by Felix, age 9, asks how Christmas started, about the Grossglockner, and Vienna’s music
Dear Santa,
Gruss Gott from Vienna. My name is Felix and I am 9 years old. My city is full of music, and at Christmas the streets smell like roasted chestnuts and mulled cider, and my parents take me to hear the Vienna Boys Choir sing every year, which always makes my mother cry a little bit.
My first question is: how did Christmas actually start?
My second question is geography: what is the highest mountain in Austria?
My third question is from school: why is Vienna called the city of music?
I left you Vanillekipferl biscuits and a mug of warm punch, no alcohol, just the fruity kind.
Love, Felix, age 9, Vienna, Austria
From the Desk of Father Christmas
Dear Felix, Vanillekipferl might be the finest biscuit shape ever invented, small crescents that vanish in one bite. Thank you. Now to your excellent questions.
How did Christmas actually start?
Christmas began as a Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus, and the earliest clear records of it being marked on the 25th of December date back to the fourth century. Around that same time of year, many older winter festivals were already being celebrated across Europe, marking the point when the darkest days start turning back toward light. Over the centuries, the Christian celebration and these older midwinter customs blended together, which is why Christmas today carries such a rich mix of traditions, from candles and evergreen branches to feasting and gift giving. It grew, layer upon layer, like a very good torte.
What is the highest mountain in Austria?
The highest mountain in Austria is the Grossglockner, standing about 3,798 metres tall in the Alps. It is covered in snow and glacier ice for much of the year, and it is a favourite spot for climbers and skiers. Flying over the Alps on Christmas Eve, with all those white peaks catching the moonlight, is one of the prettiest parts of my whole journey.
Why is Vienna called the city of music?
Vienna earned that name because for centuries it was home to some of the greatest composers who ever lived, including Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, and Strauss. They wrote, performed, and were inspired by the city, and Vienna became the beating heart of European classical music. That love of music never left, which is why choirs like the one that makes your mother cry still fill the city with song every December.
Give your mother a hug from me, and I shall see you on the musical night ahead.
Ho ho ho, Santa
