Every December it's the same story at our place.
I get the Christmas decorations out of storage, put up the fake tree, and play some Christmas music.
My husband complains that the tree takes up way too much space, the decorations aren't needed, and that the music is awful.
Over the years I've tried to understand our differences about celebrating the holidays. My family was never religious, but getting the tree (live cut from a nursery), decorating the house and putting up luminaries (paper bag lanterns put on the sidewalk) on Christmas eve were solid traditions. My mom enjoys cooking as well, so we had lots of special holiday cookies throughout the month, and then a special meal on the 25th. My parents often toasted Christmas morning with Champagne and french orange juice with my mom's special coffee cake. After cooking all afternoon we'd have a nice evening meal with my grandparents.
I think another reason I enjoy getting in the spirit is that from 5 to 13 years old I danced in the Nutcracker every December. This meant 4 months of rehearsals of a Christmas ballet. I also stared in "A Christmas Carol" in 5th grade. After that, there was always a school band Christmas concert. And after that, I sang in the choir in college and we did a Christmas Vespers concert with traditions dating back 50 years or more. Until I arrived in France, every fall was spent preparing for the holiday.
My husband, on the other hand, associates Christmas-y things with maintaining the illusion of Santa Claus for kids. We don't have kids, ergo, we don't do Christmas stuff. Once he and his brother stopped believing, his parents stopped putting up a tree or the other Christmas decorations. It's still a big family get together, but just that.
I have a tree ornament with my name on and several ornaments I either picked or received as gifts. In fact, all our ornaments had a history. B never had a personalized ornament or any others that were 'his'. I asked some French friends if they ever had personalized ornaments or decorations, and the resounding response was no.
In the end, it almost seems like Christmas was more something B and our friends were subjected to, not something they participated in.
So do your French friends/family get in the Christmas spirit? Or is it more bah humbug? Do they have special traditions? Do location or family origins influence the festivities?
4 comments:
I can't answer your questions but I have been scouring the net for a good coffee cake recipe!!!! Could you ask your mom for hers??? pretty please??? :)
My husband is much the same, especially about Christmas music. He rolls his eyes whenever I play Bing Crosby. The other day, he went as far as to suggest I "modernize" my holiday music collection so that I wouldn't have to always listen to the same thing. Sigh. I tried to explain that Christmas tunes are all about tradition & that these are songs I've been listening to since I was a child. He doesn't get it.
I've noticed that my French in-laws are quite different from my family back in Canada when it comes to festive occasions. Birthdays or Christmas just don't seem to have the same importance here (except when it comes time to plan the menu, of course!) I try to remind myself that every family is different & expect that the celebrations will not be the same as what I'm used to. I'm staying in France for Christmas this year & I know I'll be homesick (but at least there will be lots of yummy food to distract me!)
Merry Christmas to you (& crank up the Elvis Christmas album, I say!)
MilkeJam, request has been made! My mom's recipe uses canned peaches cut in pieces, nuts, and a sugar and spice topping. If you need a recipe sooner, I have a pretty good and easy one using a ton of apples from my Amish and Mennonite cookbook.
my Monsieur is exactly the same. how depressing!
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