Τα δέντρα που καίγαμε(Πές το μ'ένα δέντρο)

Ένα χρυσό καλοκαίρι στη Χίο γνώρισα τα δέντρα που πληγώναμε.

Αυτά τα... (δεν μπορώ απο τώρα να τους αποδώσω κάποιο μέταλλο) ...Χριστούγεννα παρατηρώ με άλλο μάτι τα δέντρα που καίμε.

Το ορίτζιναλ δέντρο του Yuletid είναι η Νορβηγική Ερυθρελάτη (Norway Spruce, Picea abies)

La det runge fra gaten og torget
over landet som Nordmenn har fått:
Du er vårt, du er vårt, gamle Norge!
Vi vil kle deg i rødt, hvitt og blått

Alt for Norge!!!!

(ζητώ συγγνώμη, παρασύρθηκα)

και αν με ρωτάτε αν ευδοκιμεί και στη Μπεθλε'έμ (μάζελ τοβ!) θα σας πώ ότι χλωμό το βλέπω. Επειδή όμως για πολιτικούς λόγους οι μεγάλες γιορτές της ανθρωπότητας είναι μιξ εν' μάτς αρχαίο, παλιό και νέο το υιοθετήσαμε ως Christmas Tree για να ροκάρουμε τριγύρω του με τον νέο παλιομοδίτικο τρόπο. (Lets make a toast: Ας φτιάξουμε κανα τοστάκι)

Το Κρίσμας Τρι είναι ένα κατεξοχήν πολιτικό δέντρο. Το στολίζουμε και το στήνουμε σε ένα δημόσιο μέρος (Σύνταγμα, Τραφάλγκαρ, Ροκαφέλλα, κ.ο.κ.) και το κάνουμε το κεντρικό PR prop γι' αυτό που θέλουμε να πούμε. (Γιατί κάποια δέντρα λένε πολλά)

Τα τελευταία εξήντα χρόνια, για παράδειγμα, μπροστά στη National Gallery και κάτω απο την αφεντιά του τον Αντιναύαρχο Υποκόμη Οράτιο Λόρδο Νέλσον στην Τραφάλγκαρ οι Νορβηγοί μας λένε με το δέντρο τους ότι ευχαριστούν τους Άγγλους για τη βοήθεια που έδωσαν στη Νορβηγία στον Δεύτερο Παγκόσμιο.



Όπερ σημαίνει (για να σας το κάνω λιανά) ότι ευχαριστούν τους Άγγλους που παραβίασαν τη Νορβηγική ουδετερότητα και ανάγκασαν τους Γερμανούς να εισβάλουν οπότε και έλαβαν αγγλική βοήθεια για να μην τα καταφέρουν τελικά να αποκρούσουν τους Γερμανούς οι οποίοι έκοψαν τον κώλο των Άγγλων και των Νορβηγών και που στην όλη υπόθεση βομβαρδίστηκαν κάμποσο κι απο τις δύο πλευρές και τελικά κατάφεραν να απελευθερωθούν για να αποκαταστήσουν την ουδετερότητα τους χάρη στους Αμερικανούς για να την ξαναχάσουν μπαίνοντας (πάντα ευγνώμονες) στο ΝΑΤΟ.



Με άλλα λόγια το Νορβηγικό δέντρο στην Τραφάλγκαρ είναι ένα μεγάλο νορβηγικό ευχαριστώ (Tak!) για έναν κύκλο εισβολής-βομβαρδισμών-απελευθέρωσης απο το πουθενά για να μπορούν σήμερα να έχουν Αμερικανικές βάσεις στο έδαφός τους.

Rodgers & Hammerstein "You'll never walk alone" by Gary and the Pacemakers. Το τράβηξα στις 13 τρέχοντος στην Trafalgar. Embedded απο fb

Απο την άλλη εμείς ως διαφορετική κουλτούρα χρησιμοποιούμε ψεύτικο δέντρο. Πόσο ψηλό να γίνει το έρημο το έλατο; Δεν επαρκεί ως φαλλικό σύμβολο για να καλύψει τις ανάγκες των κομπλεξικών ηγετών - δημάρχων μας.

Έτσι στην πλατεία που μια τρίτη Σεπτέμβρη ο λήσταρχος ο Μακρυγιάννης και άλλα σκυλιά που πολέμησαν για ένα μερίδιο στη μάσα που αναπόφευκτα θα ακολουθούσε την ίδρυση του νέου ελληνικού "κράτους" διεκδίκησαν με επιτυχία μια σταθερή νομική βάση για τη μάσα αυτή, στήνουμε ένα τεράστιο ψεύτικο δέντρο. Κι απο κάτω στήνεται ένα πανηγύρι για την πλέμπα και απο την πολυκοσμία οι πλάκες της πλατείας καλύπτονται απο μια μάυρη γλίτσα.

