The party’s on. The feeling’s here. That only comes this time of year. It is silly season, the weeks leading up to Christmas in which normal moderation and modicums of self-restraint go out of the window. Surviving off advent calendar chocolate, mince pies, and mulled wine, on this Saturday 24th of December, it is starting to feel quite feral. Work Christmas do’s, catching up with friends before they head off to their respective Christmas locations, having an extra pint at the end of the evening because it feels festive?
Customs and rituals surrounding Christmas are usually hereditary, family wonts that we inherit and adapt to fit our lives having flown the nest. Living abroad and away from enforced enjoyment of the season, we have to come up with our own traditions.
Traditions already started
Cajoling and tricking my flatmate into letting us buy a Christmas tree, despite having no space for it nor any time to appreciate its festivity. My solution for the past two years is just to buy the tree and turn up home shouting “It’s Christmas” - Slade style. We then decorate the tree together listening to the crappiest of Christmas songs, appreciating the smell and agreeing that we are really glad we got a tree this year.
Ditto for advent calendars. With these (usually matching) calendars that we buy, you can always tells whose is whose because my door will be open with the chocolate inside, waiting to have a sweet treat before bed. Whereas Erin will eat hers as her morning choc fix. We both laugh at each other’s habit.
Since B-Day at the end of 2020, our beloved Marks and Sparks in Paris has been viciously ripped away from us. The 8 or so M&S Food locations dispersed generously around the city used to provide with us clichéd home-comforts. I would frequent for blackcurrant squash, bacon, and Wendsleydale cheese. Others would visit for their Percy Pig fix. Last Christmas, when Mia and I were stranded in Paris, with no Turkey nor nut-roast to look forward to on the 25th, I hit three Marks and Spencers around the city to bring our festivities into her covid-ridden flat. A microwave curry on Christmas Eve served with copious coupes of champagne. Steamed syrup pudding to round off a feast on Christmas Day. But alas, this year, there rests one M&S, an M&S that would be embarrassed to call itself as such. Stocked with Monoprix products, there remains but one little corner of the shop shelving the British treats. Luckily, at this time of year, this corner holds Mince Pies, and other chrimbo goodies. This shop has become a tradition as having told some friends and colleagues all about my M&S woes, they confessed to never having tried a Mince Pie. This allowed me several trips aller retour collecting the spiced treat to dish out. Fingers are firmly crossed that this little Narnian corner will stay open for the tradition to continue next year.
Leaving all of my Christmas shopping to the very last minute. I am unsure if this counts as a tradition, but I do it every year, so technically…Three days before Christmas, I am still on the look out for presents for my Dad and sister. Sorry if you’re reading this! I think it is my proclivity to working under pressure. Praying that I can find someone to giftwrap my presents this year as well.
One too many Christmas beers leading to sneaky friends ambushing my phone and me now getting my revenge.
Merry Christmas from Basile, Erin, and Nick
Traditions to start next year
Visit the Jardin de Tuileries Christmas market. It is tacky and horrible but oh so jubilant. Winter Wonderland à la français means Vin Chaud not Mulled Wine and every hotdog / candyfloss / churros hut is replaced by a Raclette stall.
Host a Christmas dinner. Propa English style. Glistening roasties. Brussels with bacon. Bread Sauce. Honeyed parsnips. Slightly too thick gravy. More bread sauce.
Host a Christmas dinner. French style. Mountainous seafood platters. Foie Gras. Champagne. Bûche de Noël. More champagne.
Both of these grandiose hosting plans will make my flatmate laugh, as we barely have tablespace to host ourselves but a girl can dream.
Shopping List for you
Andrea Arnold’s latest masterpiece Cow
The pizza from Le Rigmarole, a pop-up running until April. Truly worth a Eurostar trip just to taste it.
Wolf Alice’s In the Bleak Midwinter cover gives festive chills
A quote to end your year to carry some positivity through to 2023.
“When you are washing the dishes, washing the dishes must be the most important thing in your life. Just as when you are drinking tea, drinking tea must be the most important thing in your life. Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the whole world revolves—slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future. Live the actual moment. Only this actual moment is life.”
―Thich Nhat Hanh
Yet another brilliant read Tori you talented young lady. Xx