Atlantica - 01.11.2002, Page 35

A T L A N T I C A 33
What are your fondest Christmas memories?
Probably getting some long-lusted-for toy. I don't know if it says
more about me or Christmas. But that was the old me, I have
matured a lot!
What do you do on Christmas Eve?
Enjoy the anti-climax of the collective self-inflicted anxiety attack
that we call Christmas. (Most people are recuperating not cele-
brating.)
Where, how and with whom would you spend your ideal
Christmas?
Solving the world's problems. You know: plague, war, famine,
that sort of stuff. It would most likely be at Wembley Stadium, and
I'm pretty sure Nelson Mandela would be there somewhere.
What sort of food do you typically eat at Christmas?
Well, I'm a vegetarian so my Christmas dinner is usually butter-
fried vegetables in cream sauce with sesame seeds. Since
Christmas is only once a year I try to spice things up a bit by
selecting vegetables that are on the "endangered species" list.
When did you stop believing in Santa Claus?
When he started working for Coca-Cola.
What’s your Christmas wish?
I have the firm desire for everyone to realize that all is One. One
infinite love supreme. Then people will start to behave them-
selves
BERGSTEINN JÓNSSON STUDIES ANTHROPOLOGY AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF ICELAND, AS WELL AS BEING A
YOGA INSTRUCTOR. AN AVID PRACTITIONER OF
TANTRIC MEDITATION AND PHILOSOPHY FOR TEN
YEARS, HE SAYS NO TO MEAT AT CHRISTMAS.
What are your fondest Christmas memories?
I had the most marvellous Christmas experiences as a child. My
family, like most Russian Christians, belongs to the Eastern
Orthodox Church. Christmas church service starts late and contin-
ues into the night. After Christmas Eve services, people carrying
candles, torches, and homemade lanterns parade around the
church. After the procession completes its circle around the church,
the congregation reenters and sings several carols and hymns
before going home for a late Christmas Eve dinner. We would go to
my grandparents’ apartment in the crispy cold of the Russian win-
ter night and share a wonderful meal and exchange presents.
What do you do on Christmas Eve?
We are lucky to have two Christmas Eves in my family: one
Icelandic, the other Russian, on January 6th. The church in Russia
still uses the old Julian calendar, therefore our Christmas celebra-
tion is 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar.
What sort of food do you typically eat at Christmas?
Instead of slaving to prepare a fantastic spread on Christmas Eve,
as well as Christmas Day, we prefer simple meals. That way you'll
have more time to relax and enjoy each other's company – what
Christmas is all about. In the Russian Orthodox tradition, it is cus-
tomary to fast until after the first church service on January 6,
Christmas Eve.
The most important food of the meal is a traditional dish called
kutya, which is a type of porridge made with wheat, honey and
poppy seeds, said to bring happiness, success and unhindered rest.
What’s the most bizarre gift you’ve ever received at Christmas?
The ZAP PAC Heat Pack. Its package says that it is ideal for provid-
ing spot heat to arthritic hands. I am sure that the time will come
when I will appreciate this gift...
When did you stop believing in Santa Claus?
I didn’t stop! What are you talking about? Where else do the gifts
come from??
KSENIA ÓLAFSSON IS AN INTERIOR DESIGNER AND THE
HEAD OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX SOCIETY IN
ICELAND. WHILST ENJOYING THE ICELANDIC
TRADITIONS, SHE REMEMBERS THE MAGIC OF A
RUSSIAN WINTER NIGHT.
Silent Night
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