La veille

La veille in French means the day before. And today is la veille de Noel, the day before x-mas.

The first time I spent Christmas in France it was at Andre's parents' house. I remember it every year because it was the first time of many things. The first time I was spending Christmas at my boyfriends' parents home, the first time I was spending Christmas day in another country, the first time I wasn't with my family during the Christmas season, etc, etc, etc...

At that time I was still an intern at the Embassy and had to work on the 24th. So Andre left work early and went to his parents' and I was supposed to meet him there after work. That morning I had carefully picked out an outfit that would be appropriate for work and still nice enough to spend the evening at your future in-laws having Christmas dinner. I had packed an over night bag with some jeans and a heavy sweater since we would be spending the night there and opening up the presents the next day. I figured I wanted something casual yet comfy for the day after Christmas.....

I should have guessed something was not right when Andre greeted me in the same clothes he'd put on that morning (a pair of brown pants and an old sweater) and in his pantuflas.... but my hubby never did mind the whole "dress up, we're going out" thing so I didn't think too much of it....... Andre's dad had us decorate the tree and turn on the fireplace and then Andre's mother called us for dinner. Since it was only around 10pm when we sat down to eat I was already starting to think something was fishy and when Andre's mom brought out 4 bowls to the table and served out soup for dinner I knew I'd missed a step somewhere. Needless to say I was a little overdressed for dinner....

The next morning I came down in my pj's, we did the presents and when I was ready to dress up for lunch I had another of those culture shock moments.... up to that moment I am embarrassed to confess I was still thinking Andre's parents celebrated Christmas in a rather stingy way... (who serves soup for Christmas dinner?????) and I just thought we we're going to have friends over for el recalentado (reheating of what I didn't know but still).... so I thought my jeans and lovely warm sweater should be enough.... but when Andre came out of the bathroom dressed up in a suit and tie..... that's when it finally hit me! (yeah people I'm slow like that).

For those of you who don't know this, in Mexico we celebrate la Noche Buena or Navidad on the 24th. In France, they celebrate Christmas on the 25th... some do go to midnight mass on the evening of the 24th but all the real partying goes down on the 25th. They wake up in the morning, open up their presents and then get ready for Christmas lunch with family and friends. Often they wait a bit in the evening, have a collation or two, and then go out for another christmas dinner (great way to juggle the whole "who's parents are we spending x-mas with this year?" question).....

In my defense, my French wasn't very good at the time and I was still missing out on 30% of conversations due to not getting every word so somewhere I must have skipped the part where in this country you celebrate on the 25th! .....

Fned.

As en Epilogue: we did have lovely time and I tasted several new things that day: snails, fois gras, polenta, sarmales, chapon, etc.... I think the whole "I'm the only one sitting at this table still wearing the same clothes from la veille" thing actually was a blessing in disguise though... a lot of these things were on my "things I'd never tasted but was in no rush to either" list and had I not been feeling so self-conscious I would have probably had the guts to say no-thanks to more than one. ;-)

To: Adrien, Helene and Andre: HAPPY SOUP TONIGHT!!! Bises.