Christmas is probably the most contemplative yet hectic time of the year. Why not put all the hustle and bustle on pause for a moment, treat yourself to a hot toddy and take a look at the festive season with us from a safe distance.
We hope you enjoy our Christmas articles and wish you a peaceful time with your loved ones.
Table of contents
Wham!, Bam and Hohoho: It’s Christmas Time! Hide the pickle in the tree, it’s time for a hot toddy! By the time Befana arrives with her presents, the year will be over.
How Austria celebrates
How are Austrians doing at the most contemplative time of the year?
Stress vs. Composure
The stress level at Christmas is constant. The IMAS Institute for Market and Social Analysis found that 46% of Austrians find the Christmas period very or rather stressful. However, the majority, namely 53%, do not find the Christmas period stressful or not stressful at all.
Disputes vs. Harmony
Christmas is the celebration of love, family and friendship. And contrary to the often widespread assumption that it is precisely at Christmas that the sparks fly, 83% of IMAS respondents stated that Christmas is characterized by harmony in their immediate environment – and not by arguments.
Shopping Spree vs. Sustainability
Willhaben conducted a Christmas survey among 2,900 people. They found that 88% of Austrians could imagine buying presents second-hand. And 90% of those who received a second-hand gift said they were happy about it. When asked about their gift budget, 39.1% said “more than 300 euros”.
Contemplation vs. Staging
Even though for many people in Austria Christmas is a time for reflection and precious time with loved ones, there is also a noticeable pressure in a world dominated by social media: Around three quarters of respondents think that Facebook, Instagram and TikTok create pressure to stage Christmas perfectly. Women and people aged 30-39 feel this particularly strongly. Only 17.5% said they viewed the use of social networks at Christmas in a positive light, as Willhaben found out for us.
Plastic vs. Tree
Although an artificial Christmas tree
- does not lose any needles,
- is set up more quickly and
- does not have to be disposed of after a single use:
77.1% of Austrians are planning to put up a classic conifer from the forest again this year. This means that the majority of the population is opting for the sustainable option, as Quarks found out back in 2018.
If you like it very special, you can also visit FrankyTree.
Catchy Tunes that hurt your ear – every year
It’s not just “the weather outside” that is “frightful”… the earworms that crawl out of their burrows every year are also universally feared. Or are they?
The same old story for decades and: Who cares?
Two evergreens are celebrating their anniversary this year: “Last Christmas” by Wham and “All I want for Christmas is you” by Mariah Carey. They have been ringing in our ears for 40 (Wham) and 30 years (Carey) respectively. Which begs the question: Are you serious?
Thanks to Willhaben, we now have certainty: Yes! Not even a fifth of Austrians said they could no longer stand these two songs.
Interesting fact: “All I want for Christmas” only reached number 1 in the Billboard charts in the USA for the first time 25 years after its release in 2019.
Christmas, totally bewitched
Just accross the Austrian border, presents are brought neither by the Christ Child nor by Santa Claus. In Italy, people tell their very own Christmas story.
In Italy, the witch Befana brings Christmas to children. According to Italian folklore, Befana flies from house to house on her broom on the night of January 5th to 6th in search of the baby Jesus. And on her way, she distributes presents or punishes the less well-behaved children.
According to legend, Befana heard the good news about the birth of the baby Jesus from the shepherds. The star of Bethlehem was supposed to show her the way to the manger. Unfortunately, however, she set off too late and missed the star.
Over the years, the children must have become increasingly well-behaved. How else could one explain the fact that Befana is now consistently regarded as a good witch?
Hot Toddy instead of punch and mulled wine
First of all: Toddy does not come from Toddler and no toddlers need to be cooked for this Christmas drink.
Punch and mulled wine every year gets boring at some point. Especially as there are also people who don’t like these sweet or very tart hot drinks. Hot Toddies are a welcome alternative – especially for whisky/whiskey lovers.
Ingredients for two drinks:
4cl whisky or whiskey
2 teaspoons honey
50ml lemon juice
100ml water
2 cinnamon sticks
Cloves and nutmeg to taste
Preparation
- Rinse two heat-resistant glasses with hot water.
- Heat 100ml water together with the cinnamon sticks until it boils
- Pour 4cl of whisky/whyskey into the preheated glass and pour in the hot water
- Mix in the honey and lemon juice. Feel your way with both ingredients until your palate is satisfied.
- Add nutmeg and cloves to taste.
- Garnish the drink with a cinnamon stick and a slice of lemon
- Serve hot!
Even Santa Claus has to go to school
Actually, all children should know about this: Yes, even Santa Claus has to go to school!
Breaking news: All over the world, beaming children rush to school full of anticipation, eager to imitate Santa Claus.
What sounds like a Christmas fairy tale could well be sold to the next generation. If even Santa goes to school, how bad can it be?
In Great Britain and the USA, Santa Clauses actually have to go to school. Preferably at the Charles W Howard Santa Claus School.
Founded back in 1937, the school ensures that all Santas are informed about the latest gift trends. However, whether you also learn how to force your wide bum down the chimney can only be found out live in class.
The Christmas pickle
Christmas is celebrated all over the world, and there is actually a country where a Christmas pickle is hung on the Christmas tree.
Three guesses as to which country has a tradition of hanging a Christmas pickles on the Christmas tree. That’s right, it’s the United States of America.
The Christmas Pickle is hung somewhat hidden between the branches. The green color gives it the ultimate camouflage.
The first person to discover the Christmas pickle either gets to unwrap the presents first or receives a small extra gift.
The roots of the custom are unclear, Wikipedia tells us. However, the fact that it is claimed in the States to be an old German tradition is bonkers.
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