Mourning and Celebrating: an at first glance incompatible combination. However, it is possible in Coevorden from Saturday December 13 at the glass greenhouse, which is there for the second year in a row. The greenhouse will remain open for the entire Christmas period, until December 28.
The greenhouse that is there is simply a greenhouse as you would know it: “The difference is in the decoration: there are candles, lights and a table. People can come here to light a candle, write something in a book, write a card or simply reflect on beautiful and sad moments,” explains Helma Morskieft, Mourning and Celebrating working group.
The two terms are closer than you might initially think, Morskieft explains: “We all have our moments to mourn, and we all have moments to celebrate.”
The Christmas period is also indicative of this, according to Morskieft: “The end of the year is a time to look back. This can be on a good year, or on things that went less well and people you miss. The end of the year is a moment of looking back.”
The project started in 2021 with a greenhouse in Amsterdam, followed by many other places: “It is spreading like wildfire, last year there were 13 greenhouses. This year there will be 24,” says Morskieft.
Installing such a greenhouse is of course not free, but you can visit the greenhouse for free. “We have received great support and we are still working on crowdfunding. We are helped and supported by many people, both financially and physically, to be able to set this up.”
There are between 25 and 30 volunteers who help. They are present in the greenhouse, among other things, so that there is always someone present to whom you can tell your story.
The greenhouses of the Rouwen en Vieren Foundation will also be in Meppel from December 18 to 28 and in Hoogeveen from December 18 to 29.