Christmas in France

We actually celebrated Christmas Day in Nashville, but since we didn't want to haul all of our Christmas presents to the US and pack in our 3 allotted bags, we had a little McLaughlin family Christmas in Albertville on Wednesday (the 19th).  It was a sweet, special family time made even more fun by the fact that Maggie was old enough to get really excited.

The night before (our "Christmas Eve") Eric led a time of English Christmas carols for the other families here at the center.  Then we came home and had the "revealing" of Baby Jesus.  Eric and Maggie have been working on a quite elaborate toilet paper roll nativity set.  Baby Jesus was made and set up on a shelf until he could join the rest of the set on Christmas Eve.  A big highlight for Maggie!  I am continually impressed by Eric's artistic abilities...

The next morning, Mags woke up around 6:15 and immediately checked out the fact that our stockings were now full of gifts.  I let her open hers and started making our cinnamon roll breakfast.  Ben didn't wake up until almost 7:30, so I'm pretty sure she couldn't have waited that long.

Ben's highlight of the entire day was this Lightening McQueen car in his stocking!

We spent the morning playing with new toys and delivering gifts to our friends.  Then we opened presents after nap time and had a nice chicken dinner (much more successful than trying to cook a turkey in our oven...).  The kids each got a play food set from Ikea (Ben hasn't yet figured out the concept of "pretend" eating).  Mags also got a Jesus Storybook Bible and Ben got an Ikea circus tent.  All big hits.  My favorite was Maggie's expression opening the Bible (and then asking, "What is it Maggie?"  "I don't know!")

The next day, Santa showed up at her school.  Very cute.  In France he is called Pere Noel, so Maggie likes to tell the story of how she said, "Bonjour, Pere Noel!"

More to come on our second Christmas...a great time in Nashville.