Letter to Santa from Paris

Publication: Volume 1, Issue 14- December 24-30, 2010

International Tribune

Dear Santa,

It is not my first Christmas in France. I have experienced Christmas in Strasbourg in the Alsace region a couple of times before. However, this will be my first Christmas in Paris where I am celebrating the holiday at my new home. I am a newly wed, a recently transplanted New Yorker who is experiencing the pangs of separation from my family at Christmas time. I miss my family back home. This year we are scattered in many parts of the world -Paris, Hawaii, Manila, New Jersey and New York.

It has been snowing quite a lot in Paris the last few days. Just the other night, many train stations and airports were shut down.  We thought it was another surprise labor strike! You should see the amount of commuters who had to sleep over night in the highways and train stations because of too much snow. I have a feeling it will be a white Christmas...

Since it has been snowing a lot, you will not have a problem parking your sleigh. I will sure look out for your reindeers. And guess what, I  just learned their names in French: Tornade (Dasher), Danseur (Dancer), Furie (Prancer), Fringant (Vixen), Comète  (Comet), Cupidon (Cupid), Tonnerre (Donner), Eclair (Blitzen), and Rodolphe (Rudolph). If you ask me, it is so much more complicated to sing the song with their French names. I have also been walking endlessly around the city and perhaps, somewhere, I can have a glance of Frosty. Nope, there is no snowman to be found.  Where could he be?

I grew up in New York and maybe I have been spoiled by giant Christmas trees at Rockefeller Center and at my parent's home.  My parents always buy the biggest tree, and most of the time it would not even fit through our door.  Trees in Paris are a lot smaller – just like their Smart cars. Stores here close early, too. And most of them are close during the weekend- and guess what, even during lunch time. Things are run a bit different here.  Parisians go at their leisure for Christmas shopping unlike my mom's and my aunt's shopping tactics with discount coupon books and mission 'shop-till-you-drop'.  The shops here are also significantly more quiet.  They do not play Christmas carols every other second.  There is music played in the background but you will not walk out of the store with the tune of "Jingle Bells" ringing in your ears for the next couple of hours.  Oh and wait, make sure you bring your own bag when you buy your goodies.  Be green!

Maybe I am too hard on Paris and I am just a bit homesick.  The truth is, Christmas time in the City of Lights, is one of the best times to visit Paris.  The city is illuminated and the feeling is more festive than ever- even with the cranky Parisians. From Champs-Élysées, to the Place de la Concorde, to l’Étoile, 400 trees edging both sides of the avenue are wrapped in more than a million lights. It’s a dramatic display of shimmering twinkles. The Ferris wheel at the end of the Tuileries Garden is incredible to watch whether or not you have the nerve to climb aboard for one of the greatest views of Paris. The city is radiant- just watch out for dog poops in the streets.

I know that Christmas is a time for family and friends. This holiday, I am celebrating with my French in-laws. For our Christmas eve dinner, or réveillon,  there will only be four of us.  Yes, this is it. It is such a small crowd compared to what I was used to back home - where thirty members of our well-knit family partaking a midnight dinner is the norm. My parents-in-law, my husband and I will all eat together, and for sure, the meal will be great. French cuisine is one of the best in the world.  We will have a yummy 4-course meal, with an exquisite French plate settings. We will start with some foie gras and toast with champagne, and then proceed with the wine, first white and end with the red. We will also have the best cheese (some stinky). We will also have a more modest centerpiece- it will not be a roasted "lechon" with the apple in its mouth which is the usual pièce de résistance  in any Filipino-American Christmas feast.

My in-laws, and just like the French, love to talk for endless hours during dinner time.  I can just expect the usual language lessons from my father-in-law where he will drill me in French.  Nevertheless, it will sure be a lot more quiet than my own family's karaoke hour after every big gathering. I will surely miss my mom's fearless rendition of "New York, New York" which usually happens after a sip of her cocktail.

Santa, I know that I should not complain. Because the other year, you did grant my wish for a great husband - and I got one. He is just truly amazing.  And yes, I do have the best of both worlds, I am definitely richer in experience and, hopefully, have gone a bit wiser but still surrounded by love from my family from across the seven seas. With that, the year 2010, all things considered, has been a vintage year!

Joyeux Noël!

Michele