15 Oct 2007

Breakfast by Candlelight

Monday, 7:30 am
As he stumbles out of his bedroom rubbing an eye, he looks at me, all confused; "Why did you wake me up in the middle of the night?"

Just wait, kiddo, soon it'll be dark when you leave for school, too!

*************

Growing up during the winter months in Scandinavia, my dad would always light a candle on the kitchen table before breakfast. My groggy siblings and I would sit and admire the flickering light on the walls, while we waited for our porridge to be ready. Then he'd leave for work, and as he passed by outside the kitchen window, we could barely make out his wave before he was swallowed up by the morning blackness.

I knew I'd soon have to go out into the cold winter morning, too, and walk to school, but right then and there, I felt safe, snuggly and warm inside our kitchen cocoon.

My dad is retired now, but while my mother continues to work, he still gets up first, lights a candle on the kitchen table and makes her coffee and breakfast. He does this every morning, even when she has a flight to catch and needs to be out of the door by 5 am.

21 comments:

She She said...

What a lovely tradition. I think I may start doing this myself as the mornings here are staying darker. The glow of a candle is a much calmer way to start the day than the glow of the television.

The Lady Who Doesn't Lunch: said...

That sounds like a beautiful tradition. When I was growing up candles were considered a fire hazard and never used for anything but birthday cakes. My dad, a truck driver, was always gone before we were awake.

BeachMama said...

Such a nice thought, to light a candle for breakfast. Makes you want to slow down and enjoy breakfast before you start your hectic day.

So, do you light a candle for breakfast?

Thanks for stopping by.

Kellan said...

I loved this post. I love that he lights that candle every morning - what a sweet memory!

carrie said...

That's very cool that you can share this little piece of your childhood with your kids!

We spent a few years in Alaska when I was growing up, and it was dark when went to school, too. So, I really get this!

MadMad said...

Aw... that sounds so nice. I think my husband would only light me a candle at 5 a.m. to set me on fire! (Ha. Just kidding. Maybe. Who knows?) I am already sick of the dark, dark mornings - this morning I came back from my 5:30 run... and it was STILL too dark to see! It's nuts! I'm waiting anxiously for daylight savings to start - or end - I'm never really sure which it is!

Rima said...

I love that! I hope you'll continue the tradition with your kids, too. And make sure you get your daily five minutes of sun light for the vitamin D (or is it A?).

Karen said...

What a wonderful way to start the day! I may start up this practice when the mornings get dark in Ottawa and the kids are old enough to be heading off for school. It would be something to look forward to every morning and it makes each morning a special event. I love it.

Victoria said...

What a lovely image you paint, Heidi! Several times last year I read to my children by candlelight. They thought is was the most magical thing.

Thanks for popping by my blog today. I would do anything to be traveling like you these days! =)

Cathy, Amy and Kristina said...

That sounds so lovely and cozy. I love candles in the evening. Hadn't thought to light them in the mornings. What a neat idea.

hokgardner said...

What a lovely way to start the day. Perhaps I'll give it a try when we head into our "dark" Texas winters. We can at least pretend it's dark.

ewe are here said...

My 2 year old keeps campaigning to go to Norway (to the family summer cabins; we were there last summer). We keep telling him 'Norway is closed for the winter'. We'll go next summer.' heh heh

Hae Yung said...

There is a special bond between a father and his little girl (even when we are no longer little). I don't know if Christopher and Benjamin will be as sentimental as you are but it's great to have traditions. I hope our kids have as many special memories as we do. Maybe we just appreciate things as we older. My happy memory is during the cold winter months when my father would start my car to warm it up and removed all the snow off my car...better than husbands.

Heidi said...

Not sure what happened. Missed two days of internet and missed 3 of your posts?
I love this post. I don't even remember anything about my dad in the mornings growing up.
My husband always gets up early for work, makes me coffee and feeds my daughter breakfast before I get up to help get her on the bus. I am really lucky.
I love the candle tradition. I bet my husband would too as he is very frugal when it comes to using electricity!

Aliki2006 said...

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog--I am entirely charmed by yours. I love the image of the breakfast by candlelight.

In 1986 we had the chance to travel to Sweden for the Nobel ceremony (learned uncle won a prize for chemistry) and I was just so very taken with Scandinavia--I have longed to go back. I am enjoying reading about your family's adventures!

Karen MEG said...

Those childhood memories are so precious, it's so wonderful that you're back there and able to experience it again, with your own little guys. I really got the sense of the little girl in you from this post. Very endearing and sweet!

painted maypole said...

we have to be out the door by 7:30 - so getting up then sounds like a luxury to me. The candle on the table sounds lovely.

Thanks for stopping by my blog!

Kristi B said...

What a wondeful story!
I hope you light a candle for your kids too.
We've started lighting more around here these days. Thank goodness for the wonderful school my children go to---they are a positive influence on us! At school, they always light a candle singing "fire faires come to us" during snack and lunch and they always say a blessing before eating--"blessings on the blossoms, blessings on the fruits, blessings on the leaves and stems, blessings on the roots. Blessings on all of our friends and on this meal." And that positive influence is starting to rub off on us, thankfully! we're lighting more candles and saying more blessings.
Anyway, thanks for visiting my blog and thanks for your supportive words. I really don't mean to offend anyone. I really don't. I just don't think my child needs what this OT is recommending. Tomorrow, we meet with the two classroom teachers, the special ed director, and the school psychologist to determine what how we ought to proceed. Pray we have a good meeting! Thanks again!

TheOneTrueSue said...

What a lovely picture you drew for us! Much better than how my mom used to wake us up - singing that infernal Good Morning to You song and threatening to dump a pitcher of water on us if we didn't scoot ASAP. She wasn't so big on candles.

Lisa said...

Thanks for painting such a nice picture of your parents.
I love family traditions like these. It sounds a lot more calm then our current ritual of me screaming "DID YOU BRUSH YOUR TEETH?" All while throwing together lunches, pulling tangles out of hair and quieting a crying boy because he has to wear a coat. All while I can hear the bus coming up the street. Always a peaceful start to mornings around here!

Ice Cream said...

How romantic! I love sweet little stabilities like this.