Noël

 My Host Family and I on Christmas Day

 Lucie, Elisabeth, Josephine and I in Paris

Josephine and I on New Years Eve

My French Christmas was as people said it would be.  I missed my family, but had so much fun with my host family. I was jealous of all my friends who went home from university to see each other, but have friends here who I hung out with a lot. I missed Lulu’s perogies but indulged myself in awesome French food. And I felt somewhat homesick but loved being here to celebrate. It was a Christmas I will never forget and certainly a great way to get to know the French Culture with regards to Christmas.

I began my vacation by heading to my host family’s house by the sea in Le Touquet which is a really beautiful, rich town on the ocean. When we arrived, there was a tree that has fallen on the house so we were delayed in our adventures for a few hours. We spent the weekend walking on the beach (in the freezing cold), shopping at the Christmas Market, celebrating Mass at a very pretty Church, visiting with friends and spending time together, relaxing.

The week before Christmas was busy but I enjoyed my time off school. My host mom, sisters and I went shopping a few times and I went to Lille to be with the other Exchange Students a lot. We had a secret Santa party one afternoon and exchange gifts. I gave a French Christmas CD and a box of chocolate and received a bottle of French Beer and a Beret. One night I had a Christmas Party with my classmates, which was a lot of fun. We danced, ate and talked a lot. I went running with my host sister, Lucy, a few times and she showed me new routes in the country side that are breathtaking. I also went to a dinner party where we ate “Raclette” which is melted cheese, potatoes and meat. I had 4 Raclettes over the Christmas Break, it is a very traditional French meal. I went to a Museum with my host parents and saw the art of a famous painter named Boilly which was cultural. I baked a lot too which y host family liked a lot. I made Rice Krispie Squares, Christmas Cookies, a pie and other things.

                     My host sister and I went to a night club called, “La Fabrik” one night and didn’t know that it was ‘Ladies Night.” I saw my first strip tease and my host sister and I were laughing so hard because it was the first time she’d ever taken me out and she didn’t want me to think that that was her regular Thursday evening routine. After the ‘show’ was over we were dancing and having a good time when one of her friends, who is also the server at my cafeteria, came up to us.  I was so embarrassed because I eat ham almost every day at the ‘self’ and one day there was not a plate with ham on it as I was choosing, after I chose the plate with just pasta on it, he put one with “jambon”  up on the counter. I said to my friend, in English, “Pass me the one with the Ham.”   He understood and put ham on my plate and ever since then he always passes me a plate with ham. When I saw him at the night club he was laughing and said, “Sorry, I don’t have any ham with me.”  It was a good night after we got over the whole ham situation! I didn’t get home until 5:00a.m. and wore terrible heals so I was exhausted!

The day of Christmas Eve was low key. We just lounged around and watched a movie, baked and got ready for the evening. At 7:00p.m. we headed out the door for Christmas Eve Mass. It was different than mass at home because firstly, it was in French and secondly there were not little cousins to play with so I actually had to sit and behave. There were no colouring books or toys to play with which was certainly a change. After, we enjoyed a meal at my ‘Host Aunt’s House’ and opened presents. I ate a traditional Christmas food called “Foie Gras” which is is a made of the liver of a duck that has been specially fattened through force feeding. It is the saddest food and was not very good… When we returned home, my host sister gave the family, ‘Just Dance 3’ so we stayed up until 2:00a.m. dancing the night away!

               Christmas morning we got up, ate a regular breakfast of toast, Nutella and Hot Chocolate in a big bowl. We then gave each other presents; I gave my host parents scarfs from Canada, my mom a broach with maple leaves on it, and my dad a key chain with beavers on it. I gave my sisters ‘Stockings like in the movies’ with their names on them, filled with candy and I gave each a bracelet. The family gave me two bracelets, a bag and notebook with angels on them and a nice key chain. It was not like at home where parents give their kids a lot of presents but it was a nice family time.

We then went to my ‘Host Grandma’s’ for two big feasts, present opening and family time. We ate a full meal around 12:00p.m. then opened presents and visited a little. At around 6:00p.m. the Grandma asked us to set the table again. I actually thought it was a joke but we had another full meal!  We ate pork, duck, a lot of cheese, salad, vegetables, bread and lots more! Once we went home, we watched a movie and went to bed.

It was certainly a Christmas I will never forget and I am so happy to have spent it in France!