A House in Winter Light

On this snowy Christmas Eve, the sun shone for a long time again, filling the world with its delicate rays that glittered like little diamonds on the snowy surface. The winter day unfolded its beauty in a harmonious interplay of light, colour and cold. In the cloudless, light blue sky, the bright sun hangs low. As if trying to escape the golden glow, the shadows of the trees stretch long and thin across the snow.

Today’s silence is particularly striking. Only the occasional crunch of the crystal ceiling under the feet of walkers or the gentle whisper of the wind through the bare branches, heavy with winter white, interrupts this contemplative peace. The clear, cold air bites into your lungs and makes your cheeks turn a light shade of red. Breath condenses into small clouds that soon dissolve into the winter air and dissipate.

The day comes to an end at dusk. The sun sinks lower and lower until it is just a glowing ball on the horizon. It paints the cloudless sky in a multitude of colours and bathes the snow in a golden glow that gradually turns blue. As the sun sets, it gives way to the moon, which on this clear evening dominates the starry sky with its bright silver glow.

As time goes by, more and more of the little stars light up, and soon the whole sky is sparkling. The moon casts its silvery light across the landscape, illuminating the white ceiling. The world falls into a deep sleep. Not a bird can be heard, and it is as if everything is holding its breath today. The winter day ends and turns into a clear, cold winter night.

The snow-covered country road is almost empty, just one car driving through on this starry evening, carefully finding its way to its destination. This year, the group of friends had decided to meet at the small country house that had belonged to the family of the oldest of the group for generations. She hadn’t lived there long and had invited all her close friends to spend Christmas there.

Since taking over the house in the spring, she’s had no chance to see her friends and is delighted to have them with her. It had been more than ten years since the friends had spent Christmas Eve together, and it was always the same ritual to welcome the festive season. They decorated the tree together and ate roast chicken and mashed potatoes. Then they gave each other presents and parted late in the evening to visit their families the next day.

The car pulled into the cobbled driveway, murmuring through the occupants. The house was decorated for the festive season. A string of lights hung from the bright front, and pine branches were tied to the wooden carport. There were glowing cardboard stars in the small windows and a beautifully decorated pine wreath on the door. They parked the car in front of the carport and got out. Before anyone could ring the doorbell, their friend was standing in the doorway greeting them with a happy smile.

After a quick and warm welcome, the group got to work dividing up the tasks. Some of the friends were given the task of moving the Christmas tree from the garden into the living room, while the rest unloaded the car and put the items in the hallway.

Soon all the friends gathered in the living room and started setting up the tree. One of the friends skilfully cut through the tight net that held the branches together, and soon the fir tree unfolded to its full size.

Once that was done, the presents were sorted and taken into the living room. Meanwhile, the chicken, always prepared by the smallest member of the group of friends, was brought into the kitchen. A large pot of peeled potatoes was already on the stove, waiting to be processed.

The chickens were marinated in a homemade spice mix the day before and had to be baked in the oven for about two hours before they could be eaten. After they were in the oven, a timer was set for half an hour to turn the chickens and brush them with the marinade again.

Cheerful chatter and laughter could be heard in the living room. They had opened the box of Christmas decorations for the tree and were joking about the contents. The fairy lights, neatly rolled up by the quietest person in the group, were handed back to him and he was asked to attach them to the tree. His friends gradually began to attach baubles and other decorations to the tree after the warm white fairy lights had been placed on the branches.

They had made a few things together over the years and these always had a place of honour. Other Christmas decorations were linked to memories they shared. For example, the little blue Christmas ball that was decorated with silver ornaments. This was the first Christmas ornament bought by friends on their first Christmas eve. Over time, they decided to decorate the tree in red and gold, and as the years went by, the blue baubles became fewer and fewer until there was only one left. Although the colour no longer matched the new decorations, it was always attached to a branch and brought a smile to each of the friends’ faces.

By the time they had finished decorating the tree, the chicken was almost done, giving off a spicy, delicious smell in the house. While the potatoes were cooking on the stove, they grinned and looked at the tree and one of them took a picture of the festive tree. Then they all put their presents under the tree and sat on the sofa for the remaining minutes before dinner was ready. They chatted wildly about whatever came to mind, and sometimes it turned into a conversation you hadn’t expected. Even those who saw each other regularly had an endless flow of conversation that didn’t stop during dinner.

After the meal, they shared their gifts. It was a moment of joy and surprise as they held the lovingly selected gifts in their hands. They joked and laughed as they unwrapped the gifts. The happy smiles on their faces were a gift in themselves to their friends. Wrapped in warm blankets and steaming mugs in hand, they sat around the tree telling stories, laughing about old times and enjoying the warmth and closeness of the community. The room was filled with the melody of their cheerful voices and the sweet smell of cinnamon and oranges.

Out there, the clear night had turned cloudy and the snow fell softly to the floor. Inside the country house there was an atmosphere of security and peace. A time to pause, enjoy and be thankful for all that this year had brought and all that the New Year would bring. With the chiming of the church tower clock at midnight, the merry Christmas Eve turned into a quiet, peaceful night. The friends said goodbye as warmly as they had greeted each other. They promised to send each other a text message when they got home so that there would be no worries.

And so, with the anticipation of their next time together and the joy of their shared fellowship, Christmas Eve came to an end. The memory of tonight’s celebration would remain in the hearts of the friends and for each of them it was a special Christmas Eve. It was an evening full of friendship and love that they would never forget.