Loose Leaf Notes

-The following first appeared in The Floyd Press on December 22, 2016.

German natives and long-time Floyd residents Clemens and Barbara von Claparede-Crola recently hosted about 35 guests in their home, Eulenhof, for a German Christmas Cocktail Party to benefit the Floyd Center for the Arts (FCCA).

The party spread, prepared by Barbara, was lit-up with candles and framed by Christmas lights. It included a spread of finger foods, such as cilantro shrimp, cranberry and seaweed salad, meatballs, quiche and more. A wide variety of Christmas cookies and German stollen, wine champagne and Gluehwein, a German mulled wine punch, were also served.

Guests gathered as Barbara, a FCCA board member, spoke about the importance of the Arts and thanked everyone for coming. Clemens talked about German Christmas traditions, including Advent, which involves the lighting of a candle for four Sundays preceding Christmas, crafting, baking, singing and reciting poetry.

“It’s the joyful anticipation reaching the heights of excitement on Christmas Eve,” Clemens said, describing how the Christmas tree was locked in the study with the curtains drawn and not revealed until Christmas Eve.

Abby Head, a soprano who has performed in Opera Roanoke as a member of their apprentice program, sang a variety of Christmas songs, including Silent Night in German. She was accompanied on piano by Clemens.

Some guests sipped mulled wine in the kitchen.

A traditional Advent wreath is hung in the center of the main room.

Barbara von Claparede-Crola said she had about 20 nutcracker soldiers when she first moved to Floyd over two decades ago and now has about 170.  The collection was a point of interest that guests enjoyed. _____Colleen Redman