Napoli at Christmas

A little pre-Christmas celebration with the in-laws is just the medicine to avoid holiday stress.

Every year we used to frantically try to reach Southern Italy on the December 23rd to celebrate Christmas Eve with my husband's family. We've had many pretty memorable adventures over the last decade until one Christmas we had survived four days in the Neapolitan countryside wearing the same clothes having arrived empty-handed. Our suitcases had never made it onto that plane let alone out to the back-of-beyond Campania.

Enough was enough... since then we have moved up our Italian family Christmas and things run much smoother. We are all more relaxed enjoying every minute of our visit.

Napoli is full of special places and moments to photograph. Here are just a few...

A beautiful view over the city

Cuore sportivo

Coffee break à la napolitaine 

A peek though the metal grid

A sea of pirate antennas

A typical Napolitan Christmas dessert: gli struffoli

The most famous Neapolitan dessert: o' babà

The streets of Napoli... just like walking into a Fellini film 

Napoli forever

Forza Napoli... football is a very serious matter in this part of the world!

Spaccanapoli is the straight and narrow main street that traverses the old, historic center of the city.

Sometimes called "Christmas Alley" the narrow cobblestone alley of via San Gregorio Armeno is where Christmas lives year round.

There, small workshops sell hand-crafted nativity scenes or presepi made from terracotta and wood... 

...depicting not only biblical characters but also statues 

of famous Italian stars and International politicians.

Neapolitans are famous for their washing lines everywhere.

Fast food Neapolitan style

Touch Pulcinella's nose for good luck!

Superstition is part of everyday life

"If you love Naples, you love tourist!"

Napoli's latest tourist slogan.

Getting into the Christmas spirit...

Lots of little hands rummaging through glitter and gold. Eyes wide open not quite knowing how to take it all in. Worried looks about not being able to communicate their wishes properly. Little frowned foreheads feverishly trying to calculate if the note in their hand is worth one of those Euros or more?

I am standing behind a gift stall at the Holiday Bazaar that some very active parent organize every year at Primary School. My kids have long graduated from 5th Grade but I have a big soft spot for this place. 

It is priceless watching all those little kids run around from stall to stall with their tiny fingers tightly wrapped around a bag of coins trying to take decisions on what Christmas present to buy for their loved ones. Many of them are allowed to take this decision by themselves for the first time without Mummy hovering over them. This, however, comes with the responsibility of having to choose by yourself as well... and, ohh, this is such a hard task when everything is sparkling and shining plus there are chocolate and sweeties at offer as well.

The Kindergarteners - gently guided by their teachers - immediately head for the glittery objects offering their hands full of coins to you while you try to explain that their desired object only cost 50 cents. The realization that they actually have money left to spend on something else is priceless. 

The older ones are more savvy and go straight for the valuable items with a mental list in their heads whom they need to buy gifts for. The really audacious ones even start negotiating the price with you. You gotta love that sparkle in their eyes when they struck a deal.

It has been a rewarding day reminding me how precious those few years are when children are still in total awe in front of a sparkling star or a jar of candy. How their emotions are written all over their faces and their little cheeks turn red with excitement of seeing the wonder of Christmas.

Love is definitely in the air

My offerings... the glittery the better!

Christmas tree decorations are always popular

The Japanese team spent weeks making Origamy 

Delicate Origamy boxes

Paris themes are always fun... no matter what shape or form

How many M&M can fit in a jar?

The Scandinavian contribution

A Brazilian mum is our Pompom specialist

Simple but effective

The Indian community came up with the best homemade display

Straight from the US with love

The Santa stand was the first one to sell out

The wonders you can make with old, melted crayons

A Turkish lady made wonderful smelling soaps in all sorts of colours and shapes

The Dutch-Swiss contingency supplied vitamines and biscuits

All in the name of charity

Samichlaus and Grittibänz

Today is St.Nicolas, an important date in Switzerland and one our family loves to celebrate. When I was a little girl, on the night of December 5th I would put my wellington boots (these were the biggest pair of shoes I owned) outside the front door, so that - over night - Samichlaus would fill them with mandarines, peanuts and chocolate.

The Swiss Father Christmas is based on Saint Nicholas, whose feast day was celebrated on December 6th – his Swiss German name, Samichlaus, alludes to that.

It hit me this afternoon while I was sitting in front of my computer... Samichlaus had not come by! Keeping in line with family tradition, this could not go uncelebrated even if we do now live in Paris. I popped out to buy some ingredients and went to work.

Expat daughter would be so happy to find a taste of "home" for teatime. She still remembers when her school class in Lugano went into the woods looking for San Nicolao. He would be waiting to distribute a Grittibänz, mandarines and some nuts to the good children, the bad children had to work things out with his helper "Schmutzli" who was considerable less understanding. However, after reciting a little poem in honour of Saint Nick they would all walk back to school with a big grin on their face carrying lots of goodies to take home.

