Saint Nicolas

Saint Nicolas, protector of children

The 6th December is Saint Nicolas' Feast Day. Saint Nicolas is the protector of children and there are lots of stories about how he saved children from kidnappers and butchers' cooking pots. He usually wears red and carries a rod/staff and sometimes a sack.

Father Christmas, Santa Claus, etc. are all ultimately based on this Christian Saint Nicolas tradition although Christmas and Saint Nicolas' Feast Day seem to have merged into one in the UK, and lost the religious connotations of Saint Nick.

Saint Nicolas,
just like Father Christmas

In France, this is celebrated in some areas (particularly in Lorraine and Calais, Brittany and Alsace). He travels around on a donkey that carries a basket laden with small presents (sweets, biscuits, fruit) for children, and has someone called 'Pere Fouettard' (the naughty butcher from one of the stories) follow him around. His name doesn't really have a direct translation but some people think he's the bogeyman.

Gold coins and treats in shoes

Fran and Charly decided this would be a thing for them so on Saint Nicolas' eve, they all put out shoes by the prayer corner (would have been fireplace, but there isn't one), and then overnight Saint Nicolas brought gold coins (those chocolate ones), a clementine and a small toy which are left in the shoes (like stockings on Christmas eve).

In the Netherlands, where Charly lived for a few years, they have someone called 'Zwarte Piet' or 'Black Peter' who is a very popular figure - I think he's supposed to be a Chimney Sweep. That's who is came with Saint Nick when visiting here! He travels with Saint Nicolas too and helps with the present delivering. If a child is good, they will get the coins from Saint Nicolas, but if they are bad, they will get coal or sticks instead from Black Peter.

The Dutch have Saint Nicolas parades where people used to paint themselves black and pretend to be Black Peter. I think Charly said this might now banned as it's just a tad racist...

More on Saint Nicolas here

More on Black Peter and Dutch Sinterklaas here

Fête de Noël à l'École

Plain Hot Chocolate sticks decorated
with marshmallows to look like snow

Cinnamon Hot Chocolate Sticks

This week was also the School Christmas Fair (Friday evening from 4:30-6:30pm, I think).

Fran has spent months thinking about crafty ideas of things that her and the rest of the parent committee can make and sell to raise money for the school.

She did some sewing of little christmas bunting, and then we also made these hot chocolate sticks which you just stir and melt into hot milk.

They're really easy to make - we literally just melted dark chocolate, added some vanilla and sugar and a little milk and then poured into silicon moulds with the stick and left to harden, then they got decorated with cinnamon or marshmallows.

I sat and wrapped them all up in cellophane squares (which conveniently needed to be the exact same size and shape as a square of kitchen towel so that made measuring much easier!) and tied pretty gift ribbons around them.

I think they were sold at 1€ each and we made close to 100 of them - so a good fundraiser - not bad for a few bars of chocolate, a pot of cinnamon and a bag of mini marshmallows anyway!

I didn't actually go to the School Fair in the end. The weather was miserable and I wasn't feeling too great - plus I have no money! Slightly regretting not going now as Fran came back with loads of stuff (including some amazing cake), but never mind.

A Cinnamon Hot Chocolate Stick

A marshmallow snow-topped one
Wrapped in Cellophane
and tied with gift ribbon

The Hot Chocolate Sticks

Noël est à Venir

Christmas Trees up at
Les Eleis Shopping Centre in November...

Last Sunday was the 1st Sunday of advent. Fran and Charly took the children to a special Catholic advent church service. In the afternoon here, the Christmas tree and decorations all went up. It's a bit earlier than I'm used to, but the lights and colours have brightened up what was a rather gloomy living room during winter afternoons.

On Friday 5th, Cherbourg's festive season also begun with the opening of the Christmas Markets and other festive entertainment (including a Luge and Ice Rink!). They actually have a full programme of interesting things going on! I have yet to actually go and look at it all set up so will probably do that at some point during the week.

More Christmas Trees at Les Eleis

Sadly the snow is not falling and it's just rather rainy so I'm not feeling overly festive.

Cherbourg's Christmas Luge being set up

I haven't started on Christmas shopping yet (no money!) but perhaps when I get started I'll feel a bit more Christmassy.

I'm part of the Cherbourg-Octeville Language Assistants Secret Santa. They've decided to do it via Elfster, a gift list style website via which you can set up gift exchanges. It's a nice idea, but as people specifically put what they want on it, and you have to spend a set amount, it seems a bit silly - one may as well just buy themselves a present for the allocated amount.

I've got someone who has only put one thing on their list, and it's under the (30euro!!) allowance. It's also something I can't get in the shops here and will therefore have to get it online - except that I can't because the website that sells it won't let me have my billing address and shipping address as different countries... Nightmare.

My Advent Candle finally arrived on 5th December. Thanks Mummy!

I've got the job of resident wrapper here
 because Fran can't wrap to save her life

Santa and a 'drop of blood'
- trying to get more people to donate blood
at the blood donation day round the corner

The Family Christmas tree
(They're in England for Christmas so this is just a small, fake one)