If you have ever visited the Nordic countries around this time, you have surely noticed that in many windows of many houses, as in the store windows, there is a triangle illuminated by seven electric candles. When I first visited Sweden, the triangle became a momentary obsession for me. What does that decoration mean and why do I see it everywhere? I want to clarify, at that time I was not very aware of both the lack of light (that is, the terror of having to deal with this) and much less of the Christmas traditions beyond the typical Santa Claus of Coca Cola.
In my family we rarely do the things that are supposed to be done in Mexico during these festivities, but I had a vague idea of the celebrations from what I learned in school. Between what we call posadas, ponche, and piñatas ... I knew all of that by interaction outside home, not so much because my family celebrated like this. Of all that, what always caught my attention were the meanings behind each of the Christmas activities. That if the piñata has seven spikes to represent the seven sins, that if the pastorelas served as a way to evangelize the population, that if the nacimientos were representations of the birth of Baby Jesus. Everything has a meaning and its reason for being.
I tried to find out what these lights on the windows meant, because, to tell the truth, they look really pretty. Especially when it gets dark at four in the afternoon and one starts yawning but you still have things to do. But I couldn't find out specifically what this triangle with seven lights meant. So, I asked some friends. And their answer made me laugh "Not everything has to have a meaning, we put it because it looks pretty”. Could it be true?
They were partly right. But on the other hand…
The tradition, which spans to several countries, has its origins in Germany, but in Sweden it became popularised in the way it is now styled. It is known as adventsljusstake in Swedish or Advent candelabra. Originally, 28 candles were placed on the Christmas tree, which were lit seven at a time on each Sunday of Advent until December 25. Imagine all of that, lighting 28 candles, in your highly flammable little house.
The Swedes varied the concept in principle, simply putting four candles in a line and lighting one by one every Sunday, thus, as they melted, they formed a staircase of Christmas light. But still, it's four candles. You can forget and leave them on and… bye bye little house!
The solution came with the technological development of Oskar Andersson, who in 1934, worked for the Philips factory in Gothenburg. After the company introduced electric Christmas lights into the market, with not the expected commercial success due to problems in the voltage of the lights, Oskar had a brilliant idea: using the lights and putting them on a stand. And ta-da! This is how the next version of the Advent candelabra was created.
Nowadays, I suppose, people are not bothered to know if they put it or not because of religious rituals, or holy scriptures (taking into account that many people from these places are not very religious). And I also suppose there are those who do as tradition dictates. It is peculiar that this advent triangle is not only found in this version, there are already some variations that have less lights (or candles), with more lights, flat, curved, small and discreet, and gigantic. There is even a small version to decorate the dashboard of your car. Since, at the end of the day, the lights in the candelabra transform the winter darkness into a warmer and more welcoming atmosphere. By the way, today Giljagaur arrived.
