Christmas Cairo-style
Several friends have asked me what Christmas-time is like here. There are some outward signs of Christmas in the area where we live. The small florist shops that line the round-abouts have pine trees and poinsettias for sale. The trees are right out in the street and the cars have to drive around them! They have a red berries that they will tie into a wreath of cedar boughs for you. Sam bought me a bouquet of Bird-of-Paradise that used cedar for ‘filler’. It smelled wonderful. There is a lady down by the bird store that makes pretty table arrangements of cedar and berries with red candles in them. The pine trees are imported from Europe especially for the Christians here.
Several friends have asked me what Christmas-time is like here. There are some outward signs of Christmas in the area where we live. The small florist shops that line the round-abouts have pine trees and poinsettias for sale. The trees are right out in the street and the cars have to drive around them! They have a red berries that they will tie into a wreath of cedar boughs for you. Sam bought me a bouquet of Bird-of-Paradise that used cedar for ‘filler’. It smelled wonderful. There is a lady down by the bird store that makes pretty table arrangements of cedar and berries with red candles in them. The pine trees are imported from Europe especially for the Christians here. While we were on our local leave, I missed a Community Bazaar that is held at the English school each year. It is a big deal-our version of Affair of the Heart- with lots of people selling things they have made or imported that is Christmasy.
The Maadi Community Women’s Guild (church ladies :)) meets once a month. They have a program and fellowship. This is also the place to get plugged into a ministry or charity here. I have been doing the Baby-Wash a couple of times each month, but they do a lot of different things. So. Decembers meeting was a Christmas Cookie exchange with a speaker, fun Christmas games and time for fellowship. One of the games was the 12 days of Christmas, where groups acted out the different verses as we sang them. Pretty funny! I met several women there who I look forward to getting to know better.
The church presented a Christmas Pageant. It was one of the best I have ever been to. It was written by a church member, had live sheep, donkeys, and camels. It had some comedy while telling the advent story beautifully. Of course, the carols we sang were wonderful touches of familiarity. The best part and the most shocking (after the smell of the camels) was when the heavenly host appeared and sang praises! The angels were all Sudanese/Congolese refugees. They sparkled in their native dress and bright BIG hats. They did not walk or fly, or drift solemnly like blonde haired, blue-eyed angels we are accustomed to seeing in pageants in the US! NO! These dark eyed, dark haired, dark skinned angels JIVED their way down to the stage, singing and uvulating; banging drums and tambourines as they went! That was some rejoicing! And from now on , that will be my mental
picture of the angels rejoicing! The camels, for all their smelliness were actually really cool. They are so much bigger in person than in the zoo @ 200 yards
A lot of people go back to the US or England to be with family during the Christmas season. It is pretty quiet around here. The coffee shops have fewer people in them. Even these are decorated with a garland or tree. A lot of the shops on Road 9 are owned by Coptic Christians. They tend to have
decorated trees outside their shops, strung with lights and garlands. One restaurant, has a tree with cotton batting under it and presents resting on the 'snow'. The Coptics celebrate Christmas January 7th. We plan to attend a service. There is a church here in Cairo that is purported to be one that Mary and Joseph stopped at on their travels through Egypt. I can't wait to go see it!
decorated trees outside their shops, strung with lights and garlands. One restaurant, has a tree with cotton batting under it and presents resting on the 'snow'. The Coptics celebrate Christmas January 7th. We plan to attend a service. There is a church here in Cairo that is purported to be one that Mary and Joseph stopped at on their travels through Egypt. I can't wait to go see it!
Our church will have a Christmas eve candlelight service which we look forward to attending. Christmas day, Sam and I have been invited to an English Christmas Dinner at the home of one of the youth workers. We will have a Traditional English Dinner followed by carols, quips and games. I don’t know what quips will be...but I will let you know! Wishing you all Peace that comes from knowing Christ, and Joy that comes from serving Him! Merry Christmas!
No comments:
Post a Comment