tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986048791171437584.post8090422441327111984..comments2024-03-17T15:09:03.222-04:00Comments on Femme au foyer: A Baltic Christmas Day 2 - The Not-So-Jolly Fat Man of Latvian ChristmasLienehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07479489443374383602noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986048791171437584.post-2179423168407419872014-12-05T17:46:48.404-05:002014-12-05T17:46:48.404-05:00Oh those zagari!Oh those zagari!Queen Of The Armchair aka Dzintra Stitcherieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07450454650624806716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986048791171437584.post-57923741694185747452014-12-04T11:28:52.997-05:002014-12-04T11:28:52.997-05:00I think the lavish gifting is more a product of th...I think the lavish gifting is more a product of the times, and not so much a cultural thing anymore? And yes, despite the switches of Latvian Santas I remember how surprised I was to hear about the French <i>Le Père Fouettard</i> during our expatriation - he was accused of some truly evil deeds!Lienehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07479489443374383602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986048791171437584.post-423526767214213882014-12-04T11:25:17.767-05:002014-12-04T11:25:17.767-05:00I guess I've been in SC too long (and away fr...I guess I've been in SC too long (and away from the <i>bazāri</i>), because I don't think I've seen one of Maija's Santas... They look to be beautifully crafted!Lienehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07479489443374383602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986048791171437584.post-47092040822528958242014-12-04T11:23:41.044-05:002014-12-04T11:23:41.044-05:00Did baby Jesus participate willingly? ;)Did baby Jesus participate willingly? ;)Lienehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07479489443374383602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986048791171437584.post-21987808188134157332014-12-04T02:50:00.929-05:002014-12-04T02:50:00.929-05:00What a great insight into your culture. In Ireland...What a great insight into your culture. In Ireland it was just the happy Santa. No evil sidekick or sticks. The gift giving was not hugely lavish. One gift and a "surprise" which was a book. Ginahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16904240359698373279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986048791171437584.post-51712066223597407952014-12-02T18:17:47.950-05:002014-12-02T18:17:47.950-05:00And - a Latvian Santa by Maija from Baltic Santas ...And - a Latvian Santa by Maija from Baltic Santas can be found at any Chicago Latvian Christmas bazaar...zilgmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11220812601631132892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986048791171437584.post-92122146983064180602014-12-02T18:16:03.267-05:002014-12-02T18:16:03.267-05:00Lovely writing, Elga! I'm pretty sure that all...Lovely writing, Elga! I'm pretty sure that all Latvian schools had a Ziemassvētku vecītis come visit for the annual Christmas pageant and bazaar - WITH žagari, but never once lifted (except as a joke for an approaching adult teacher or school volunteer). Remember, Latvians also have great fun pitting girls against boys slinging insults (apdziedāšana) - in rhyme, of course, sung to folk song melodies! (This, too, ends up being benign, with making peace and agreeing that singing together was much, much better!)<br />Our family NEVER saw the REAL Ziemassvētku vecītis - he only spirits into the house on Christmas eve, nibbles some piparkūkas, drinks some milk and shares an apple with one of the reindeer before leaving amazing gifts wrapped in paper we had never seen before and could NOT, for anything, find in the house! All those Latvian school, mall and corner Santas were "helpers" - obviously! Even magical Ziemassvētku vecītis can't be everywhere at once, and this explanation satisfied our skeptism (and our children's) for quite a few years....zilgmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11220812601631132892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986048791171437584.post-57759658833451345772014-12-02T09:20:04.450-05:002014-12-02T09:20:04.450-05:00What a great post! Paldies, Elga! Brings back so m...What a great post! Paldies, Elga! Brings back so many childhood memories...ugh, did I dislike memorizing poems. Some of my family members and I even wrote little plays to put on in front of the family Christmas tree on Christmas Eve. Favorite one: when three of us (aged approx 7-10) played the wise men, and a 6 mos old relative was drafted to be baby Jesus.Dziesmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00563380904245865832noreply@blogger.com