For Liesl, Christmas is without a doubt the most wonderful time of the year. Of course, lights, presents and conviviality play a part, but it is the traditions that really bring colour to her December. And there’s an added bonus: her dad’s name is Noël and he was born on 25 December – so it’s a double celebration.
A Christmas tree in AA Gent style
At Liesl’s house, the Christmas tree stays up from the end of November until the end of January. If it were up to her, it would stay up even longer. While many people opt for red and gold, she resolutely chooses blue and white: the colours of AA Gent*. The tree has become a tribute, full of blue and white baubles, subtle Buffalo* details and ornaments that carry stories from all over the world.
Christmas markets with my sister
Another tradition is visiting the Christmas market with her sister. Together they stroll through the stalls, while her sister sells personalised gifts with her company Biekekreatief. Their motto? “I’m the talker and she’s the maker.” The ritual always ends with a hot chocolate. For Liesl, these are golden moments: making time for each other in the midst of the festive hustle and bustle.
Christmas is more than just lights
For Liesl, Christmas isn’t about how perfect the tree looks or the pile of presents underneath it. It’s about togetherness and the warmth of little rituals. The soft flickering blue and white lights in the evening, or the atmosphere of a Christmas market with someone important to her: that’s what Christmas is all about for her.
Christmas is also about plants
During her time with grower Lode De Waele, Liesl learned how important plants are during the festive season. Conifers, such as Chamaecyparis Ellwoodii, were particularly popular. They were shipped in large numbers to Italy, Poland, Scandinavia and beyond. In Italy, they were even transformed into Alberini: mini Christmas trees, richly decorated for retail. According to her, Christmas roses and amaryllis also deserve a permanent place in the home to bring colour and cosiness during the festive season.
A world tour in Christmas decorations
Liesl’s Christmas tree is also a journey around the world. Each ornament tells a story:
- America: her dad brought back a cute couple from a bakery convention, which was given the name Gingerbread couple at home.
- Norway: her mum gave her the cheerful little man who seems to be climbing to the top of the tree. Their nickname? The Climber.
- Prague: a fragile glass bauble with a hand-painted scene, carefully hung at the end of the tree.
- Italy: a bauble featuring Castello di Tabiano, the place where Liesl lived for five years and still returns to every year.
- France: a bauble featuring Chambord, a reminder of her first European holiday after returning from South Africa.
- South Africa: her native country produced perhaps the most special decoration: a little angel, made on a dried sugar bush (protea, the national flower), finished with beads by African craftswomen.
Each piece has its own meaning, and together they form a Christmas tree full of stories – and above all, full of warmth.
“Merry Christmas,” concludes Liesl, with the same glow she keeps in her tree and in her heart.
*AA Gent is a Belgian football club with club colours blue and white and nicknamed Buffalo.