Cannes Cannes' Creations - Holiday Cards

I've come to learn that the Christmas or Holiday card to the American is the New Years card to the French. Americans send holiday cards in December, the French send them in January. So I guess this means I will always be ahead of the game in my adopted country.  

As much as I'd like to take a chill pill and just not send holiday cards (finding the card, buying the stamps, writing the cards, addressing them, going to the post office!) - I just can't. I love sending a card to the important people in my life each year. Even if we don't catch up much, even if I only see them at family events.  It's a touchstone in the whirlwind that is each year.  

This year, I decided that on top of all of the other stress in my life, I wanted to make a holiday card. At first I was going to go the easy route and design a photo that I would just have printed by Snapfish or Kodak Gallery (note to self: you are an idiot for not doing this!).  But then, I just couldn't get it together to actually upload my design and order it.  Here was one of my ideas:

Strasbourg - Capitale de Noël

I've got Christmas fever. All I want to do is watch Elf, make gingerbread and listen to Christmas tunes. It probably helps that it's raining outside and I hate walking in the rain. Plus, all the lights are up in Paris now and the place near our apartment is sporting a lovely decorated Christmas tree. Perfect combo for a holiday home extravaganza n'est pas?

It all started with our trip to Strasbourg - the self-declared "Capitale de Noël".  As you know, we almost cancelled our weekend getaway because Copain was hit with the dreaded gastro the Thursday before we were supposed to leave. He decided that he wanted to power through (I'd like to think it's because it was our 7 year anniversary gift and that's how much he loves me, but it was probably because it was too late to cancel the hotel and the thought of giving away 100 euros was slowly killing him - even more than the gastro). 

We got up bright and early on Saturday morning to catch our train at the Gare de l'Est. Copain was moving verrrrry slowly, so I planned an hour to get to the station despite the fact that we live 15 minutes away, with metro connections. This was good planning on my part because feeling nauseous and smelly metro travel do not mix. We got to the Gare with plenty of time to do some magazine perusing, and I indulged in a second cup of coffee for the road. 

Homemade muffin, coffee, discount card for the under 30! Merci SNCF!

Christmas in Paris

The Holiday Season has taken over Paris - and I couldn't be happier about it! (save for the part about the dehumidifier...)

Snow in Paris!

The Galleries Lafayette puts on the bling bling

LOTS of snow...I may or may not have stepped in a huge puddle(s) of melted snow

The Eif in the holiday spirit

The dehumidifier that I am purchasing for my water-logged apartment...

Paris can't be ALL amazing I guess