Ulula is based at Rush Farm, a biodynamic farm in Worcestershire.
Between March and October, Rush Farm is supported by a wonderful group of volunteers who find us through the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms Organisation – a movement linking volunteers with organic farmers and g
rowers.
The volunteers are fondly known at the beginning of their stay at WWOOFers, but by the time we are all hugging goodbye, they have become one of the family. This means that we are now very much an international family on the Farm, as is Ulula with all its wonderful worldwide customers.
We may not be ‘together’ on the farm across the winter months (a time of ‘rest’ for the farm so no volunteers are needed), but sharing our winter traditions and memories is very special.
Our winter family and community traditions are instilled in us when we are little, and these memories and feelings stay with us as we grow up, and we bring them into our world anew when our own little ones arrive. For us, we always decorate the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve – our German roots!
These traditions are unique to each family, region, country and each generation, and we carry them with us, whether we stay in the country of our birth, or find ourselves somewhere different. ‘Different’ brings opportunities – for both enjoying, and learning other families’ traditions. We blend them into our very own happy ever afters. Just as it should be x
My French Christmas
1st December
When I was a child, it was time to buy an advent calendar an write my letter to the Santa Claus. Now it the time to think about the gifts to offer at my close family…
24 December
After 5 hours drive, we arrive a little tired at my paternal grandmother. But tomorrow, all the family will be here. So I gather my strengths for the essential thing : the decoration of the Christmas tree
… baubles, garlands…
Lucky me to have an organized sister to share this moment with me! Don’t forget the garland of lights and the star at 
the top ! – or the tradition is broken.
Some gifts will be open tonight, but we will wait for our younger cousins joy to offer the best surprises. (But sshhh! all is Father Christmas !)
25 December
Latest preparations. Ready to eat all the day ! Oysters, snails, tartines of foie gras and of salmon… 
A lot of dead animals scroll in front of me!
I eat some toasts – I’m vegetarian but I’m greedy too ! I really like everything but I can’t eat snails – since I learned how long we need to wait before they die – and oysters – eaten with some lemon while they are always alive…
Anyway now we are ready ! It’s the veal roast – with potatoes and beans. Children be patient – the gifts come with the dessert.
So is it now ? I have finished my plate…
No, keep your plate and test the amazing « roquefort » ! Sensitive noses, outside. My father is running, he hate cheese!
But not too far, because now… Yes, I’m just waiting for this. Now it’s time to the dessert : « La bûche de Noël » ! 
Unfortunately, my grandfather, a former baker, is not with us to cook it. But we can count on the neighbour and the dessert is excellent. We open the gifts ; everybody is smiling.
This was not a vegetarian day, but I’m happy because we had interesting discussions and I played a lot with my cousins. This was a joyful day!!
Sophie from France, who took this wonderful photo across Rush Farm this summer… happy memories indeed x
Our winter family and community traditions are instilled in us when we are little, and these memories and feelings stay with us as we grow up, and we bring them into our world anew when our own little ones arrive. For us, we always decorate the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve – our German roots!
The Supper. On this special evening, we sit together with our family and have a supper of special food, singing carols (PL: kolendy) and opening Christmas gifts (dedicated only for good kids!). Gifts may be found under the Christmas tree – we can be very lucky because on 6th December we have Santa Claus and he leaves gifts under the tree, and then again on 24th Dec under the Christmas tree we have presents again – nice! 
are lucky to have such a great people around us, and it concerns you too, guys.
Between March and October, Rush Farm is supported by a wonderful group of volunteers who find us through the 
Our winter family and community traditions are instilled in us when we are little, and these memories and feelings stay with us as we grow up, and we bring them into our world anew when our own little ones arrive.
magic! The whole world seems to stop for this moment. 
Between March and October, Rush Farm is supported by a wonderful group of volunteers who find us through the 
We may not be ‘together’ on the farm across the winter months (a time of ‘rest’ for the farm so no volunteers are needed), but sharing our winter traditions and memories is very special.
Very briefly, during my childhood in the nineties, my family and I would dine on Christmas eve and go to sleep only waiting to get up and open our presents the next day. 
Our winter family and community traditions are instilled in us when we are little, and these memories and feelings stay with us as we grow up, and we bring them into our world anew when our own little ones arrive.
There are also statues of actors and politicians such as Merkel, Berlusconi, Renzi and so on. It’s a way to rant some events happened during the year!
and she or he has to put it in the presepe, then all together people pray and only after this moment we exchange gifts. 
Our winter family and community traditions are instilled in us when we are little, and these memories and feelings stay with us as we grow up, and we bring them into our world anew when our own little ones arrive.
Andrzejki is the last party before advent, and like any other Polish celebration, there is a feast with loads of food and drink and more… because this is the last day before lent (Christmas Lent) so people eat and drink as much as they can! The next opportunity will be on 26th December! Andrzejki is quite an awesome party: you want to party hard, so you could survive nearly one month without any!
about the way that Advent is celebrated here too, and it made us want to be there! On the first Sunday of Advent, the beautiful city square “Rynek” gets decorated with fir boughs, garlands, Christmas trees, and twinkling lights and booths are set up for their Christmas Market.
Before our little ones came along, we’d best confess that Martinmas wasn’t a part of our lives, but being invited to be a part of first the story, and then the singing as we strode out on our Lantern Walk at their kindi that first November was wonderful! We discovered this amazing opportunity to be together under the stars, singing with our lanterns. How fabulous!
I go outside with my lantern: A Lantern Walk Song
If you want to learn the tunes, there are wonderful video clips here:
joy the bonfire, the sparks, the flames, dancing fire fairies, and of course, the being out late!! Then our parents would cook baked potatoes in the embers, wrapped in tin foil – delicious!
bonfire.
treasures collected in your garden and on your autumn walks, which can be brought together to create a wonderful way to celebrate the end of Autumn; A Gnomes’ bonfire party*!
eward for all their hard work…
m of sleepy hibernation – the warm cosy bed in the morning is always harder to leave in October, and is Halloween really anything that we can celebrate as a family together anyway?
vening is a very special, meditative craft that you can do together as a family, or when the children as a little younger, you can make the magic appear. Allowing those pumpkins to shine out in the cold evening is a wonderful beacon.
y wonderful stories, poems and songs to tell and share as we notice the leaves crunching under our feet, or when we think about the gnomes and ‘root children’ who carry the flowers, animals and seeds back to mother earth, to care for them until the earth is warm enough again for them. If you don’t know Sibylle Von Olfers Story, it is a wonderf
ul book, and she is a wonderful author. 