One of them already assembles the decoration as soon as “Last Christmas” is heard for the first time somewhere, the other makes a few spots at the last minute on the 23rd … We have people from the Ebersberg district for our “Bunter Advent” series asked how they celebrate the days from December 1st and what should not be missing.
For Vera Lúcia de Fátima Machado Scherpf, Christmas is actually all year round – at least if you associate it with good food, fellowship, singing and gifts. Because the master hairdresser and artist with Brazilian roots is so happy in Germany and especially in her adopted home Poing that she sees every day as a gift that you can see and hear carefully. In the region of Foz do Iguaçu, the lively, always happy woman grew up with nine brothers, there wasn’t much money, but there was still particularly good food at Christmas as a difference to the daily beans with rice: suckling pig, chicken, with pineapple and Nuts stuffed duck and sweet pudding. Everything is food that Scherpf’s German husband and the two grown-up children love – but not urgently on Christmas Eve. That’s why there is more of a raclette or fondue.
The South American tradition of waiting until midnight after going to church to deliver presents is also dispensed with – even as a child she didn’t like it. Musically, “Silent Night” is neither a must here nor there. “My German family is not into Christmas carols and when Brazilians meet, they sing samba to the sound of drums and guitars – regardless of whether it is Christmas or Mardi Gras.” And what about the number of packages? There cannot be enough presents today, while in Scherpf’s country of origin many people are too poor or the family members are too numerous to give each other consideration on a large scale. That is why, as with the local elves, the name of an “Amigo Secreto” is drawn and you then buy something. So concerned and everyone gets a gift.
The thing with the tree, on the other hand, is the only aspect where the painter regrets the customs in her Bavarian family. Because according to the agreement with her husband, the Christmas tree comes into the house two days before Christmas Eve at the earliest, while she would prefer to decorate it on December 1st, as is the case in Brazil. By the way, she doesn’t paint the trailer herself: “I don’t want to overload the house with my art. It hangs down in the basement, where the workshop and salon are.” She needs space in her head for new ideas – that would not be possible with a “full” apartment. This only applies to the pictures, however, because relatives and friends are always welcome – the more, the better. Even and especially at Christmas.