NEW YORK ? I am American and I live abroad right here in New York. I know it doesn?t seem to make sense but it is true. Well that?s because I am French-American to be precise. I?ve lived and worked in New York for almost twenty years and I call it home ? except at Christmas time.
I love the days leading to Christmas in New York with the gorgeous light displays, the creative store windows, the Christmas music blaring in and out of stores, the thoughtful gifts from colleagues wrapped in reindeer- or snowmen-printed paper and the jolly end of year potluck parties.
But come Dec. 24, while I look at the colorful Christmas card display from my fellow American friends neatly hanging on a string above my fireplace, the words JOY and MERRY written on all of them make me sad and homesick.
My family is in France and on Christmas Eve, they will be celebrating Christmas without me.
Before my two children were born, I would always go back to France for the holidays. But now fares for a family of four at Christmastime are so expensive that I must make the choice to save our trip for a longer visit to France in the summer. Every year, I check the fares almost daily like we check the weather forecast.
But also every year, I am thankful for the numerous French stores in New York, especially French pastry and chocolate boutiques, for giving me consolation with a delightful taste of France.
The ?b?che de No?l,? the cream filled Christmas log, is a must in my house at Christmas. And so is good company to share the b?che with.
Since I don?t have the opportunity of sharing it with my family ? I will compare pictures of our respective b?ches via Skype though ? I invite dear friends who find themselves in the same predicament as me, far from their families at Christmas. Some are from Belgium, others as far away as Australia.
This year, my husband, children and I will be celebrating Christmas in Brooklyn with very dear friends: a Canadian and three Italians. In a way, although we will be eating a delightful homemade Italian meal and a delicious French b?che, we will be celebrating Christmas with an American spirit of cultural diversity. That?s heartwarming.
Joyeux No?l!
Where in the world are you spending your holidays? Are you a student abroad? Are you an expat in a country whose customs are not your own? Tell us your stories in the comment section below.
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