I really miss the Nativity services and the carol singing. Fortunately the kids go to a Catholic school so we do have a little Christmas service but very different from the UK. The children read parts of the Christmas story and then place statues at the front of the chapel. Does anyone know why they don't do the whole dressing up thing - is this French or Catholic, I was brought up C of E so am not sure.
It is really nice though that they are taught all about why we celebrate Christmas. I keep having moments when I think I should move them to the public school but then remember we wouldn't have these church services which I think is really important as part of their general education.
The other thing I really miss is a good old British panto - we will go back to the UK soon at Christmas just for them to experience that (if we can afford it, have heard it's really expensive these days).
Other than that we pick the best bits of both Christmases and do it our own way. Christmas Eve we have lots of nibbly sea food and Foie Gras, then on the day we have Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon for Brunch with Bucks Fizz, followed by traditional Christmas Dinner (but with duck or Bresse chicken perhaps - not turkey) about 4pm on the day - after the Queens Speech of course. We do have home made Christmas Cake, Chrismas pud and mince pies all over the festive season though, our French friends love it.
Then on New Years Eve, it is a full multi course meal with fab wine that takes all night. We also have to squeeze in my birthday on the 29th and my 2 other friends over here who have birthdays on the 23rd and and the 28th. I'm kinda glad my brother has emigrated from here to Canada - his birthday is on the 1st Jan and we are just too well fed by then!
I do miss the Stilton to go with my port and Christmas cake, fresh cranberries to make Cranberry sauce.
Other than food, it has to be the community carol service around the Christmas tree wrapped in scarf and hat,the School Nativity plays with a hamper raffle.
The majority of houses in one part of our street put up christmas lights, we had a switch on the first week in December with mulled wine and mince pies...Our lights look rather pathetic here as the house is bigger and a long way from the road!!
Nothing at all, I hate the commercialism and Maggie is correct France is going the same way. Still never mind easter eggs will be in the shops soon and summer holidays advertised on the telly. And I think thats what does it for me, never time to enjoy the moment, always wanting the next big fix.
Have just been into Hyper U, they have got their decs up already !
Having been here for fourteen years, I have seen a tremendous change in the " marketing" of Christmas.
The first Christmas we were here,there was nothing until about 10 days before and even then it was fairly "low-key".
I felt quite depressed, no wandering round the shops with carols blasting in my ears, but then wasn't that what I came here to get away from?
There were no Christmas decs for sale, even the Christmas tree at Nantes airport looked as if it had been dropped from a great height !! having been in outer space for several years! But more and more the pressures of marketing are creeping in.
I suppose what I miss is going carol singing ,sitting on the back of a tractor on hay bails, going into various farmhouse kitchens to sing then have a mince pie & punch, by the time the carol singing round had finished "Noel" had a different meaning !!
On the plus side, it's great to plan to BBQ the duck breasts for Christmas lunch, have our French friends for "reveillon" on New Years Eve; on balance I'd sooner be here, with the life it permits, speak to the grandchildren by Skype and see the family when I want to, not when custom dictates!!