“Everything went upside down…”
Slovenians who remember Yugoslavia will easily remember the children’s song “Everything went upside down/Sve je pošlo naopačke…” a song from 1978 and the legendary TV show for children – Na slovo, na slovo, written by Duško Radović and sung by Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković.
The first verse goes like this: “Everything went upside down for sparrows and cats when autumn hung its yellow badges when the wind started to sing November songs…” referring to the sudden change of weather.
Later in life, we who were born during the seventies often used this simple line from that song when we wanted to comment on a change happening suddenly and unexpectedly but also as a general, rather neutral and mild comment when things go wrong …
When I listen to the news and witness the horrible stories about as many as 56 conflicts in the world, according to the Global Peace Index, the most since World War II, the same song … “Everything Went Upside Down…” fits perfectly as a description.
When I look at the climate changes, the same song fits again … the climate nowadays went “upside down”. This is how my Swedish friends, sitting outside on their balconies in light clothes in December felt when they saw the photos and videos from snowy Ljubljana on Sunday, December 22nd one day after the official start of the winter.
And this feeling of upsidedowness – I know that that is not even a word but it serves the purpose- continues when looking at the weather forecast this morning that shows +7 in Stockholm and -7 in Ljubljana.
The other day, when asked by a reporter about the mild weather and lack of snow during December one more year in a row, children in Sweden were disappointed and sad.
Climate Change is something we observe and we also feel disappointed and sad about. We are just sighing… and sighing is an emotional response to a mental state of mind, but we need action! It is not normal that there is snow in Ljubljana, a one-hour drive from the warm Adriatic Sea, and now snow in Stockholm which lies on the coast of the Baltic Sea, in the North!
And speaking of North – did you know that Santa from Rovaniemi visited Slovenia on December 17th thanks to the invite by the Honorary Consul of Finland in Slovenia H.E. Gregor Benčina? Santa “flew in” to Ljubljana with his reindeers at 03 AM on the day when Slovenia was like Florida, warm and sunny. The most famous Grandpa in the world visited a hospital in Jesenice. He later talked to a group of adults who were btw diplomats and distinguished guests at a VIP event in Brdo pri Kranju and asked them among other things if they were naughty or nice – a priceless moment. Santa also visited the Presidential Palace and together with the President of Slovenia Dr. Natasa Pirc Musar listened to children read the “Muca Copatarica” story which is the most famous and popular of the fairy tales written by Ela Peroci, first published in 1957 with illustrations by Ančka Gošnik Godec. Like her other fairy tales, this one talks about everyday things that often go unnoticed by us, but the writer uses the power of words to illuminate them and show that they are important in a child’s experience of the world.
Climate change cannot go unnoticed by us and let’s make it a New Year’s resolution to change the climate change for the better!
Looking at the photo of the Christmas tree at Presern Square in Ljubljana I think of a story by Tina Donvito from Reader’s Digest that says that the pagans displayed the branches of evergreen as a reminder that spring would come again. Romans placed them around temples to honor Saturn, the god of agriculture. The first time the evergreen was used as a Christmas tree was either in Tallinn, Estonia or Riga, Latvia – Each city says it is the true home of the first Christmas tree.
I conclude today’s note by congratulating Slovenia on its Day of Independence and Unity and suggest that you read the first in the series of “5 for 2025” exclusive interview with The First Gentleman of Slovenia Dr. Ales Musar.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2025!