A Very Ethiopian Christmas

Last night we went to an Ethiopian Christmas party. Mainly we ate and talked about Ethiopia.

Here is some riveting information about how Christmas is done in the fine country of Ethiopia. I found it on the World Wide Web.

The Ethiopian name for Christmas is Genna, which comes from the word Gennana (eminent) and expresses the coming of the Lord to free mankind of its sins. Genna is also the name of a hockey-like game which is said to have been played by the shepherds when they heard of the birth Christ. Men and boys in villages now play the traditional Genna in the afternoon of Christmas day while elders and community members watch. Genna begins early in the day, around 6 AM, when people gather in churches for mass. Genna is celebrated on January 7th.

People receive candles as they enter the church. After lighting the candles everyone walks around the church three times, then stands throughout the mass, which may last up to three hours.

Food served at Christmas usually includes injera. Tye made doro wat and our friends made lentil dishes, beef tibs, cabbage and other vegetables.

I didn’t think I would like the food. I was nervous. I do love the concept of scooping everything up with bread. That’s just genius. But I was afraid of the spices. I’m not very good at loving foods I’m not used to.

Surprisingly, I really liked it! Bread, good. Doro wat, gooooood. Lentils, goooooood!

(who remembers when Rachel made a trifle with beef, sautéed with peas and onions, raspberry jam, and whipped cream or something because the cookbook pages were stuck together? Joey loved it. “What’s not to love? Beef, goooood. Jam, gooooooooood.”)

The injera was strange at first. It was sort of foamy/spongy. But then I got more used to it and it was great.

The spices- fantastic. I loved all the spices everyone used. Berbere, cardamom, turmeric and fenugreek mostly.

One more important fact about Ethiopian Christmas- gift giving is a very small part of it. Time is spent with family and friends and small gifts are exchanged. None of that consumer driven rushing around holiday stress. We can take a lesson from that, I think. 

What’s your favorite holiday tradition?

Two Things About the Tree

1.) When the social worker comes to complete our home study I will tell him/her that Tye will be the best dad ever.

5 nights in a row I have asked for a Christmas tree. 4 nights I was turned down.

It’s too early. It’s too cold. I don’t want to. I’m tired.

Yesterday we went to get a tree. Not because Tye wanted to. He made it obvious that he doesn’t care if he ever sees a Christmas tree again, let alone set one up as a three-week long fixture in our apartment.

And yet, there we were. Velazquez Christmas Trees in Uptown, Chicago (support local business plug).

He didn’t do it right away, he made me wait for it. Not because he’s mean but because he knew the whole experience of going to that Jewel parking lot where the Velazquez brothers were waiting for us to spend too much money on a tree that began dying 3 days ago would be best if it had a least 5 days of build up, begging and pleading. And he was so right.

He tied that tree to the roof of our station wagon in 15 degree weather and carried it upstairs just because he knew how happy it would make me. He’s going to be a terrific dad. He makes everything better!

This is a just a picture of the part when I was praying a baby squirrel or bird would be rustling around in the tree and we would have a new pet. It would be like winning Lucky Tray Day in elementary school. Out of all the trees, WE got the one with rodent! No such luck. It’s a normal, boring, beautiful tree.

Uncle Roger was waiting for a rodent, too.

2.) Christmas Trees = Family

While I was decorating the tree I realized my favorite part is looking at our ornaments. I don’t care about the 200 piece ornament set we got at Costco last year, I’m talking about the really good ones. I think the reason I love Christmas trees so much is because they are full of family memories.

Last year we decided we’d get an ornament anytime we went somewhere together. At that point it was December 10th so I quick went online to catch up and ordered ornaments for 1) our wedding 2) our honeymoon 3) a trip to Vail for Tye’s work 4) one for Uncle Roger and 5) Chicago because that’s where we live. Since then we’ve picked up a couple more.

Here’s a view of the Eckert Collection so far:

When we’re 50 we’ll have all kinds of cheap, tacky, meaningful ornaments.

As I get more excited about Christmas I think about what our lives will be like when we have a kid to share it with. Holidays are always more fun with kids around! They love the lights, the snow, waiting for Santa, drinking hot chocolate, all of the things that adults usually overlook or over think. When was the last time I played in the snow for hours without caring about how cold I was? Or drank hot chocolate without thinking about the sugar content?

When we have a kid we’ll be getting “Our First Christmas” ornaments with baby booties on them (I know my grandma will make that). We’ll go to the Velazquez Tree Farm at Jewel and pick out a tree together. We’ll tell the kid why Christmas is so important and why we love him so much.

I can’t think of anything more exciting than that.

I know this child will be on my side about the Christmas tree. If not, I’ll be happy to say, “you got that from your dad.”