So my kids do not speak Swiss German but they do know how to recite a Samichlaus poem to perfection. Motivation is everything!

Grittibänz is Samichlaus' speciality: 

these little bread men are made primarily for Saint Nicholas Day, 

and likely date back to the 16th century.

Living in a foreign country is like...

Every once in a while I come across a quote that sticks. Probably because it hits close to home. This week a fellow blogger, Helen Bannigan, made me smile with her post French Etiquette Faux Pas and the following quote:

"Living in a foreign country is like playing a game, the rules of which nobody has explained. The trick is to enjoy the game, without missing too many plays, learning and growing as you go along."

A Swedish Christmas tradition

Five years ago a Swedish-American friend invited me to the Christmas bazaar at the Svenska Kyrkan. Having grown up in Switzerland never missing the annual English-speaking Christmas bazaar in Zürich I was excited to scout the Swedish one.

Walking into the church courtyard on a freezing cold morning, I was surrounded by the singsong of Swedish and admired the many Swedes who had turned up in their traditional outfits. One step off the sidewalk and we were miles away from Paris.

All kinds of Nordic salmon was at offer to my left and reindeer meat to my right. A lovely stand full of good quality, sturdy candles and Scandinavian Advent candleholders were calling out my name. I bought a contemporary stylish one which since has taken its place of honour on my mantelpiece every year during Advent.

Inside an immense wall was decked out with shelves full of Swedish food and the crowd was a clear sign of this stalls' success. I crossed the community center to admire the handmade Christmas decorations. I remember my mother collecting these little Scandinavian Father Christmases carved of wood and clothed with hand knitted mini-capes and hats. At the time I was too young and just didn't "get it". Why would you prefer a wooden statuette to a glittery, golden star or bright coloured glass bulbs?

In the meantime, my Swedish connection has moved away from Paris but that did not stop me from popping by the Swedish Church to buy a handmade little Christmas figurine. Yes, it has become a yearly tradition as I add to my Mum's collection.

I did not stay for lunch that was actually served inside the church with tables set up in between the pews. However, I could not walk past the fine wafts of Glögg making me feel "mysig" and drank one to the health of all my Swedish girlfriends. God Jul!

Starting to feel mysig already

Two simple ingredients to create a wonderful decoration

This little man has stolen my heart

So many decorations to choose from

 Honestly, these don't look like they're having fun!

Fluffy angels

Organized Swedes: they even have their trademark

Can't go without Santa Lucia

Love these: simple and straight to the heart

Hand-knitted snowmen waiting for their turn 

A touch of tradition

Inside the Swedish Church courtyard

Every window featuring the typical "Adventsljusstakens" 

with seven lights representing the days of the week.

What to wear?

What to wear? That is the question when you receive an invitation from Italian embassy. Because no matter how you dress, the Italian fashionistas will ALWAYS be one step ahead of you in terms of style.

When in doubt wear black trousers and a white silk blouse. High heels, the higher the better and a trendy handbag. You can never go wrong with that!

I like accessories but am not very skilled at making them do the right thing. They should be a statement which completes any outfit and gives its wearer the chance to convey her own sense of style. I do statements through colour. However, if you want to keep pace with the latest fashion trends and change your look, wearing fashionable dresses are not enough. In order to get a stylish look you should also choose accessories that match your dress and for this you need to follow the latest trends in accessories.

All this to tell you the Italian embassy was spectacular as was the exhibit we had been invited to: "Leonardo in Francia"

Comemorating Leonardo da Vinci's death 500 years ago with an extraordinary exhibit of his works collected from France and Italy.

Inside the Italian Embassy in Paris known as l'Hôtel de la Rochefoucauld-Doudeauville

Felling like Alice in Wonderland

Stepping into another century

Appreciate every extra day

The sun is shining, the sky is blue, so just let me unglue myself from the screen and pop out for a quick run. Dressed in my boy's Under Armour cold gear not minding the 4°C a bit, putting my best smile on and pulling the black winter fleece cap over my ears, greeting my neighbour who is lugging bags of woollen blankets out the door (her horses are cold!), I am happy and appreciative of every extra day of lovely light and sunshine before the long, grey, depressing Parisian winter hits.

Le pont Bir-Hakeim where you get insulted by bike riders

should you dare to run on their path... really?!?

Newly weds just loooove to take their picture from this spot

Running up and down l'ile aux cygnes makes you feel like Rocky himself

Running around the local soccer pitch...

... to reach Les Champs de Mars

No time to rest, the sun will be gone before you know it!

Just a regular Sunday in Paris

A Sunday morning lie-in

after a delicious Thanksgiving dinner "entre amis" the night before...

... a scrumptious lunch of leftovers...

... followed by a jog under the Eiffel Tower!

The perfect Parisian Sunday and it didn't even rain!