Our vipur thoughts on the Festival of Festivals!
Christmas and wishes - two concepts that have gone hand in hand since childhood. Many of us have written as a child a letter to Christ Child or Santa Claus with all our heartfelt wishes. It is precisely these fond memories that characterise the festive season even many years later, because this mixture of inner warmth and joy is still deep within us today and is desirable to achieve on Christmas Eve.
But what about all the wishes surrounding Christmas? Are wishes subject to change and should they perhaps be updated from time to time? Do we wish for something different at Christmas?
Christmas Wishes - a separate criterion.
It can be observed that wishes are definitely more important around Christmas than usual. They even become the focus of the Christmas ritual of “giving and receiving gifts” and “fulfilling wishes”.
If you walk through Vienna in November and December, you will pass many Advent markets, the streets are festively illuminated, and the lavishly decorated shop windows tempt you with their offers. A paradise for realising all the wishes you think you have or need to fulfil. It can therefore happen that the word “gift” triggers consumer pressure in many people or perhaps even leads to a spending spree.
Because the truth is that wishes are not that simple. They are versatile, easily manipulated and change - but ultimately, they should fit and please. However, desires are subject to many influences, trends, personal needs and dreams and are therefore very flexible and universal. What was important to us a few months or years ago can suddenly be completely different before Christmas.
And that leads to the next pre-Christmas event:
Shopping, shopping, shopping - but is it still allowed?
Our vipur office is located directly on Mariahilfer Straße - THE shopping street in Vienna, where it feels like every Viennese and every tourist buys at least one present for Christmas. However, our consumption of goods has rightly been scrutinised more and more in recent years. Online shopping, sustainability (unfortunately often used as a marketing strategy) and the ever-widening gap between rich and poor often spoil the shopping experience.
The joy of Christmas could actually be dwindling now, because we know that presents are often exchanged after Christmas, it is difficult to save the climate on our own, poverty unfortunately cannot be eradicated and people often spend a long time searching for gifts in shops, so online shopping is sometimes more convenient.
But honestly, wishes aren't everything and without Christmas we would all miss something!
What is Christmas all about?
It is worthwhile for everyone to consciously celebrate this festival and to pass on, give away and focus on the joy and warmth that we hopefully experienced as children. After all, Christmas is a special time when we should remember how important it is to be there for each other and to connect with others.
Everyone around the world knows the song “Silent Night, Holy Night” - and it is in fact a small miracle that this folk song from Austria has conquered the whole world - without Spotify & Co -
and for one night a year this melody connects many people worldwide. Marvellous!
Christmas, wishes and presents should not put pressure on anyone. The important thing is to feel good, just like you did as a child when you were designing and writing a letter to Santa Claus or singing “Silent Night”.
Achieving an inner sense of well-being can be quite simple - we at vipur do it this way, for example, and are happy to pass this on as inspiration:
- As we all know, warmth comes from within and it's just as well that there are plenty of places in the city where you can enjoy a cup of mulled wine or punch together. We like to choose the Christmas markets with our family where you can consume for a charitable cause. Because every little bit of support can help to improve the lives of people in need.
- And while we're on the subject of “people in need’” there are many organisations that appeal for support with innovative ideas, especially around Christmas time. In our 6th district, for example, there is “die Gruft’” a contact point for homeless people in Vienna, which is grateful every year for donations of winter clothing or sleeping bags - we are also happy to drop something off or donate toys to Caritas.
- And for family and friends: An extended games evening with your own children or friends is always fun. Christmas biscuits are an absolute must during Advent and make an excellent little gift. Baking them yourself using grandma's recipes is always a success and can be fun together.
- And very, very important - hug your loved ones!
And finally:
Our vipur wish:
Our vipur wish for ourselves and our entire team and everyone who wants it:
Rejoice, celebrate the festive season and pass on this warmth in your hearts!
See you next time in the new year.
We wish you a wonderful Advent season and a Merry Christmas,
the vipur team and Wolfgang Steindl-Kratochvil
