December in Skopje
One city, one month, one story… Skopje is my hometown, town whereI can find everyone that I love, townthat is keeping all my memories, the memories of all of them who are part of it, the memories that testify for every spendmoment in this city, memories that testify for all new loves and for each new winter. When I will have the opportunity to draw a map ofSkopje, the map will get a very different look. It will look like a map of a town that you cannot find in any nearby kiosk. The look of themap have a special beauty in December.
December is month of the snow, and it isone of the most beautiful time of the year,precisely because then starts the Christmasand holiday atmosphere. Also because that isthe time when we are expecting the start ofthe New year and we are summarized the impressionsof thе past 365 days. I love Skopje.City in December gets special avant-garde spirit,aura of “small” metropolis in which greatthings happens. In this month everybody areexpecting the first snow, the first snow joy, first snowman, slow falling ice, first cleaningof the snowy streets, the first blizzards.
Dear friends, the winter that I am telling you aboutin this town is something special. I really adoreit.After the November grayness, finally thereis some whiteness and blitz of colours in mycity Skopje. I’m opening the window and whitesnowflakes are gently touching my face. I feelmuch better when I see that Skopje is all whitein December. Are you feeling this, it smells allover of harmony and warmed houses.
In December the people are euphoric. This holiday atmosphere makes everyone dazzled. We are decorating the houses and the Christmas trees, every yard is coloured with the colours of the decorating lights, every New year’s gift is getting prepared.
Every December the city square gets special Christmas and holiday edition. Each year different, each year more and more beautiful. I would recommend to everybody to walk thru the square in middle of December so you could feel the magic atmosphere in Skopje.You would never see something more beautiful then the look when in front of you is a child seated in the lap of Santa Claus tightly squeezed new packet and the new gift, and laughing to the photographer.
You would also see a wonderful sweet viewof amorous couple walks on the square rejoicing of the every last moments of the last month of the year. You would see a old grandpa and grandma sitting on a bench eating hot chestnuts and enjoying the whole atmosphere. Well, yes you will find all of that in Skopje in middle of December.
You will see a lot of views that will warm up your heart in these cold days. The thousands of Christmas lights will make you feel like you’re in some fairytale.And every year when December comes and also the end of the year is coming, while I am standing between the old and the New year I have to wish I want Skopje to have less Little Match Girl, and to have more smiles of happiness joy and love.
And as summary December is one of the most beautiful months in Skopje, because this town knows how to show all the hidden beauties of the last month of the year. They say the best is saved for the end, or better yet the end crowns the work!I would recommend to all my readers - come spend a December in Skopje and feel the magic of this wonderful atmosphere!
Tamara Canevska
Volunteers Centre Skopje
Picture from Nikolovskii Wikimedia Commons
