Noël en France

Noël....I love a French Christmas...my husband & I have celebrated several holidays in France...our first Christmas, we were in Paris..it was beautiful with lots of lights, lots of people...everyone was in the holiday spirit. As we strolled the streets we passed by the Chestnuts vendors...roasting chestnuts...what a wonderful smell! The large stores Printemps & Galeries Lafayette were both stunningly decorated and filled with shoppers. It was very beautiful...a large magical city that felt intimate...all reveling in Christmas. The other times we celebrated in the countryside of France...it was very simple & very memorable...I loved everything....the food was simple, delicious & amazing, as were the decorations...Père Noël greeted everyone in the main street of the village on the morning of Christmas Eve....the entire village gathered in the centre ...shops had all their goods outside even though it was very cold...the butcher shop had fresh seafood iced down in front...large trays of prawns & fish...large containers of fresh greenery and fresh fruits were everywhere. Every shop closed at lunch on Christmas Eve. The main Christmas meal, called Réveillon, is eaten on Christmas Eve or early Christmas morning after people have returned from the midnight Church Service...roast turkey with chestnuts or roast goose, oysters, foie gras, lobster, venison and cheeses are usually on the menu. For dessert, a chocolate sponge cake log called a bûche de Noël is normally eaten. On Réveillon we had a fabulous dinner, with too many courses to count...each course more delicious then the previous...candles were everywhere...the emphasis was more on the celebration then gift giving. On the morning of Dec 25....the Christ child or enfant was placed in the creche in the town centre. It was authenic...thoughtful and beautiful...one of my fave Christmas ever...Sharing with you a few faves of a Noël en France...Wishing all a very Merry Christmas...Happy Holidays and Joyeux Noël...

Beautiful & simple French country fireplace..for Noël

Christmas tree in Nancy, France

Noël

Provencal fruits & cheese for Noël...

Edith Mezard's Shop...Lumiere at her Chateau de L'Ange in Provence

Beautiful French table set for Réveillon...

Noël candles in the garden...

Simple gifts for Noël ...French marmalade

Simple & elegant French dining at Christmas...

Antique French silver...for Noël

Simple French Noël sweets wrapped up in antique linen...

Fabulous French altar candleholder...

French Noël dining at Christmas...Château de Moissac

Château de Moissac

Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, love divine..
Love was born at Christmas,
Star and angels gave the sign... 

                                                          Christina Rossetti 1885

All wrapped up....Christmas

This week at Rue 27 Maison...Christmas gifts....Christmas bows...tinsel...paper & wrapping....Most of us celebrate this beautiful and holy season with exchanging of gifts...some of us shop all year & others enjoy the excitement of shopping the few days before Christmas...I always say I will be finished shopping well before the rush....somehow each year I am tempted to join in the crush of fellow shoppers...it's crazy....crowded and I always feel the spirit of the holiday in the chaos...I am done shopping this year & now its all about the wrapping....I love beautifully wrapped presents...I love to use vintage ribbons, tinsels & ornaments...I was fortunate to find several bolts of vintage French tinsel and I love to use it with matte silver wrapping paper and simple brown craft paper...I love the contrast...this year I also used old keys, framed Joyeux Noël script & mercury glass ornaments with the tinsel...Sharing with you a few faves of this season...Wishing each of a very Merry Christmas!

Love the fresh greens on this gift from Craftberry Bush....

Beautiful & white with Christmas pine...

Rue 27 Maison this week...

Antique keys & vintage tinsel....Joyeux Noel framed print adorn gifts at Rue 27 Maison

Fabulous sequined paper with simple hemp ribbon...

A gorgeous gift...winter berries with vintage Christmas silver spoon...

Simple brown paper all tied up & stenciled makes a big impact...

May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through...Cheers!

 

The Greens of Christmas...

