When Raik and Tina Meissner and their children visited some family in Germany last year, they little thought they would be returning home and starting a tradition in Canada.
They learned about a spe-cial Advent event celebrated in a German village, which was likely developed in Switzerland.
They consulted their neighbours and customized it for Canada.
Tina Meissner said in a letter to neighbours on Inverhaugh Road that it was “a fun way to connect with neighbours and count down the days to Christmas.
The count down for the 24 days before Christmas started in Europe with a home made calendar. Each day, a window was revealed, often containing a chocolate or cookies. Villagers there would also often draw a chalk line on the door each day, starting Dec. 1, and count down the 24 days of Advent physically.
Some families had more elaborate means of marking the days, such as lighting a new candle or hanging a little religious picture on the wall each day.
In Inverhaugh, the Meissners decided to ask everyone to decorate a single window in their home for each day leading to Christmas, and to light up that window at 6pm on their designated day, and for every day thereafter until Dec. 25. The result is a sea of colours or simply white, with a designated number.
Neighbours showed great creativity in getting their number and a Christmas theme into a window.
Tina Meissner said in an interview that people have spent the last three weeks walking up and down the street to see each new window as it is unveiled. On Sunday, the Meissners lit up number 20 window with a snowman theme. Raik Meissner welcomed everyone to the home and read a story about snowmen.
Then hot chocolate and cider were served, along with cookies.
Tina Meissner said people have been really excited about the idea, and at least one man is very eager to light his window, but he has to wait until his number comes up.
Well over three dozen people attended the Sunday night window lighting and several could be heard talking about what they will do for next year’s Advent In Inverhaugh.
The Meissners were the only hosts to offer food and drink this year. But Tina Meissner said that she expects the new tradition will evolve over time. She said for this year, people were busy and she had no idea how the event would work out.
Perhaps next year there will be more gatherings at homes, but in the meantime, people on the street are excited about what they have started.
