Times Advocate, 1993-12-22, Page 10Page 10
Times -Advocate, D4100Mber 22,1993
German SHDHS exchange student
spending Christmas in Exeter
Canadians have more elaborate
decorations than Germany
By Catherine O'Brien
T -A staff
EXETER - This Christmas will
be special for 17 -year-old Pia Nee -
len. She has always wanted to trav-
el and Team about new cultures.
And she fulfilled this goal in Au-
gust when she came to Canada
from Germany.
Since then, Neelen has been busy
meeting new friends and finding
out what is Cit -
especially dtilirtA'y1a-
son.
"I wanted to do something differ-
ent," she said about the exchange to
Canada. "I have always wanted to
learn new languages."
Her parents were supportive of
:the decision to travel because they
-wanted her to be completely im-
mersed in English.
"They feel it is important to learn
other languages," she said.
As a Grade 12 student at South
Huron District High School, Nee -
ten's studies include English,
French and Spanish.
Although she is far from come
the trip to Exeter wasn't too much
of a culture shock.
The exchange family - Helen and
Larry Johns - wanted to have a stu-
dent who came from a similar size
town.
"We didn't want her to be bored
living in a smaller town," said Hel-
en Johns.
Neelen's hometown of Lensahn
in Northern Germany has a popula-
tion of 4,200.
Johns and her husband don't have
children in high school, but they
felt it was important that their chil-
dren, two-year-old Jarreu and four-
year-old Brent, be exposed to dif-
ferent cultures at a young age.
And although Neelen won't be
going home for Chrisunas, she's not
too homesick.
Instead she's looking at the holi-
day as a chance to truly experience
the traditions of another culture and
to share her culture with the family
she's staying with.
In Germany the start of the holi-
day season began December 6, with
St. Nicholas Day.
"Children leave one shoe in front
of their bedroom door and in the
morning there will be candy in it,"
she said.
"But St. Nicholas Day isn't a holi-
day in the sense of businesses clos-
ing for the day. It is more of a spe-
cial day for children," Neelen said.
Many Germany families cele-
brate Advent as part of the holiday
season and light one candle each
week until Christmas.
They also have what is called an
Advent calendar which is a sort of
activity calendar that counts down
the days to Christmas. Each day a
new slot is open and inside there is
candy.
Neelen has been sharing these ac-
tivities with her exchange family.
The biggest difference regarding
the holiday season that she has no-
ticed is with the decorations.
She said not many people in Ger-
many put outdoor lights up. And if
.they do it's just white lights.
"It's not like here where there are
so many lights on houses and on
trees in parks," Neelen said.
And in Germany only the major
department stores put together win-
dow displays.
"Christmas is a lot more commer-
cial in Canada," Neelen said.
Christmas Eve is special in Ger-
many. It is at this time that her fam-
ily puts up the Chrisunas tree and
open gifts.
"When I was younger we weren't
allowed to see the tree until my par-
ents had decorated it," she said.
And the trees are decorated with
real candles.
THAMES ROAD - Helen Web-
ber welcomed everyone to the
Christmas mating of the U.C.W.
and she opened the meeting with
the poem "True Gifts" and every-
one sang "0 Come All Ye Faithful.
Leona Cottle read Luke 2:1-5, "0
Little Town of Bethlehem" was
sung and Ruth Ann Osgood read
Luke 2:6-7. "Away in a Manger"
was sung and Mary Rowcliffe read
Luke 2:8-14. "It Came Upon the
Midnight Clear" was sung, and
Helen read Luke 2:15-20. 'The
First Noel" was sung and Osgood
led in prayer.
Jean Hodgert showed pictures of
Yatalsa1111 vItaariend which
�tti1�
Gerry Riehl stowed the group the
finely called wooden sleighs he
makes.
A humorous reading "A Visit
from our Hogs" by Mary Rowcliffe
was followed by Marilyn Pym's
demonstration of how to applique
sweatshirts.
Silent Night was sung and Judith
Parker coaducied the business for
her last meeting.
Secret Pal gifts were handed out
and "Guide Mary Laid Her Child"
was sung to bring the meeting to a
close.
Church news
Rev. Jim Allsop conducted the
Christmas Sunday church service.
The choir sang two anthems "0
Liule Town" and "The Guiding
Star" accompanied by organist Erin
Kraftcheck.
Joan Morgan and Jackie lit the
candle in the Advent Wreath and
gave some information about it.
The children's hymn "Away in a
Manger" was sung and Rev. Allsop
told the children A Christmas Story
of God and His love by giving us a
kiss at Christmas time. Each child
and adult received a chocolate kiss.
June Stewart read Isaiah 9:2-7
and Titus 2:11-14. Rev. Allsop read
from the Gospel of Luke 2:1-20.
The title of the sermon was
"Christmas Jdurneys".
The closing hymn "Gentle Mary
Laid Her Child" was sung.
The joint Christmas Eve church
service will be held at Thames
Road on Friday, December 24 at 8
p.m.
On Sunday, December 26 the
regular church services will be held
at Elimville at 10 a.m. and Thames
Road at 11:15 a.m.
Donations for she year 1993
should be to the treasaiter'Don-$Ay
by no later than December 31. The
boxes of envelopes for 1994 are in
the front entry of the church.
Personals
Some Christmas gatherings were
held at the homes of Agnes.
Murray and Beatrice Dawson and
Robert and Kathy Bray tin Sunday.
Pia Neelen, seated, will be spending her first Christmas away
from her family In Germany, but her host family, Helen, stand-
ing, and Larry Johns plan to show her a traditional Canadian
Christmas.
"It was always. magical the first
time I saw the tree."
They refer to Christmas Day as
First Christmas Day and Boxing
Day as Second Christmas Day.
On the first day they celebrate
with duck or goose rather than tur-
key.
They have many of the same
cakes and cookies and usually
spend the day quietly with family.
And on New Year's Eve they
have fireworks at midnight.
"People have friends over for a
big dinner and to drink cham-
pagne," she said.
"It will be interesting to experi-
ence all the differences," Neelen
said.
Ailsa Craig UCW
have turkey dinner
AILSA CRAIG - The Ailsa Craig
United Church Women and friends
enjoyed a turkey dinner at the
Christmas meeting. While everyone
was gathering for the meal Stepha-
nie McLarty played several piano
solos. While the cleanup crew was
at work Betty Sutherland and Syl-
via Thielwall had a singsong of
Christmas carols. Then Sutherland
and Yvette MacGregor presented a
Utit called Excuses.
During the business part of the
meeting with Margaret Tweddle
presiding, Mary Sutherland report-
ed that the pudding project had
been very successful. Wilma McIn-
tosh gave the report of the nominat-
ing committee.
The new sls of officers for
1994 are: past ppesident Margaret
Twaddle, president Mary Suther-
land, secretary Margaret Wilson,
assistant secretary Jean Maguire,
treasurer Mary Scale, Unit one con-
tact Yvette MacGregor, and Unit
two contact Verlyn Campbell.
Before beginning the worship
service Wilma presented life mem-
bership pins to Margaret Tweddle
and Mary Sutherland. Mary Suther-
land gave a call to worship and
rad verses of scripture from Ro-
mans Chapter One. Then a play
called Ornaments was presented by
Sean Ma ,M1 y Scale.
Mary Sa1il011M4. aa, llita-
tion on joy.
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wished everyone a Merry Christ-
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