Fresh Christmas greenery...nothing quite like that beautiful smell...it sets the tone for all the holiday festivities...looks fabulous with all colors & brings a fresh fragrant into our homes...This year I am using lots of greens....fresh greenery...pine, boxwood, cedars & holly...green ribbons and of course a green Christmas tree. I always use several wreaths, the wreath shown above is fresh boxwood & is at Rue 27 Maison this week..I also love fresh garlands of pine...I love to hang them over mirrors & artwork...pine garlands also look fabulous down the dining table or on a buffet...a bouquet of fresh greens looks festive tucked into an arrangement of white roses...I am finishing up decorating this weekend & right now, I love the smell in my house...the fragrant of the fresh greens are a welcome to the season and remind me of Christmas past...Sharing with you a few of my fave Christmas greens...

a fresh boxwood wreath looks simple & elegant on a buffet at Rue 27 Maison...

love the fresh garlands...

fresh greens with burlap...

the greens at Rue 27 Maison...

love the fresh cedar swag with the antique gilt...

a bouquet of pine looks beautiful against the glow of silver...

Rue 27 Maison

gorgeous fresh greens to welcome guests...

beautiful & brilliant green glass ornaments...

love this fresh green tree with silver & gold...

Until next time...Cheers!

Thanksgiving

This week as I was getting ready to host my Thanksgiving dinner...running here & there...I realized how much the preparing...shopping & gathering adds to the love & enjoyment of Thanksgiving day for many of us. I was shopping at Trader Joe's a few days ago & chatting with a good friend, who also had her basket full of items for her Thanksgiving meal, I felt her excitement about a new recipe she shared with me and I felt her joy that her family would be together for the first time in many years. As we shared our happiness of celebrating with family...I glanced around the store...there seemed to be a quiet happiness or excitement as each shopper filled their carts & shared their favorite ways to prepare the turkey & dressing or as most here call stuffing....not the sparking excitement you feel at Christmas...a quieter shared joyful feel...it was very contagious and at that moment, standing in line at Trader Joe's, I felt very thankful...not that I had found the perfect turkey...not that I found the pumpkin macaroons or the haricot verts from France...I was thankful to share in the joy of the other shoppers as they anticipate their Thanksgiving day with family & friends....Sharing with you a few of my Thanksgiving faves....

Simply beautiful Thanksgiving table...

Butternut squash soup with rosemary...

Thanksgiving table at Rue 27 Maison

Thanksgiving cheer....bourbon & honey cocktail

love the garland & votives on the table

The main attraction....Turkey

southern cornbread dressing...

love the smell of fresh sage...

Beautiful Thanksgiving dinner al fresco...

southern caramel cake...

Love the soft glow of the candles with the pumpkins...

Happy Thanksgiving....until next time...Cheers!

November days...

 We are into the second week of November...a month that is beautiful with the colors of fall for many and the look of winter for some. Growing up in the south, November was always a fave time for me, the weather was cool & crisp...the winds hinted of the colder days to come.  I love the golden leaves of fall against the grey of the skies in November.
                When November arrives...Thanksgiving is just around the corner & Christmas is not far behind. Lots of antique markets this month...everyone is hunting for that special item and gathering for the holidays. We have shopped at several local antique markets and went on a buying trip in the South in the last few weeks...came back with fabulous finds...Sharing with you a few moments of our hunting & gathering...and enjoying some fabulous southern food along the way!

Shopping in the South...

Love the architectural elements we found in Louisiana...

fabulous French panetiere, with beautiful patina..

Vintage & antique garden items...

lots of old gilt...

Delicious & southern...smothered chicken!

Back on the west coast...shopping in Newport at Rogers Gardens...always a treat!

Rogers Gardens has everything to tempt you...

love the metal wreaths hung on antique doors...

the stunning whites at Rogers Gardens...

hunting for finds at a SoCal antique market....

love the French finds from this vendor, Atelier de Campagne

early morning at the market....

Rue 27 Maison...back home, unloading our finds...

Until next time...happy hunting...Cheers!