DIE winkels is alweer gestroop van die kersversierings, kersvader se pak is weggepak tot volgende keer en die stringe liggies is hopelik mooi opgerol geb\u00eare. Die sneeuballe met vlokkies, rooibessies en gemmerbroodmannetjies het nou plek gemaak vir skryfbehoeftes vir die nuwe skooljaar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My kop is egter nog hoog in die Oostenrykse Alpe waar die sneeu die berge en bome skitterwit bedek. Die huise se sneeubedekte spitsdakke, die hope hout onder \u2019n afdakkie en dennebome is kerskaartjie mooi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Die \u2018snow globes\u2019 wat mens kry met \u2019n afbeelding van kindertjies wat in die sneeu speel, het my van kindsbeen af betower. As die bal gekantel word val \u2018sneeuvlokkies\u2019 oor die kinders. Dit was lank my droom om \u2019n wit kersfees te beleef.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Na \u2019n leeftyd se geswoeg en spaar, kon ek en vriendin Ingrid sowaar kerstyd in die sneeu baljaar! Ons reis het ons na talle klein dorpies op die Duitse, Oostenrykse en Tjeggiese platteland geneem. Toegewikkel in jasse, serpe, handskoene en musse, het ons die sprokiesw\u00eareld verken. Die laagste temperatuur was -7 grade Celsius.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Die geure en reuke van denne, gemmer, kaneel en hout hang oral in die lug. Voor die hotelletjie in Velburg was \u2019n \u2018Wurtzelmann\u2019 (\u2019n figuur wat uit die wortels van \u2019n ou boom gemaak is) wat ons verwelkom. Die huise is byna almal versier met wit liggies en die vensters het kersballe, strikke en ander gelukbringers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Die talle kersmarkte, soos by N\u00fcrnberg, Praag, Wolfgang, St Gilgen, Innsbruck en Salzburg was asembenemend met die allermooiste kersversierings! Gl\u00fchwein, warm sjokolade, bratwurst en allerlei tradisionele eetgoed het ons warm gehou. In die Lofervallei het ons nou waarlik in die sneeu baljaar en met sle\u00eb teen \u2019n berg af gegly! Dit was hope pret.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ek was oorstelp by die eerste blik van dik sneeu by die pragtige dorpie Unken waar ons \u2019n paar dae vertoef het. Skrapers het soggens die sneeu van die paaie geskraap. Ons was sommer weer kind en het (versigtig!) gespeel in die sneeu. Die vlindersoentjies van sneeuvlokkies teen jou wang, is onbeskryflik. \u2019n Toerlid het \u2019n foto van \u2019n sneeuvlokkie op \u2019n mus vergroot, en die kristalvorm daarvan was duidelik te sien. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oukersaand het ons voor die hotel gestaan, met lampies oral in die sneeu, en kersliedere gesing, gl\u00fchwein gedrink en kerskoekies ge\u00ebet. Op die kersspyskaart was onder meer wonderlike kastanje-roomsop,en die nagereg was gemmerbroodroomys met Cognac pruime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oorkant die hotel is \u2019n Katolieke Kerk met sy mooie begraafplaas. Selfs van die grafte is getooi met kersballe en lampies, wat helder uitstaan in die sneeu. Kersoggend het ons \u2019n diens in die kerk bygewoon. Die musiek op die verruklike orrel was besielend! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Toe ons knus binne die eetkamer sit met \u2019n knetterende vuur en \u2019n egte Oostenrykse kersete geniet, sien ons deur die venster hoe die sneeu saggies neerval\u2026 en my gemoed skiet vol. Dis \u2019n wit kersfees!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dis alles baie anders as die Suid-Afrikaanse manier. Dit verstom my dat daar nie meer gedoen word om \u2019n Suid-Afrikaanse kers-kultuur te skep nie. Die sneeupoppies en \u2013balle is glad nie hier van pas nie. Ek is so dankbaar dat my wens bewaarheid is om \u2019n wit Kersfees te beleef.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
DIE winkels is alweer gestroop van die kersversierings, kersvader se pak is weggepak tot volgende keer en die stringe liggies is hopelik mooi opgerol geb\u00eare. Die sneeuballe met vlokkies, rooibessies […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":704,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_linkdex":"","_yoast_wpseo_content_score":"30","_yoast_wpseo_inclusive_language_score":"","_yoast_wpseo_is_cornerstone":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image-id":"","newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","_crsspst_to_novanewscoza":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozabloemnewsexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozacityvision":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozadistrictmailhelderberg":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaeikestadnuus":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozahermanustimes":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozakomani-karoo":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozakougaexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozamthathaexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozanoordkaapbulletin":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapaarlpost":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapeexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapeoplespost":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaswartlandgazette":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozatygerburger":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaudexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozavistanews":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozavrystaatkroon":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaweslander":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaworcesterstandard":false,"_EventAllDay":"","_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":"","_EventShowMapLink":"","_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":"","_EventVenueID":"","_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":"","_VenueShowMapLink":"","_application":"","_batch_id":"","_company_name":"","_company_tagline":"","_company_twitter":"","_company_video":"","_company_website":"","_custom_id":"","_EventDuration":"","_EventOrigin":"","_EventTimezoneAbbr":"","_featured":"","_filled":"","_job_expires":"","_job_location":"","_media_credit":"","_media_credit_url":"","_menu_item_menu_item_parent":"","_menu_item_object":"","_menu_item_object_id":"","_menu_item_target":"","_menu_item_type":"","_menu_item_url":"","_menu_item_xfn":"","_navis_media_can_distribute":"","_navis_media_credit_org":"","_OrganizerOrigin":"","_provider":"","_pum_built_in":"","_pum_default_theme":"","_pum_form_conversion_count":"","_remote_id":"","_remote_name":"","_remote_position":"","_report_frequency":"","_report_reference_dates":"","_send_attempts":"","_site_id":"","_sitemap_exclude":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","_sitemap_priority":"","_source_url":"","_subscription_period":"","_subscription_period_interval":"","_subscription_price":"","_tec_slr_enabled":"","_tec_slr_layout":"","_template_type":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_ticket_start_date":"","_tribe_aggregator_allow_multiple_organizers":"","_tribe_aggregator_content_type":"","_tribe_aggregator_file":"","_tribe_aggregator_finalized":"","_tribe_aggregator_hash":"","_tribe_aggregator_import_id":"","_tribe_aggregator_import_name":"","_tribe_aggregator_interactive":"","_tribe_aggregator_origin":"","_tribe_aggregator_post_status":"","_tribe_aggregator_preview":"","_tribe_aggregator_source_name":"","_tribe_aggregator_type":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_hide_attendees_list":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":"","_tribe_ticket_version":"5.18.1","_type":"","_VenueOrigin":"","_wp_attachment_context":"","_wp_attachment_image_alt":"","_wp_font_face_file":"","_wp_old_date":"","_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes":"3","_yoast_wpseo_focuskeywords":"","_yoast_wpseo_focuskw_text_input":"","_yoast_wpseo_keywordsynonyms":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_block-catalog":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"28","_yoast_wpseo_primary_job_listing_type":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_nova_retailer":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_publication":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_tribe_events_cat":"","_yoast_wpseo_videositemap-duration":"","_yoast_wpseo_videositemap-rating":"","_menu_item_classes":[],"_tribe_modified_fields":[],"_wp_attachment_backup_sizes":[],"_wp_suggested_privacy_policy_content":[],"_yoast_post_redirect_info":[],"_yoast_wpseo_video_meta":[],"activation_date":"","archive_insertion_is_repeating":"","archive_insertion_posts_count":"","article_feature_media":"","article_feature_type":"","article_main_image_caption":"","article_media_icon":"","article_template":"","author_byline":"","background_color":"","block_editor":"1","byline":"","cmplz_hide_cookiebanner":"","competition_end_date":"","contact_advertise_email":"","contact_advertise_phone":"","contact_editorial_email":"","contact_general_email":"","contact_general_phone":"","contact_office_hours":"","contact_physical_address":"","enabled":"","featured_image_custom_caption":"","featured_video_url":"","fields":"","font_body":"","font_header":"","frequency":"","headline":"","hide_border":"","icon":"","is_wp_suggestion":"","issuu_download_url":"","issuu_embed_url":"","language_version_url":"","large_border":"","name":"","nm_contact_name":"","nm_contact_number":"","nm_date_lost":"","no_overlay_background":"","node-url":"","obituary_born_date":"","obituary_died_date":"","obituary_memoriam_text":"","origin":"","overlay_color":"","overlay_opacity":"","overlay_size":"","placement":"","plural_label":"","post_author":"","post_id":"","post_language":"en","secret-key":"","sponsored_utm_campaign":"","sponsored_utm_content":"","sponsored_utm_medium":"","sponsored_utm_source":"","sponsored_utm_term":"","start_date":"","utm_suppression":"","video_embed_url":"","wp_pattern_sync_status":"","data_version":[],"enclosure":[],"pongrass_image":[],"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_content_restriction_is_exempt":false,"scaip_prevent_shortcode_addition":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[28],"tags":[93],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"publication":[],"class_list":["post-725","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle","tag-featured"],"yoast_head":"\n