Christmas is Monday and I'm having a hard time getting into the spirit. When I was little, I lived for Christmas, but this year is a tough one as times have been less than cheery. The IHT put out a story about Paris becoming the new chic terrorist target. (Just in time for the holidays!) On a personal note, the start date for my dream job has been delayed again. Also, it's my first Christmas with the in-laws. Something not to be lamented, as they couldn't be any nicer, but something that also goes against all my personal Christmas traditions. ("What do you mean you don't open your presents on the 25th in your pajamas? And your dad doesn't hand them out wearing a Santa hat? You call this Christmas?!") Not to mention the fact that we are a Mexican family, meaning we eat tamales on Christmas and not foie gras. The only kind of tamales I could find here were from a Colombian restaurant on rue Rodier. Note I say Colombian, which are totally diferent from Mexican tamales. If anyone happens to be reading this from Paris and knows where I might find real Mexican tamales in Paris, PLEASE let me know. I am this close to storming the Mexican Embassy in hopes of finding some.

While I may have lost it a little this week with all this running through my head, I realise that acceptance is the only way to advance and enjoy. I will be singing Petit Papa Noël instead of Mamacita, donde esta Santa Clause and that's fine with me. In the interest of further enjoying the holiday season, I hit the town with my camera to share some shots of Christmas decorations.


I wish this one had come out better, but there are lights strung all the way down rue des Martyrs.




It's not Christmas unless you do your shopping alongside 3 million other last minute shoppers, so I went to the grands magasins. I hit up the toy store by Saint-Lazare for our nephews (to my disgust, I saw little plastic kalashnikovs for sale). Another reason to see the neighborhood is that the stores are always done up for the holidays. As with every year, Galeries Layafette wins the prize for the biggest electricity bill.



The store windows have got something for big passerbys, such as this decadent table setting that so closely resembles my own (joke) and for the little ones, such as the animated tea kettles below that dance to funny music.



I'm still blown away by the fact that Père Noël doesn't have a Mère Noël. Yes, in France Santa Clause is single as seen in a chocolate commercial on tv that has him flirting with a Jessica Rabbit type before taking her off in his sleigh. Ho ho ho!

Et Voilà. Feliz Navidad, Joyeux Noël and Merry Christmas to everyone!