By now we hope that by reading our blog, you have realized just how much we love Lancaster, the Amish, and especially all the delicious homegrown and homemade food.
There’s something special about buying your local-grown fruits at the road stand on the way home from work. Lancaster county’s faithful farmers and Amish make that experience — and many more — possible!
In celebration of Lancaster and the hardworking Amish that live here, we wanted to share a glimpse into the Amish home at Christmas time.
Join us as we discover what makes the Amish so special this time of year: their traditions, their family, their meals, and their home.
Take a deep breath and relish the savory scent Christmas dinner cooking. Enjoy the chatter of children and laughter full of love.
Welcome to the Amish home at Christmas time!
Past the doorway and into the hall, guests enter the home, shaking off the winter cold and shedding their coats. The heat of the fireplace or furnace dances around their feet, warming them quickly.
Their homes, humble and simple, feel like a warm hug from your mother. Without the social media hype that often companies the internet, the Amish relax and enjoy their Christmas to the fullest extent.
Decorations vary depending on the family but this Amish home brims with Christmas greens and flickering candles. The sweet scent of vanilla candles wafts in the air, blending with the pastries and desserts, baked for later.
You won’t find Christmas trees in most Amish homes; it’s not a part of their tradition like it is for most modern Americans. While some Amish celebrate Christmas with stockings, they aren’t a holiday tradition for most Amish. Many Amish families exchange gifts, both store bought or handmade; often, they draw names to see who they will be giving a gift to this year.
In the dinning room, family members and beloved friends crowd around the table, eager for the meal and cherishing each other’s company. The day seems perfect but of course, like every family, the Amish don’t get along all the time.
But today, like most days, the Amish try their best to “do unto others as you would like them to do unto you,” as the Bible says. They focus on loving each other to the fullest!
Later, men may play games at the table or play football outside, to run off the food and prepare room in their stomachs for supper. The ladies will visit, enjoying their time to be still and relax without the list of farm chores, cleaning or cooking to do.
The Amish Christmas may seen simple to some but to the Amish, it’s just what they want: the delicious feast of homemade dishes, the laughter of loved ones, and the warmth of a cozy home — all this in celebration of Jesus Christ’s birth.
