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Published: December 18th 2007
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The snow falling on the recently bloomed roses in our yard. Dreaming of a White Christmas
December 17, 2007
We never dream of a white Christmas. Living my whole life in the San Francisco Bay Area….those words white Christmas never come out of my mouth or enter into my thoughts. Often, I just think about “getting ready” for Christmas and “getting through” Christmas, never about a white Christmas. When choosing to spend time in the South of France I firmly believed that once again no need thinking about a white Christmas here either. This weather is as close as you can get to the weather in Walnut Creek and still be in France.
Scott and I on the way from Barcelona last week were talking about what Christmas has really meant for us this past decade. It involved lots of stress…getting the tree, decorating the house, putting lights on the house, taking a holiday picture, sending out cards, baking, eating, cooking, entertaining, endless shopping, wrapping, cleaning…you get the idea. We agreed that this was the best holiday season we have had in years. The best part of the holidays for me is really spending time with family and friends. That is all at the end of it I
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Our car covered in snow really care about. Somehow, we have gotten caught up in all the mass holiday marketing that in order to have a nice Christmas we must partake in all of the above for it to happen. US consumerism sells the idea that a Merry Christmas only comes from spending lots of money and being totally stressed out. I am here to tell you that without realizing it, we bought into that as well.
So this year we find we are in France and have done none of the above! Now, to be honest Christmas still has to happen as we will be traveling over the holiday and can barely lug Santa’s sleigh from Avignon to San Francisco. I have had tons help from my Aunt Diane. She has graciously agreed to help me interface with Santa Claus so that my boys have a nice holiday. We will always be thankful to her. However, we have no tree, I sent no cards, I didn’t argue with my kids to get the perfect picture, and the Christmas season so far has been great. We look forward to the one thing that really matters….spending time with family! We are enjoying our last days
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The first sight I saw Sat morning in France together exploring Christmas markets and enjoying the beautiful decorations that every village has up. We are learning about French holiday traditions and enjoy trying them out…such as 13 Desserts!! That’s a great one!!! It feels very free to be away from endless TV commercials luring you into buying just one more thing, forests destroyed for the mountains of ads on your door step every morning with the same intent. Scott yesterday went to the Carrefour, France’s Wal-Mart…and it wasn’t busy. If this had been in Walnut Creek, there would be no parking and it would have been jammed. He waltzed in…got what he needed and walked out! No crowds…the endless consumerism is definitely not the same here in France. As it should be, they care more about holiday food and sharing it with loved ones than buying stuff.
We this year also got to spend time with our new friends. We enjoyed a lovely dinner at our neighbor’s Pierre and Ian’s and met tons of new people from Canada, Scotland, and France. It was such a treat. The next morning as I emerged from sleep…after several glasses of wine the night before, I looked out the window
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View from bedroom window and saw snow falling out of the sky. I thought “whoa…how much wine did I really have!” I looked again and yes it was snowing. It was so beautiful the powdery snow falling on the trees. Since I didn’t have to run to the mall we got to sit and just watch it fall. It was gone by 2:00 pm when the sun came out…but while I sat here with my kids watching the soft flakes delicately fall I thought how lucky I was to have had such a great experience this year. We met such great people, we had such an adventure, spent time with our kids that otherwise never would have happened and now will return to the US to spend Christmas with our family. We were truly blessed this year…no gift cards required! The next day we went hiking near St. Remy de Provence and there was still snow on the ground. The boys tossed snowballs and it really felt like Christmas!! I will forever will be dreaming a white Christmas! Wishing everyone a Joyeux Noel and a Happy New Year!!!
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