Thank-Full.

From this point onward to the end of 2011, we shall all be lost in the holiday buzz and endless preparations....even though today is only the first of December.  I have not found one person who has said that the Christmas season has not been rushed-into, forced too early and we all, despite best efforts get sucked into to pre-holiday stress of it thanks to the likes of 'Black Friday' which is almost now 'Black-Thursday-right-after-your-last-swallow-of-turkey' with everyone heading over to Walmart, Best Buy or Circuit-City to catch the best deals of the season.

Well....not so here in France.  I can only speak from my own perspective noting that Normandy is a bit remote, it's not Paris--so we might just be lucky that way.  Stores most certainly have had the decorations up for weeks now--there is no Thanksgiving--and very little Halloween, so we go straight into Christmas trees and lights with only a brief prelude of the harvest decor.

I am okay with it.  I plan on embracing every bit of the Christmas spirit.  It's a time when my creative mind runs rampant and I don't feel like such a geek for making homemade things, spending hours in the kitchen is less selfish, and I can pour over holiday magazines without guilt--for days or at least late into the night.

Thanksgiving came and went in a flash.  This year we didn't take the boys out of school but instead planned our 'feast' for Saturday.  Reflecting back on last year when I was 8 months pregnant, very, very hormonal and even more so very, very homesick--Thanksgiving was tainted with that low dull ache in my heart for friends and family.  This year, not as much--which speaks volumes to the adjustment factor--and our table was filled not just with our family, but dear friends as well....not to mention the presence of 'Petite Fille'  who tried duck for the first time. (Yes it was a turkey-less thanksgiving due to the fact that I wasn't going to special order a 'cher-turkey' when we don't love it anyway.)  Even so, on Thanksgiving Thursday we exchanged messages with loved-ones, Skype'd with mom and dad, and I could honestly feel the warmth of this special day all the way across the miles....making me think that Thanksgiving is in your heart--not on your table.

 

I am excited to get moving on the holiday busyness.  I think we are going to drag out the decoration bins this weekend.  It will be a table-top tree for us--less danger (and fun!) for 'Petite Fille' and the kitties and doggies--and as long as there are plenty of sparkly lights--it will be perfect. 

I am filled with thankfulness--for the life we have, for the love we are surrounded with--and already full of thanks for what is yet to come....'blessings not yet seen'..... 

Hope you had a Thanksgiving full of love, laughter and rest.... who needs turkey? --really.

A bientot mes amis!