Key Points at a Glance
- During Advent, nature comes to a near standstill, and the winter cold and snow take over.
- Right now, it's especially important that we make ourselves comfortable at home.
- A lovely Advent tradition is to cut a branch from a cherry tree on December 4—St. Barbara's Day.
- If you put them in a vase, with a little luck, a few cherry blossoms will bloom by Christmas Eve.
When winter is harsh, Advent is the time when nature freezes over. Often, the first frost occurred a few weeks ago, and not only are the mountains glistening white, but a solid blanket of snow also covers the lowlands. The lakes are frozen over, and in the evening, when people come home, they recover from the cold. The warmth of the living room breathes new life into us.
On St. Barbara's Day, cut a cherry branch
Speaking of new life—there’s a lovely Advent tradition that can help make the wait for spring a little more enjoyable. On December 4, the feast day of Saint Barbara, many people go outside and cut a branch from a cherry tree. By the way, it really should be a cherry tree, though plum trees and forsythia are also fine. A twig from an apple tree, on the other hand, is less suitable. Make sure to choose a twig that already has a few thick, round winter buds.
If the winter has been mild up until St. Barbara’s Day and there hasn’t been any night frost yet, place the twig in the freezer at home for a few hours. This is because the branch isn’t ready for winter until after the first frost and isn’t capable of sprouting until it gets warmer. And that’s exactly what it’s all about: sprouting.
Christmas Eve with Cherry Blossoms
If you cut the branch at an angle and place it in a large vase filled with lukewarm water (which, by the way, you should change regularly), there’s a good chance you’ll be able to celebrate Christmas Eve at home with cherry blossoms. It looks wonderful, provides a spring-like contrast to the Christmas-decorated room, and is said to bring good luck for the new year, which is also just around the corner.
According to legend, Saint Barbara—who died under horrific circumstances that we will not go into here—is said to have kept a blossoming cherry branch in her dungeon on the day of her execution, even though it was the depths of winter.
A similar custom existed even in ancient Rome
Even the ancient Romans observed the lovely custom of giving each other sprigs of laurel in the depths of winter. These symbolized the power of life and were meant to bring the recipient a happy new year.
If the cherry twig actually still has blossoms on it by Christmas Eve, they gently remind us of spring, which still seems so far away. With a little luck, the blossoms will already be giving off a faint scent. If you enjoy home fragrances in general, you’ll find a lovely selection of different scents here. If you can’t manage to do this on December 4th, it’s not the end of the world, but it’s best not to wait too long—otherwise, the blossoms won’t start to bloom until after Christmas.
