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Patricia Sands

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Christmas

Let the fêtes begin

December 4, 2017 by Patricia Sands 10 Comments

It’s that time of year again! Let the fêtes begin!

Every year the holiday season seems to roll around a little faster! Do you agree?

It always takes that first snowfall in December for me to feel fully committed to Christmas. This year it appears that France is enjoying the fluffy white stuff before we have any in Toronto. Videos of snow falling in Paris, Provence and other areas, flooded the internet these past few days.

Speaking with a friend in Nice today,  I was told the tops of the Alpes-Maritimes nearby are becoming covered in white again. I love the dramatic effect created by the combination of the snow-capped mountains, that are the backdrop to the area, and the sparkling azure Mediterranean. The shot below is one I took a few years ago, driving along the Bord de Mer on the way to Nice.

A number of ski areas are already open just an hour from Nice! If you want to keep in touch with the ski conditions on those slopes, click right here.

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Calendales (from the provençal word for Christmas), begins today in France, December 4, Saint Barbara’s Day or la fête de la Sainte-Barbe. This marks the beginning of a lengthy period of celebration that blends Christian and pagan traditions.

In most homes and shop windows, on the counter at la Poste, on the bar in all the cafés and even in the windows of the patisseries, saucers of sprouting lentils and wheat seeds will be on display.

Read this excerpt to see what it is all about!

Excerpt from Promises To Keep: “Joy had explained on the phone. “It’s a tradition that goes back to Roman times. The sprouts are carefully nurtured, and if they grow straight and green, there will be a bountiful harvest in the coming year. If they go yellow or droop over, then that’s bad news. Some of the wheat is used to decorate tables and crèches on Christmas Eve, but most bunches are wrapped with a red ribbon and cared for right through to la Chandeleur, la Fête de la Lumière, on February 2.”

It was a surprise to discover how this ancient tradition still is so lovingly observed in shops and homes.

Christmas markets in France are well under way, many with ferris wheels and skating rinks as well as the ubiquitous, decorative carousels. Enticing aromas of mulled wine and roasting chestnuts fill the air.

This photo is from Place Massena in Nice and was sent to me by my friend, Teresa, a couple of years ago.

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When do you begin your holiday celebrating? Is there a special Christmas market in your town? If you have a Christmas tree, is it already decorated? The Christmas market in the Distillery District,  in Toronto is up and running.  It’s always a treat! 

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Let’s start celebrating December with more good news! Enter this new Goodreads giveaway for a chance to win one of five signed editions of DRAWING LESSONS. This giveaway is live until December 14th ~ feel free to share it with your friends.

Click here http://bit.ly/2AvvmZI ~ Bonne chance/Good luck!

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Filed Under: Blog, France, Uncategorized, Writing Tagged With: Calendales, Christmas, France, la fête de la Sainte-Barbe, Patricia Sands, Provence

Warmest wishes to you and yours

December 24, 2014 by Patricia Sands 24 Comments

Sending you the warmest of holiday wishes!

The poinsettia bloom always says “December” to me. In our community, December brings celebrations of many shapes and sizes … Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Solstice, to name just a few. This week I’m happily immersed in Christmas festivities with friends and family. And you?

I hope you find peace and joy in your December celebrations and that those feelings carry through the New Year.

It’s been so meaningful to me to share another great year with you and I thank you for dropping by. I’m looking forward to 2015 and I hope you are too. Let’s make it the best it can be!

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Filed Under: Blog, Social issues Tagged With: Christmas, family, friends, Hanukkah, invitation, joy, Kwanzaa, Patricia Sands, peace, poinsettia

Gifts for everyone!

December 19, 2014 by Patricia Sands 10 Comments

If it’s Friday, it must be France …

Félicitations! Kimberly V, you are the winner 41J9slR82iL._AA160_of a copy of Margo Lestz’s new release French Holidays and Traditions (Curious Histories Book 1).

There’s so much information in the book about how the French celebrate all year round, I know you will love it! Margo will be in touch with you to confirm the details.

