And so, the day has come when those of us who do not celebrate Orthodox Christmas but rather Christian Christmas take down the decorations, and today, unfortunately, the tree is also being removed, along with the beautiful ornaments.
I always feel a sense of nostalgia and sadness when this happens because this is my favorite time of the year.
Everything feels so peaceful, people are in a different mood, everyone is in the Christmas spirit, and there is a beautiful atmosphere everywhere—starting from cafés, restaurants, squares, streets, houses, and yards. Everything is decorated and wonderful to look at, making it a joy to walk around, especially when night falls and all the Christmas lights are turned on.
Wherever you go, you can smell the scent of cookies, mulled wine, and our traditional specialty called "fritule."
They are made similarly to donuts but are much smaller and are sprinkled with powdered sugar.
According to the old recipe, raisins are added inside, along with a bit of rum for aroma.
I quickly took some pictures of the remaining decorations in the house before we put them away, as most of them are already stored. This way, I can look at them later in the year and remember these beautiful moments that instantly warm my heart.
To those celebrating Christmas according to the Orthodox calendar, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2025.
And finally, here are a few photos of my home while the decorations are still up—because in 15–20 minutes, they will be gone, packed away in a box, waiting for the next wonderful Christmas and New Year.
