This is my fourth Christmas in France, as last year, we celebrated Christmas with my family in Florida. As much as I enjoy having Christmas with my French in-laws, I felt that this year, I needed a typical American Christmas that I had growing up. Every Christmas, we had to pack and travel to family. It felt great this year to relax, decorate our house, get a tree (for the first time!), and enjoy the holidays without running around. As much as I missed going to Florida and seeing my family, it was nice to not have to pack and travel.
My husband’s family celebrates Christmas quite differently than my family. We go to one of their homes for a delicious dinner that takes several hours to complete. After we’re done eating, it is time for everyone to open gifts. The party lasts late into the evening, and then we go to bed. The next day, we usually have a beautiful lunch at another family member’s house.
This year, I crocheted stockings and hung them on the fireplace. I have 8 stockings – ones for us, the kids, our pets, and two guests. I baked and decorated cookies with the kids while my husband prepared our Christmas dinner. Normally, in my family we would go to church after dinner, but it’s not the same here. So instead, we spent the entire evening at home.
His dad brought oysters and my husband presented everyone with Santa hats. Dinner took us nearly two hours to eat, and then we prepared the kids for bed. Before it was time to go up to bed, the kids picked out Christmas cookies to leave Santa Claus and we filled his mug with warm milk. The plate and mug were gifts from my mother last year, so we could have it for this year. See, Mommy, I remembered!
On Christmas morning, the kids rushed down the stairs to find that Santa Claus stopped by our house. We let them open a few gifts, and then I cooked us a large breakfast – pancakes, eggs, sausage, and bacon. I also wanted to make French Toast, but I didn’t have fine enough sugar on hand. For those of you in France, do not use cassonade sugar for French Toast – it burns!
After we were all stuffed, we opened our stockings. Unfortunately, much of the chocolates in the stockings were melted. Note to self : keep the poele (wood burning stove) off next Christmas. I extinguished the fire before stuffing the stockings, but the poele radiated heat much of the night. We opened presents until 2pm, and since we were still full from breakfast, snacked on leftovers from dinner. I love leftovers! Plus, no one felt like cooking.
It was fun to bring the tradition of Santa to our little kids. I have such fond memories of me and my sister being so excited for his arrival. For several years, we even drew maps of the living room and would come up with plans on how to catch him. One year, I fell asleep behind the TV in the living room – yep, plan failed that year. We decided that we would give the kids only a couple gifts from us and several smaller things from Santa. This year, I built my daughter a Barbie dollhouse and my son a teepee. In case you’re interested, I got the plans for the dollhouse on Ana White’s blog.
If you live in France, then make sure you visit the foire de jouets! This is usually held at a large location, and you can find ones with over 50 or 100 vendors (since you cannot have garage sales in France, you register to be a vendor to sell your used toys there, or at vide greniers thoughout the year).
I was able to score a piano for 2 euros and car garage with cars for 3 euros. Then for a combined total of 30 euros, I bought stuffed animals, toy animals, Barbies, doll clothes, large toy truck, train with animals, 6 books, and more. Most of the stuff was in excellent, if not new, condition. A few things were older, but I figured after a month with my kids, it would look like that anyways. Foires de jouets usually start popping up in November. I went to one in November and another in December. Get there as soon as it opens! I arrived 30 minutes late to one and saw parents leaving with some really awesome stuff.
Everyone a great time, so I think we’re on for hosting Christmas at our house again next year. Well, unless my sister-in-law snags one of them. I don’t have many American traditions to pass on to my kids, so it means much to me to be able to give them this.
Their childhood will be much different than mine, but this is something we can have in common. I’m grateful to my parents for giving us kids such warm memories of the holidays, and I only hope I can provide the same to my little angels, Juliana and Mathieu.
I hope your Christmas or holiday celebrations were also filled with love and laughter, and lots and lots of chocolate!
Inese says
You had very nice and family orientated Christmas, so do we. Sometimes it is so good- stay at home, don’t rush through airports and enjoy Christmas and lots of time together in your closest family. Happy New Year!