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| I love a big, fat Christmas tree..and stockings! |
Please have snow ... and mistletoe … and presents under the tree…
These are the lyrics to one of my all-time favorite Christmas tunes. (link is below) This year,
my husband and I are once again in France for the holidays, but my heart
will be back home in snowy New England, and my mind will be filled with
memories spent with family ‘round the big, twinkling Christmas tree. “I’ll Be
Home for Christmas”, whether sung by Bing Crosby, Sarah McLachlan, or Michael Bublé, pulls at my
heart strings every year, but this year it seems to be pulling just a little bit
harder.
Last week-end, here in the sunny South of France, it
snowed. Too bad it wasn't this week-end! Where I am on the Riviera just outside Cannes, snow is rare, really rare according to some locals. We haven't seen this in 15 years, they'll say...but last year, also at
about this time, it snowed too. (see picture) Me, I don’t mind at all. It’s
pretty, refreshing, and reminds me of home. And when you don't have to shovel it...
If you live or used to live around snow, there's a sky that you get to know very
well - a snow sky. Gazing out over our balcony last week-end I thought, naah, no way. I mean sure, it looked like a typical snow sky, but no way. We're in the South of France! Besides, it was thundering. Well, I guess the actual word for it is 'thundersnow'. Whatever it's called, seeing snow fall was a little slice of home for me. And that made me happy.
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| my dad's house |
Having grown up in the northeastern most corner of the
US, you can’t help but become a bit of an expert on the white stuff – how to drive in it,
walk in it, ski in it, mentally cope with it, shovel it, have fun in it, shop in it, wear nice clothes in it, and try not to fall in
it (unless making snow angels of course). And so, this white stuff becomes a part of who you are, whether you like it or not! In Maine, where I'm from, it can snow as early as October, and you can still be getting hammered with snow storms in April. That's 7 months! So, needless to say, I grew up with a LOT of white Christmases, and it's a white Christmas that I prefer.
Give me crackling fireplaces, the smell of the wood burning, the scent of a real Christmas tree, toasted marshmallows, the aroma of my Dad's pipe, the snowmen, the icy, fresh air, the city silenced by a cool, white blanket. White forests, ice skating, watching A Christmas Story for the umpteenth time with my family, winter hiking, walking the dog (who likes it much more than you!), and what is it about kicking that stuff off the car behind the tire that feels so good. Oh, and watch out for the unexpected snowball in your ear! Snowball fight!! And snow days...the best. (school cancellation)
doting: to show excessive fondness or love
I never really needed to watch the weather report, not because I have some keen ability to predict weather patterns, no...I have a doting mom. She always called to let me know of the next day's weather, whether I wanted to know or not. As a bonus I sometimes got the week-end forecast as well. This was of course always followed by suggestions on what to wear in terms of a coat, hat, gloves, scarf...
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| warm and cozy in our old apartment |
Anyone who's spent great lengths of time around snow knows that sometimes there's nothing better than cozying up at home, warm and content, watching the snow fall outside. And that makes me think of evenings spent hanging out at my dad's, and 'snow globe snow' -- round and round it gently swirls down. No, I don't want the snow for six months a year, but for just a night, for a holiday week-end with my family, would be nice.
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| Turkey displaying some Christmas cheer |
And so it's Christmas, and my husband, frisky cat Turkey (master wrapping paper shredder) and I will be enjoying a delicious duck dinner, followed by a traditional bûche de Noël. But the real treat will come after our dinner, when we skype with the family back home in Maine. It's not the same as being there, but to see their faces will be enough. In my dreams I can imagine the rest.
! Merry Christmas everyone !
especially to those of you
who couldn't go home
this year
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