Φέτος το μπουρδέλο κάηκε!

(Σόρυ αλλά ο εικονοκλάστης μέσα μου πολύ - μα πάρα πολύ - το ευχαριστήθηκε.)

Δεν ξέρω αν η κακογουστιά ήταν συνειδητά μέσα στα θύματα αυτής εξέγερσης, όμως και σκέτη παράπλευρη απώλεια να ήταν, μου αρκεί. Ήταν το απόλυτο κερασάκι στην καταστασιακή τούρτα που σκάει στα μούτρα του μικροαστισμού σε τέτοιες κινητοποιήσεις.

Το αγαπημένο μου όμως δέντρο για φέτος, είναι το δέντρο του Apsley House, της οικίας της Αυτού Χάριτος του Πρώτου Δούκα Wellington.

Apsley House Drawing Room

Καλόγουστο και Γεωργιανό, είναι το πρώτο πράγμα που αντικρύζει κανείς όταν ανέβει τη σκάλα για το καθιστικό του Δούκα, μετά το επιβλητικό (και δουλοπρεπώς κολακευτικό) άγαλμα του Ναπολέοντα απο τον Canova.

O Ναπολέων του Canova

Θρονιασμένο στη γωνία του επιθεωρεί τις στραταρχικές ράβδους του Δούκα και τα λάφυρα απο τις νίκες του κατά του κοντοστούπη "Αυτοκράτορα" των Γάλλων.


Όμως και αυτο είναι ένα κομμένο δέντρο.

Στο πατρικό οι γονείς έχουν τζάκι. Καίμε το δέντρο κάθε χρόνο, όταν περάσουν οι γιορτές.






ΥΓ: Κάτι ξέρουν όσοι λένε "Πές το μ'ένα λουλούδι". Πέφτει βαρύ το να το λές μ'ένα δέντρο: "Πάρε ένα πεύκο για κάθε μέρα που θα λείπω για να θυμάσαι οτι σ'αγαπώ".




.

Juletid, pt. III : The Spirit of Christmas - Memories come alive

CHRISTMAS-GREETINGS

[FROM A FAIRY TO A CHILD]

LADY dear, if Fairies may

For a moment lay aside

Cunning tricks and elfish play,

'Tis at happy Christmas-tide.

We have heared the children say---

Gentle children, whom we love---

Long ago, on Christmas-Day,

Came a message from above.

Still, as Christmas-tide comes round,

They remember it again---

Echo still the joyful sound

'Peace on earth, good-will to men!'

Yet the hearts must child-like be

Where such heavenly guests abide;

Unto children, in their glee,

All the year is Christmas-tide.

Thus forgetting tricks and play

For a moment, Lady dear,

We would wish you, if we may,

Merry Christmas, glad New Year!

Lewis Carroll, Christmas, 1867.
(First published in Phantasmagoria, 1869)

The spirit of Christmas is Love. The spirit of any holiday is love. But, to quote, (of all sources...) the movie "Love, actually" : "Enough....enough now" (from the only realistic scene of the film...).

So, beyond such commonplace statements, the Spirit of Christmas is the one single transcendental feeling that goes beyond all the exaggeration, corniness, cuteness, deluded arrogance and generic kitsch that surrounds the celebrations of these days. Indeed, it not only transcends them, but even gives them purpose and meaning.

For who would dream of spartan, or even doric Christmas? Christmas is sybaritic, and was meant to be thus even from the days of the celebrations of Jul (complete with the Wild Hunt around the days of Winter Solstice), and the Death of Baldur.

What evoces this feeling is different for each one of us. For me it is nothing less than the revival of childhood memories.

The fireplace, to which I later in the night retreated to read the works of Dr. Seuss, and my absolute favourites: the Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame and the Alice books by Lewis Carroll. And later: the works of Professor Tolkien....




























The food, marching out of the kitchen in a stream of delights and the thought in the back of our head that this year we will need more cretan tsikoudia for digestion.

The all-day long music by 19th century Romantics, with Stokowski's interpretation of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker, from the soundtrack of Fantasia holding the most prominent place.

Going to bed with the last embers dying in the fireplace...and the pregnant moments of the following morning before the opening of gifts.

As long as all these things revive, Christmas will be frosted with a glowing dust that keeps the magic alive.

Before we part, for the time of celebration is nigh...

...a couple of words and a poem by Lewis Carroll:

Dear Children,

At Christmas-time a few grave words are not quite out of place, I hope, even at the end of a book of nonsense - and I want to take this opportunity of thanking the thousands of children who have read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, for the kindly interest they have taken in my little dream-child.

