My Christmas Eve Dinner here in Paris, is probably very different from everybody’s or from what you imagine…We are alone here in France, so we spend our Christmas dinner alone…well alone…It’s the five of us: my husband, me and the three kids..AND the dog now…yes! we have a little “Gaucho” (Yorkshire-Bichon) adding playfulness to our lives since a few days ago…
For me the idea of a Christmas dinner without family or friends was, at the beginning, hard to accept..I grew up in a family where, for Christmas, everybody was there!! Even if we hadn’t seen each other during all the year..the family was there on Xmas!! So, I must say that a Xmas of five was hard for me….so far from home, the unbearable heat of Buenos Aires and the mosquitoes ;D (that now I miss so much!…yes, I even miss the mosquitoes!) But then, I said to myself: “Why am I so sad? if I have the most important thing in my life..my husband and “my best creations” are here with me…so I bought a huge Xmas tree, that I decorated with the girls (and the dog is trying to destroy…) I set a beautiful table, we had a great menu (ehem! prepared by this blogger…!),we listened to music and then, the best part: opening presents: my boy was delighted to have the soccer T shirt of Carlos Tevez (Argentinian footballer, star in Manchester City!), my daughter C, a huge make-up set, and my daughter M, a game for the Wii, with the karaoke for the songs of the series Glee…so we all sang!! After midnight, and thanks to the time difference, it was the moment for me to call all my family and friends in Buenos Aires…and it was like being with them!!
I decided to keep it simple for the menu:
* Foie Gras Terrine(that I made at the course in the Atelier Guy Martin, Parisian étoilé chef)
* Magret de Canard (that you have seen here, with figs instead of peaches)
* My Bûche de Noël (because the one I made was too long, so I cut it in two, and I kept it in the freezer!)
* My Panettone, of course
And I bought some Spanish “turron” because for me, Christmas without “turron” is not Christmas….
And that was it! Simple…! Yet full of peace and love!
I thought of you…dear people that have accompanied me all this year…my 2010 has been filled with your presence, with your kind words, your encouragement…so I wanted, once again, thank you all, and wish you the best for 2011!! I hope we keep on “making us company” during the whole of next year! sharing happy moments and frustrations…That’s what life is about..!
I love you all !!
Happy holidays!
Cheers,
Rosa
Yes Christmas in not the same when we're far from our family!
Merry Christmas to you and your lovely ones! Enjoy the sun today
foie gras terrine?! wow, that's an impressive menu. your family is lucky =)
i just had christmas eve dinner with my French friends here in the states. we grazed well past midnight on wonderful wine and cheeses. it was a collection of lovely friends with family scattered in other parts of the world, but was still one of the best christmas dinners i've ever had. all that matters in the moment is that you enjoy the present company =)
cheers!
Cristina, wishing you and your family a wonderful Christmas! It's what you make of it and whilst you don't have all your family around, you sound like you will have a wonderful celebration! (We always travel at Christmas, often spending the meal in some restaurant or other and so I know how you feel!). Have a wonderful 2011 – and did you know I will be spending a month in Paris in July? Would love to meet in real life!!
Merry Christmas!! I know how you feel Cristina, I feel the same way this year, it's a lot different. We also are alone for all of our family is back east. N. Y. area. And we must share our two boy's, now men, with there new found families! I think as we get older Christmas slowly slips away from our traditions. I also believe we must maintain the spirit of these traditions and now push for our children and grandchildren to have great enjoyment! For this is an important family time of year, and we must gain the good feelings we had as children, come Christmas time!
I want to wish all of your wonderful family a, "Happy Holiday!"
All the best, love you to, Chuck
I'm sure you set a 'beautiful table'! I understand your feelings about missing those in Argentina, but your private family dinner sounds wonderful, warm and meaningful. New traditions are good too.
All the best to you in 2011.
@ Everybody
Thanks a lot for your thoughtful comments written on a Christmas mornings..Wow, that's the great thing about blogging!
@Mardi
Yes, I would love to see you in July !!
I know how hard it is to be away from family and friends. One day I wish to have my sons and the whole family together in one place instead of me traveling to see them in different cities.
Your dinner sounded so beautiful, but as usual you do it so elegantly.
God bless you and yours and a Happpy, Prosperous and Blessed 2011.
Joyeux Noel Cristina, to you and your family. Your dinner sounds superb! xo
wooow! Christmas in Paris seems exciting. Happy Holidays!
Merry Christmas Cristina! The Christmas Eve menu sounds wonderful and it sounds like you're spending the holiday weekend with your favorite people, doesn't get better than that;-)
Merry Christmas Cristina! We're about to have a blizzard here in the Eastern US and so I'm looking forward to tucking into some homemade lasagna that my MIL made and hoping that Amtrak is running tomorrow.
Enjoy the holiday! Stay warm!
I know the feeling!..but over the last 10 years of being so far from my family at xmas I had to learn to make it up with other things…and try to make the most of what I ve got here, which is a lot.
My husband and my sister & husband and their beautiful boys..Althought they are vising Argentina at the moment!complaining about the exhausting heat..
I also got a huge tree and went over the top decorating the house with ivy and holly and try to make myself busy and making the most of what I ve got here.
Have a great start of 2011, may happines and health be with you and your loved ones.
My "original" family was in NYC for the first time in 25 years – so it was a quiet Christmas. But sharing with loved ones is always a bonus and it sounds as if yours was filled with love. And the menu sings. Merry Christmas! Happy Boxing Day!
ohh christina i wish you a very merry happy christmas….
Have a good day!!!
A pesar de la distancia siempre están con nosotros en el brindis navideño !!!
Pagarìa x escucharlos cantar canciones de glee, en Karokee y con unas copas encima !!!! Disfruten la nieve, acá: 40 grados de ST.
Me alegro que hayan pasado una linda Navidad. Besos
You had me at "artichoke"! Joyeuses fêtes!
Madeleine
Feliz Navidad Cristina! Even though you are so far away from home it sounds like you had a very nice holiday. This time of the year is the hardest time to be an expat but with Skype we can still see and talk to our loved ones:) As always your menu is five star!
Looks like a most wonderful Christmas…and a new pup too
Wishing you a most beautiful New Year!
Awe, I was't with my family either, Cristina. It's kind of weird and even a bit boring without the spirit of a lot of family and friends. Sounds like you did a good job of being 'la mama' and making things wonderful though!
Maybe next year we'll get to be with our families. Fingers crossed!