Christmas 2012 in Samoens

So while I'm stuffing my cheeks with chocolate truffles, I've decided to write a little post about last year's Christmas.  It's that time of year again, and with each coming year, I dread Christmas a little more.  It's become so twisted with the consumerism side of it, that it's quite distasteful to me.  We are now focusing on fewer presents (mostly books and good quality toys like lego), and "experiences" like a trip somewhere, or hand-made presents.  I am avoiding the stores like a plague; online ordering is fantastic.  And I have done most of the limited shopping I had to do in October, thank you very much....

One very nice thing that takes place before Christmas every year, is that Jakub's and my workplaces host a Christmas party event for the kids.  Last year we signed up the kids again, but unfortunately it was in the canteen restaurant and there was not quite enough space to accomodate all the kids and adults.  We had to fight our way through the crowds to get food and drinks and kids had to stand in huge line-ups to do activities.  This year it should be better as each workplace is now organising separate events.  I was surprised that Anna was patient enough to wait about 20 minutes for face painting... shows what girls are willing to do for beauty.

Anna and her friend Annabelle

French Santa (Pere Noel)

Christmas is not Christmas without baking...I made these cookies for the Christmas fundraiser in Tommy's school.

This particular year, we have reserved a stay at a ski resort in Samoens, Savoie, for a week long holiday during Christmas where we met up with my dad and his girlfriend.   Unfortunately, we were hit by THE stomach flu (this is the second time we had a really bad one).  Jakub managed to get through it before we left home, however, Tommy and I were lucky enough to get it just the day of departure.  Well, I spent 90% of the week in bed, unable to eat food and lost roughly 6 kilograms.  Poor Tommy was not doing well either.  He even couldn't hold in the Christmas eve dinner, and unwrapping presents was not so much fun in that state.  It was quite a shame that this hampered the Christmas spirit, but I think the remaining group members had a decent time on the mountain even though it rained a bit one day.

Christmas eve - looking quite pale.

My dad loves cooking (and eating!) so when he's around I have the luxury of not having to be in the kitchen.  This is traditional deep fried Carp that we have with potato salad.

Ready for dinner.

Being a very keen cook, my dad always likes to bring his own food supplies anywhere he travels.  So this time around among other things he brought carp, Czech beer, and even.....the Christmas tree (as I was instructed not to buy one).  However, I think he must have picked it out in the dark, because when we untied it, the thing was totally warped and pathetic looking.  On top of that, the tree stump on the bottom was super fat, so it did not fit into the tree stand he had with him and without an axe, it would take a day to shave it down using a knife...So my daddy improvised...  He used a bucket and filled it with full beer bottles, shoved the tree inside, and voila, there you have it, the worst looking thing, I have seen.  I was not very impressed, and when I was alone, I used some wrapping paper to cover up the beers, because the "tree stand" was sticking out like a sore thumb.

Our little deformed Christmas tree.   After adding decorations and shooting it from the right angle, it looks OK.

Lego friends!

My dad admiring the ham leg I brought him from Spain.

After our trip, we went back to Grenoble for the New Year's eve and spent the count down at our favourite viewing spot above the city.  We were expecting some nice fireworks, but it seemed like there was not too much going on.  

Happy New Year 2013!

Now that 2013 is almost over, I can say that it has been a fun year, but it did involve many injuries.  So I'm hoping 2014 will be full of healing and more fun trips around Europe :D

~~~~~~~~Petra~~~~~~~~