The thought of the many English firesides where happy faces have smiled her a welcome, and of the many English children to whom she has brought an hour of (I trust) innocent amusement, is one of the brightest and pleasantest thoughts of my life. I have a host of young friends already, whose names and faces I know - but I cannot help feeling as if, through "Alice's Adventures" I had made friends with many other dear children, whose faces I shall never see.

To all my little friends, known and unknown, I wish with all my heart, "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year". May God bless you, dear children, and make each Christmas-tide, as it comes round to you, more bright and beautiful than the last - bright with the presence of that unseen Friend, who once on earth blessed little children - and beautiful with memories of a loving life, which has sought and found the truest kind of happiness, the only kind that is really worth the having, the happiness of making others happy too!

Your affectionate Friend,

Lewis Carroll

Christmas, 1871

Juletid pt. II : Deck the halls!

Even though Christmas decoration has always been the most important and wonderful aspect of this season, it has always been a matter of controversy in my house.

Because of my parents' line of work, we were not particularly impressed by any kind of ornament. My father was simply bored of the whole affair, while my mother only sought out ways to be innovative.

I, on the other hand, enjoy Christmas and consider it to be the most important holiday season of the year (largely due to the fact that I get more presents than even my birthday).

I have always been keen on the traditional Christmas celebration with a huge banquet with good wine, stuffed turkey (I find turkey meat rather indifferent, but my mother's stuffing is pure poetry), game (boar or grouse are my favourites, but unfortunately, availability depends on the marksmanship of our relatives...) and assorted gourmet delicacies from around the world and all this... under a f***ing Christmas tree....!!

Yes, I know that plastic ones are outdated, cliche' and awful. I know that natural ones make a mess. And I know that it would make our small living room look cramped. But I wanted a Christmas tree!!!

Only occasionaly did we set up one, until some eight years ago I got serious. Very serious. And from then on things got better and our house started to be decorated traditionally and stopped looking like an atelier for interior design-conscious elves, with lights and huge ribbons suspended randomly about.... This year however, we decided to decorate only as a last-minute call. And there will be no Christmas tree. With the losses of our two good friends this year, it simply does not feel like decorating big time...


We got a few glittery gimmicks on the shelves and tables, we set up Santa corner and my carousel, and although the climate is far from the mourning of spring and early summer, we will spend the holiday without much extravagance, hoping that the years to come will be less painful for us and those we love.


















And you know what... it actually feels more like Christmas this way...

Glad Jul !



PS: To our "most esteemed" neighbours. STOP. We know we started it. STOP. You, however, do not have to carry on. STOP. If you want to imitate us, then STOP. It was not meant to be this way. STOP. Even the use of Christmas lights needs moderation. STOP.This is not Las Vegas. STOP. Please, please, please... STOP.

Juletid pt. I : The Grand Feast of Consumerism

(Family Christmas shopping spreee 2007: First Blood - my loot)

Christmas holidays are fast approaching and faithful to the time-honoured tradition of consumerism fuelled by the traditional imagery of Yule cornucopia, my family (including me, of course) has set out to pillage the shops for the finer things in life. Why so early?

Because once the hordes of salarymen get their Christmas bonus and flood the streets in a spree of contagious oniomania for luxury they cannot really afford, shopping will become virtually impossible (exemplis gratis, the Kalogirou shoestore in Kifissia a week before Christmas and New Year's Eve).

It is this behaviour of the general public that sparks some thoughts.

Although to a great extent understandable during the festivities, conspicuous consumption is a particularly interesting modern plague of Greek society.

I have nothing against luxury. I live for luxury in a way, for Art has always been luxury - and sometimes, (even in modern times, as for example in Dolce & Gabbana ) luxury IS Art, but...

If you cannot afford it, do not buy it...

Banks, with their aggressive marketing of consumer credit products and the glittering lifestyle images promoted by the advertising media have created the illusion that everyone can (or should ) be equal in consumer status, creating thus a setting directly out of Thorstein Veblen's worst nightmares.

Huge debts massing and bankruptcies by the thousands are everyday phenomena and still, in a society where wages are way lower than the mean European Union equivalent, people are consuming like crazy.
One finds oneself reflecting with nostalgic wonder on the days of Cato the Elder and the Lex Oppia, when the Romans were forbidden excessive luxury and dining in order to support the war effort against Carthage. In the end, Roman frugality and discipline had Carthage destroyed, its ground salted and without a single stone left standing . ROMA INVICTA !

Worse still, the enemy is not tangible. It's just this simple everyday erosion of personality, humour, creativity, passion in the pursuit of paradoxical needs with paradoxical means.

Yet.... what would their lives be if they couldn't shop with the money they worked nights and weekends for?

The self-sustaining cycle of consumption and slavery keeps herding the masses onward...

Glad Jul ! (for the moment, at least...)