Amish Culture

The Three Amish Christmases

The Three Amish Christmases

Did you know that Amish celebrate three separate Christmases? By this I mean three separate days called by some variation of the name “Christmas”. Two of them occur in December, and one in January. Christmas (December 25) First of course, there is the Christmas we all know, on December 25th. This is the official Christmas, the traditional commemoration of Jesus’ birth, and is celebrated in…

Are the Amish Rude? Viewers Respond

Are the Amish Rude? Viewers Respond

“I don’t recall ever feeling they were rude. But I definitely thought they didn’t like small talk. I assumed it was because I was English – or if I was speaking to a man, it was that I was a woman.” That’s a comment from one observer on the question “Are the Amish rude?” Some of you might recall this topic from back in March…

5 Subtle Ways Amish Avoid Seeking Attention

5 Subtle Ways Amish Avoid Seeking Attention

Sometimes people stand out by making noise. Other times, the quieter ones set themselves apart. One thing that I’ve always appreciated about the Amish, is that they’re not attention seekers. Perhaps this is in part due to the fact they automatically get a lot of attention due to being so visually, and culturally different. But there are also aspects of Amish culture that leads them…

Amish Youth Sing “Sometime” (Video)

Amish Youth Sing “Sometime” (Video)

How about another Amish singing video? This is another beautiful one from P. Thomas, from several months back, recorded with a number of other hymns. The venue is a New Order Amish youth group singing (likely in Ohio). New Order Amish tend to be more open when it comes to cameras, so we’ve seen a good number of recordings from them. Like others we’ve heard,…

The Amish Barn Raising (Excellent Documentary)

The Amish Barn Raising (Excellent Documentary)

I want to share with you an excellent documentary on the Amish communal practice of barn raising. In this film by Burton Buller, a barn has recently burned down in an Amish community (which looks to be Holmes County, Ohio). He films the entire process of the barn-raising, starting at the wee hours (4:45 AM) when the first helpers are just arriving. Interspersed with the…

Seven Ways I’m “Amish” About Technology

Seven Ways I’m “Amish” About Technology

How “Amish” are you when it comes to technology? In “We Should Be More ‘Amish’ About Technology“, columnist Tish Harrison Warren examines how over-use of tech (social media in particular) was harming her family life. And she feels that Amish and others like them can be role models on this: American society could learn from Anabaptist groups, including the Amish, Mennonites and others. Many of…

Amishman & 10-Year-Old Son Lose Lives In Freak Pond Accident

Amishman & 10-Year-Old Son Lose Lives In Freak Pond Accident

An Amishman and his ten-year-old son lost their lives this past weekend in a pond accident. The incident happened under unusual circumstances in a restricted area in their community in eastern Ohio. From WTRF: BELMONT COUNTY, Ohio (WTRF) — An Amish man and his 10-year-old son died of drowning Saturday, according to Belmont County Sheriff’s Department Chief Investigator Ryan Allar. Allar said it happened at…

Amish Cook’s Mom: Weddings Mean Work, Food, & Blessings

Amish Cook’s Mom: Weddings Mean Work, Food, & Blessings

In this week’s Amish Cook column, Gloria Yoder’s mother Dorcas Raber fills in, as she does from time to time. She shares an account of a recent wedding in her community – that of her niece Rhoda. She shares what kinds of foods they serve, what goes into wedding prep, and so on. An excerpt: Every one of their family pitched in to get ready…

Amish Scholars Sing “Our God Is For Us”

Amish Scholars Sing “Our God Is For Us”

Another nice Amish song video today by P. Thomas (video at end of post). This one is from an Amish school in Indiana. The song is called “Our God Is For Us” (or possibly just “God Is For Us”). Amish children don’t have formal religious instruction in their schools (Amish feel that’s not the place for it), but they do have prayer and sing Christian…

Are The Amish Rude?

Are The Amish Rude?

In a recent article by Mary Swander, writing for the Iowa Capital Dispatch, she describes receiving an abruptly direct call from someone Amish. I found this of interest because it raises the question of whether the Amish could be described as more rude – or lacking manners – compared with your average Americans. And if so, why that might be. Here’s how it opens: “What…