Susan hack – 11/12/12

Of Egypt’s 82.5 million-person population, 10 percent are Christian, mainly members of the Coptic Church that St. Mark founded in Alexandria in 43 AD. The church follows the Julian calendar and celebrates the birth of Jesus on January 7 instead of December 25. Although Cairo doesn’t have one main Christmas market, like you’ll see in Europe, the city is full of off-the-beaten-path places where I found some unusual decorations and stocking stuffers.

Monastic monks make the distilled herb waters and syrups sold at the Al Ezbaweya Coptic Church in downtown Cairo. Many of Cairo’s historic churches have onsite charitable shops selling all sorts of products, including baptismal outfits, honey, communion wine, frozen chickens, and objects emblazoned with the image of the Coptic pope. The Ezbaweya church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, sits atop a site associated with the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt. The word “Ezba” means “farm” in Arabic, and the church supposedly sits on a former field where Mary camped while fleeing soldiers sent by King Herod to kill Jesus. On the day she left, some watermelon seeds were being sown. She asked her farmer hosts to tell King Herod’s agents that the family had moved on when the seeds were planted. Miraculously, the seeds grew into watermelons overnight, throwing the soldiers off the trail. The products, considered blessed, can be used in beverages and to flavor salads. ($1–$2.50; Azbakeya District; 259070602)

These wooden stamps are for Qurban, the holy Christmas bread served at the grand feast immediately after Coptic church services on Christmas night to break a traditional 43-day fast. Twelve small x’s surrounding the cross represent the 12 disciples. Coptic Christmas is celebrated on January 7, which coincides with December 25 in the Julian calendar, which itself is derived from the ancient Egyptian calendar. About 95 percent of Egypt’s Christians are Copts; about 200,000 people belong to the Coptic Catholic Church, an offshoot from the original Coptic faith. Tip: The stamps also make good paperweights. ($6.40, Al Ezbaweya Church)

Wooden Christmas tree ornaments ($2.90, Khan Misr Touloun; 17 Ahmed Ibn Touloun Square; 23652227)

Clay angels, made by a Muslim potter. He also makes clay horses modeled after the carved sugar toys children receive on the prophet Mohamed’s birthday. A candle placed underneath illuminates a room. ($1.14-$13.90; Khan Misr Touloun)

Clay nativity scene ($9, Khan Misr Touloun)

Camel ornament ($2.90; Community Services Association, 4, Road 21, Maadi; 23585284.)

Tahrir Square refrigerator magnet ($3.25; Oum Al Dounia, 3, Talaat Harb Street, Downtown; 23938273)

Hand-bound notebooks and diaries from Hussam Abd El-Zaher, a bookbinding business founded in 1936. The covers are printed with Arabic poetry passages and traditional tent decoration fabric. ($5.70-$9; Hussam Abd El-Zaher, main branch Wekala Qaitbey, Islamic Cairo)

St. George slaying the dragon wristwatch. The story of St. George comes from the Pharaonic myth of the God Horus who killed Seth, a demon that looked like a cross between a crocodile and a hippo. The watch is made in China for the Egyptian market. ($4, Al Ezbaweya Church; Shubra Street stalls )

A Christian neighborhood near St. Mark’s Cathedral (Azbakeya, Cairo).

Incense

Incense burners, sold at Christian bookstores between the Masara and Rod al Farag metro stops on Shubra Street and in church gift shops.

Another Christmas tradition to check out if you’re in town: The Cairo Opera House will hold a series of Christmas gala concerts, scheduled for December 12 and 13 and 8 p.m. Egyptian soloists from the Opera Company, accompanied by a 120-person choir, will perform more than 20 Christmas compositions, including “Agnus Dei,” “O Holy Night,” “Jesu Bambino,” and “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas.”

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