No. 85: Edible Christmas Windows
These Christmas windows aren’t just for licking, they are for eating.
Posts from the ‘Paris’ Category
Dec 19
No. 84: Christmas Lights
Thomas Edison not only invented the light bulb, but we also have him to thank for the lovely (or tacky) strings of Christmas lights we take for granted these days. Always ahead of the curve, in 1880, he strung up the first string of incandescent bulbs around his Menlo Park laboratory compound to attract the attention of commuters on the nearby railway, and ever since then, fairy lights (as the Brits call them), have been an intricate part of the December holidays.
Maybe you are a fan of them, maybe you’re not, but regardless of how they look to you, they are an infinitely better option than sticking candles in a tree or tucking them into your garland.
Back in the 1700s when Europeans first began lighting Christmas trees, the experience was a lot less relaxing then it is today and required some serious vigilance. The candles were only lit for a few minutes per night, while the families sitting on edge around the tree, readied themselves with buckets of sand and water.
Understandably by the early 1900s insurance companies refused to pay for the damage caused by flaming Christmas trees. So people (exceptionally rich people, that is) began to string lights on their trees. Eventually, when the lights became much, much cheaper, the masses began to light up their trees, homes and village streets.
Which brings me to twenty-first century France where lighted streets and villages are not only the norm but as much a part of the French holiday season as the Bûche de Noël.
Paris is always lovely by night, but at Christmastime it is exceptional. Take a look.
Dec 17
No. 83: Tacky Christmas Trees
What I love about these really tacky Christmas trees in France is that the fact that they exist proves that the French do NOT have impeccable taste, and are, after all, human like the rest of us.
These foam sprayed trees don’t just come in white (to mimic snow), but in every color imaginable, and they seem to be selling like hotcakes.
Dec 16
No. 82: More Christmas Window Licking
I licked a few more windows this week, but this time exclusively at Printemps. Their windows are sponsored by Prada, oh la la!
They tell less of at story than the windows at Galeries Layafette, instead they combine adorably Prada-dressed or adventure-bound Teddy Bears with luxury products.
More fun than looking at the windows was watching the little children react and see the wonder and excitement in their faces.
Vocabulaire
lèche-vitrine: window shopping (literally, licking the windows)
Printemps: one of the largest department stores in Paris (literally, spring)
No. 81: THE Sapin de Noël
In America we have our National Christmas Tree in Washington D.C., on the Ellipse near the White House.
Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images
I am wondering if the sapin de Noël at the Galeries Lafayette is the French equivalent of our nation’s tree?
It certainly is enormous (20 meters high), stunning, stylish, and as Paolo de Cesare, Printemps CEO said, “makes a statement for Paris, for France and for the world.”
Perched under the famous cupola in the center of Galeries Lafayette, the tree features a toy village at the base that springs to life on the hour, every hour, and compliments the Christmas window theme: Il était une fois Noël …avant les douze coups de minuit.
The cheerful tree continues the adventures of Lily the doll and Martin the Teddy Bear. As she wakes up their sleepy Christmas village, Monsieur and Madame Wolf, a gang of mischievous mice, a clowder of cats, and a family of snow white owls spring into action to beat the clock and get ready for Noël.
If you can brave the tourists and Christmas shoppers, it’s definitely magical and worth seeing…go early, and get out quickly.
Vocabulaire
Il était une fois Noël …avant les douze coups de minuit: Once upon a time at Christmas…before the clock strikes twelve.
Printemps: one of the largest and fanciest department stores in Paris (literally, spring)
Sapin de Noël: Christmas tree
Dec 16
No. 80: Humour à la française
The French have a very unique brand of humor. Sometimes it annoys the heck out of me, sometimes it makes me stop and say, “What the f**k?!”, but most of the time it makes me smile and be glad to be able to experience absurdity from a different cultural perspective.
Yesterday at the Corrida de Noël was no exception. Humour à la française was out in force.
The bûche de Noël, absolutely the most hilarious déguisement of the day.
French smiley face?
Christmas elf
Christmas jailbird?
Yikes! I got flashed by Mrs. Clause.
Fish head Santas? WTF!
Òu est Charlie?
Dominique Strauss-Kahn??
WTF? Still not quite sure what this was all about.
Vocabulaire
Humour à la française: French humor
No. 79: Santa en mass
We ran across some great holiday cheer outside of Paris yesterday. Or I should say Superman and his best buddy Nigel ran across it, or more accurately, in it.
The Corrida de Noël, is an annual 10k race where the reason to run is the tacky Santa suit that comes with the race registration fee. This is one race where your finish time doesn’t matter, but your tribute to Père Noël makes all the difference in the world.
This year there were over 5,000 runners who ticked the racing box for the course déguisée and ran the race dressed as Old Saint Nick.
And why not? Where else but in France would you get to smoke and drink mulled wine before the race even starts.
What a great way to sprint to Christmas…only 8 more days until Kris Kringle makes his way down your chimney.
Vocabulaire
course déguisée: the disguised/costumed race
365+ Things I Love About France 