with the fact that otherwise well suppressed consumer-critical opinions gain the upper hand on my part and suddenly one Christmas hater has brought out the Grinch in the other.
Nothing there! I really don’t want to let it get that far this year, because I think we can really use the Christmas spirit, consumer criticism and kitsch or not. So I do my best – and secretly stage five moments in which even Christmas grouches could unintentionally get into the mood.
5 moments to secretly get the Christmas grouch in the mood
1. That one Christmas song from before
I’m playing carol bingo. It works like this: How many Christmas carols do you know? Alternately one is named, at best intoned. Mood comes at the latest with “the one song that we always sang on XY back then”. Ha!
2. Making cinnamon and tangerines accomplices
How fascinating is our nose? The sense organ is underestimated when it comes to its ability to put us in certain moods. Because smells have a special effect on us, extra biscuits are often baked in the kitchen before house tours. Smells like home. funny, right? The tangerine for dessert, the cinnamon as a spice in the soup, the fir tree in the arrangement, you already feel a bit Christmassy without it getting too kitschy.
3. Patting traditions
Exactly what Christmas means to someone varies from person to person. All the more exciting: Because there are many traditions to discover that reveal something about the family history. If we include them in our plans for today, we can revive a bit of childhood – for example in the form of a certain classical piece, writing poetry to one another or, if you like, going to church.
4. Play Santa Claus
Speaking of childhood… Why do you actually stop playing some games when you grow up? Playing Santa Claus, secretly filling your shoe at night with fairy lights and sweets that you would otherwise be too sensible for – is fun regardless of age. The shimmering light in the dark morning makes tiredness disappear and sparks childish curiosity. What’s that glowing there?
5. Get out of the Christmas kitsch
Now, as a Christmas friend, I also have to realize that if you force something too much, it won’t work. But what really gets you into the Christmas spirit, if you understand it to mean contemplation, a little rest and time with the people you love, is turning your back on it all. driving out. Takes the burden off the Christmas grouch who feels pressured by our Advent escalation and brings Grinch and faithful ones back together.