* Insert christmassy feelings here *
Good morning and - I shall say - merry Christmas to all of you out there reading this.
I'm sitting in my bed, enjoying a nice cup of coffee made with my new (an quite fancy) espresso machine (and, yes, for the Italians out there – aka Andrei: actual espresso!) that Max got me for Christmas and I'm listening to Christmas songs ("Twelve Days of Christmas" right now). It's the day of Christmas Eve. Max and I usually spend the 23rd and 24th together, before we each go home to celebrate Christmas with our families. In Switzerland it's custom to celebrate both on the 24th and the 25th of December, sometimes even on Boxing Day. Up until this year my family spent Christmas Eve with my mother's family (that is my grandpa, my aunt and uncle and my three cousins), dining together and later going church to sing Christmas carols and listen to the Midnight Mass. Christmas Day is spent casually at my parent's home, which for me usually means I'm doing some kind of arts and crafts or some needlework. In the evening my dad's family comes over, that is my grandma, all of my aunts, my uncle and my cousins with their spouses and their children. We would eat 'fondue chinoise' (Chinese fondue - it's basically Chinese Hot Pot, so you boil meat, or, my vegetarian ass boils vegetables, in a pot of broth...), and exchange presents. Christmas was the day to be with family and enjoy each others company – and luckily, we get along very well 99% of the time in my family. This is how we did it.
Not this year though. Sadly, the second wave of that freaking virus hit Switzerland like a ton of bricks. For some time we've had some of the highest infection rate per 100'000 citizens. The Swiss value freedom a lot (but unlike other countries, it's not really part of our identity narrative, more so, we just take it for granted). It was therefore not easy for the government to implement stricter and more restricitve rules and guidelines and they tried to defer from doing so as long as possible, so the high number of infected people has stayed high for a couple of weeks now. We don't like to be told to refrain from seeing our beloved families and friends, so obviously, the virus has a blast, spreading around like wildfire. Now the government has decided to close all restaurants, museums, leisure institutions, fitness centres, but not the stores. Let's all hope people here finally get the phrase "stay the *fudge* home". I don't want to continue to live like this another year. It has not been fun at all in my opinion, living in constant worry for your loved ones and being so restricted in your daily life (as I said, I too value my freedom).
Due to the high number of infected people, a lot of families here renounce to celebrate Christmas with a lot of people, as do we. This year it will only be my parents, my siblings and I celebrating together. My grandparents stay home and we will only talk to them on the phone, or, in the case of my grandpa, on Facetime. For the 25th my dad's family has organized a big family Facetime session. But this is definitely not the same as celebrating together.
This is a little update on how things are going on my end. Not all too well, but not too shabby either, just very different. I'm not all that good with change, so obviously, this year has been a bit more challenging for me than the previous ones. I miss travelling, I miss going out, I miss casually seeing my friends without masks and disinfectant and the fear of giving them a possibly deadly virus. And when I look around and see all these people struggling, store owners who have to close down their stores or restaurants for good, people who cannot afford groceries and do not know how to pay for next month's rent I get sad and frustrated. Also frustrated about myself, complaining about little things when I know that there are people out there whose struggles are so much worse. I don't even want to say I'm struggling, more so, I'm fed up with this virus and all it's brought us. The only thing that makes this year a tad more bearable is to know that we all sit in the same boat (how sad is it to say that?). That's why I'd love to read from you too. How are things where you live?
This year has tried us hard. Very hard. I don't want to be all negative here. The virus has also taught us valuable lessons and in some cases brought forth new innovations, but still, let's call a spade a spade – or as we say in German – nennen wir das Kind beim Namen (call the kid by its name): this year sucked! So I propose a toast. Let's raise our glasses this year, so the next will bring more of everything. More health, more freedom, more warmth and light, more comfort, more togetherness, more hope. Let's raise our glass to big plans and dreams, to a limitless sky and shoreless seas, to a full life and above all, to love. Let's not wither, but let's take each other's hands and come together and make this world a little better.
After all, it's Christmas, and, Christmas should be about love. Christmas is love. So let's spread it.
Merry Christmas my dear friends.
And lots of love.
Amanda
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3fSknbR7Y4
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