An Amish Christmas
I’m pleased to welcome Tricia Goyer to our blog today! She has just released A Christmas Gift for Rose. If you’re a fan of the Amish genre and love a great seasonal story, be sure to check it out!
Born in the midst of the hardships of The Great Depression, Rose grew up in Berlin, Ohio, in the arms of a loving Amish family. But as she prepares to marry, she’s thrown into confusion when she learns the truth of her birth. She was born Englisch and abandoned when the family moved on in search of work.
Was she meant to be Amish or would she have been better off growing up with her own kind—Englischers? And was her intended’s gift of discovering her birth family given out of love or fear?
Welcome, Tricia!
One of my favorite book series growing up was the Little House on the Prairie series. I remember the simple gatherings in those books where the children each got one small toy and maybe an orange in their stocking. I was reminiscent of this as I worked on my novella, A Christmas Gift for Rose. I loved learning more about Amish Christmas traditions from 1945 … and not much has changed since them!
Can you imagine a Christmas without a Christmas tree, or snowman decorations, or piles of presents? Like so many other aspects of their lives, an Amish Christmas is simple. It’s centered on gathering with family and having a nice meal.
Sometimes simple gifts are given to the children, wrapped in brown paper. Even though presents are not exchanged, Amish often exchange Christmas cards with their family and friends. These cards are usually handmade. The most beautiful part is the handwritten note inside. These cards are hung in the living area, and simple candles grace the windows, reminding the families of the Light of the of Son of God who came into the world.
It’s common for Amish to go caroling around their community. And every Amish school has a program to celebrate the birth of Christ. Songs and poems are recited by the young scholars.
Christmas gatherings are large. Most Amish families have at least eight children, and when those children marry and have children of their own there are plenty nieces, nephews, and cousins! As they gather, everyone wears their Sunday best and all the women pitch in to help with the meal. Young girls are pulled in to do the dishes.
Unique to the Amish is what they call Zwedde Grischtdaag, which means Second Christmas. This holiday is a few days later, and it’s also a time to gather with family.
In A Christmas Gift for Rose, Rose is challenged to forgive the man she planned to marry after he chose to sign up for the Army during World War II. And even as Rose’s heart and mind battles over her care for Jonathan, she discovers that she isn’t who she thinks she is either. She seeks God to understand her past so she can forge her future.
Isn’t that what Christmas should be about for all of us, enjoying traditions yet also discovering who we are because of the birth of Christ? As I learn about the Amish, I’m working in my own family to simplify my Christmas traditions. I want to ensure I’ll have time to let God do His Holy work in my heart this Christmas. Won’t you join me?
Tricia Goyer is the author of 40 books, including the Big Sky and Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors Amish series. She has won ACFW’s Carol Award twice, and is a Christy Award and Gold Medallion award finalist. Tricia and her husband, John, live in Little Rock, Arkansas. They have six children. You can find out more about Tricia at www.triciagoyer.com or www.notquiteamishliving.com