The Advent Wreath ..

The Advent season could hardly start more beautifully, weather-wise. In Gasteinertal, it’s wonderfully wintry, the sun is shining, there’s biting cold, the first ski enthusiasts are already flocking to the slopes, and the first Advent markets have also opened their doors.

What is traditionally done on the farms during this time? The balcony and house entrance are decorated, usually a personal Advent wreath is made, and the first cookies/biscuits for the Advent season are baked. It’s also customary to pray and sing with the children around the Advent wreath on Saturday evening or Sunday, and to play a card game or two. Earlier – as a child – my parents and I always prayed the rosary, and cookies were only available shortly before Christmas. I think, especially in today’s world, we often have to “steal” these special, shared moments, but it’s precisely these special activities during Advent that define the Christmas season for me. That you find time for each other, preserve traditions, and gifts fade into the background again.

How do you make an Advent wreath? If you want to make an Advent wreath yourself, here are a few brief instructions, just as I learned it from my mom and grandma. You need good wire, a blank wreath base, beautiful fir branches, juniper, ivy, blueberry bushes – whatever you like. First, you cut the branches (twigs should always be cut as shown, if possible), then you fix the wire to the Advent wreath and start binding a “bouquet” of fir branches on the far left, wrapping it with the wire, then another small bouquet further to the right, and so on, until you’ve finished the row. After that, you start again on the left. The end is a bit trickier – you try to insert the branches into the existing ones so that you don’t see the beginning and end of the binding. Once the wreath is finished, you can beautifully frame it with an ivy vine. Advent wreaths are very beautiful when juniper bushes or blueberry bushes are incorporated during the binding. Also very suitable for arrangements. When the wreath is ready, take coasters for the candles, fix them with a thick wire, and decorate the Advent wreath with natural materials or baubles, whatever you like best. I think this would be worth a course for all interested parties, and a nice get-together too.

In the next farm stories, there will be some good recipes for the Christmas season, provided not everyone has finished baking before me. :-)

A beautiful start to Advent and a little peace for yourself every day – that’s what Katharina Schwaiger from Zittrauerhof wishes you from the bottom of her heart.