Visitors won’t spend much time here on my page today. Instead, I’m giving you some super links that will keep you entertained for as long as you like.

First, I’m proposing you slip on over to my very favourite THE GOOD LIFE FRANCE where you can begin your reading pleasure with CHRISTMAS IN PARIS FROM YOUR ARMCHAIR! A nice pot of tea, a double expresso, or a glass of your favourite wine might be just the thing to go with this. Turn up some festive tunes, make yourself comfortable, put your feet up and let yourself be transported. Of course, as we know with TGLF, there’s no end to the enticing articles and photographs. I like to think of it as the gift that keeps on giving!

To set the mood, here are a couple of photos a friend sent me from Paris at Christmas two years ago.

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Next, you won’t want to miss this clever French Food Alphabet Advent Calendar series 15.IMG_9116Jacqueline Brown has going on The French Village Diaries.

For each day of Advent she is posting about different aspects of French regional specialities or her own favourites, including some great recipes.

Jacqui includes all sorts of interesting details and … you may be hearing it first right here, right now … I predict a book will come out of these posts! I sure hope so!

Last but not least,  a terrific new website about all things provençal can be found by clicking over to Perfectly Provence. They have some wonderful articles about Christmas in Provence. Don’t miss the excerpt from Taking Root in Provence, a wonderful book I often speak about here, written by Ann-Marie Simons.

Now this has nothing to do with the holidays but, also on Perfectly Provence … ta daaaa … they’ve posted an article about some of my experiences in France and how my love affair with Provence began! I hope you don’t mind me sharing it with you. There are all sorts of other good articles and I’ve already made Ginger & Nutmeg’s website a favourite of mine!

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Are you getting caught up in the spirit of the season? My warmest wishes to those who are celebrating Hanukkah this week.

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Filed Under: Author Promotion, Blog, Contests, France, General Travel, If it is France..., Writing Tagged With: Christmas, French Holidays and Traditions, French Village Diaries, Ginger & Nutmeg, Hanukkah, Jacqueline Brown, Margo Lestz, Paris, Patricia Sands, Perfectly Provence, The Good Life France, The Promise of Provence

A merry, merry, happy, happy, ho, ho, ho to you!

December 20, 2013 by Patricia Sands Leave a Comment

If it’s Friday, it must be France … 

In September/October, Place Massena in Nice was our ‘front yard’ . Now it is filled with the beauty and excitement of Le Marché de Noël.  I have a new addition to my wish list:  one of these years I want to experience this!

Merci mille fois to my dear friend, Janice, for this photo. She was lucky enough to be there!
Merci mille fois to my dear friend, Janice, for this photo. She was lucky enough to be there!

If you have some time,  listen to this delightful French choir ~ they seem to be enjoying themselves too. I know this might not  be the time but I couldn’t resist adding it here … just in case!

The festive season is upon us in a serious way now. Our family party is tomorrow = 7 adult children plus partners, 6 adorable grandchildren ages 4 to 19, and my DH and moi! It’s always so much fun to have the entire gang together: the greatest gift all!

On Christmas Eve/Day we will all be together in various combinations with in-laws and other family/friend mixtures adding more joy and laughter to the holidays.  Through the next week there are several gatherings with friends for a glass or two of good cheer. ‘Tis the season!

I’m taking a blogging breather for a week. No matter what I know I will still be writing for a few hours every day on the WIP … that’s the way it goes … but there will some good down time to just relax and enjoy everything around us. I hope you will have time to do the same. 

Joyeux Noël! My warmest wishes go out to each and every one of you for a peaceful and joyful holiday season, whatever you celebrate at this time of year. Thank you for all the support and enthusiasm you have brought into my life this year. I’ve been amazed, humbled, encouraged and inspired, and can’t wait to see what 2014 will bring. At the very least, I hope we can all look forward to the best of health and happiness as we find ways to reach out to those less fortunate. Onward! Bonne fête, tout le monde!

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Filed Under: Blog, News Tagged With: Christmas, festive season, France, Marche de Noel, Merry Christmas, Nice, Patricia Sands, The Promise of Provence

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