Happy Christmas!

Having blogging issues with my IPAD, which I use on vacations, since it's more portable, but more a consuming, not producing, device.

Excuses aside, late Merry Christmas! from Saas Fee, a family ski resort about 2 hours from Lausanne.

Not sure when Happy became Merry in American English, so these vintage cards interest me. I collected several at an antique shop on Whidbey Island and enjoy the melancholic mood these 100 yr old messages put me in - greetings to servicemen on Ft Casey... 

 

an abandoned garrison Michael and Jack explore. Ghosts of Christmas past indeed.

I guess this is the 4th day of Christmastide, pointing to Epiphany on Jan 6th, as the kings/magi/wise men -- Gentiles -- spread the good news to all the earth. Some Europeans exchange gifts on Jan 5th, clearly separating earthly gifts from the gift of Christ. Nice.

I enjoy reclaiming these liturgical forms, discovering their timeworn logic & beauty, with the occasional "so that's what that was for" response.

Snow!

Here's one of my favorite carols, a traditional British one dating from at least the middle ages, "Unto Us is Born a Son"- I like the Latin and the ascending, descending runs of the tune. The historical narrative of Herod's slaughter mixed with the playful O & A & A & O line is fun to sing. We performed it the other night at All Saints.

Unto us is born a Son,
King of quires supernal:
See on earth his life begun,
Of lords the Lord eternal.

Christ, from heaven descending low,
Come on earth a stranger;
Ox and ass their owner know,
Becradled in the manger.

This did Herod sore affray,
And grievously bewilder,
So he gave the word to slay,
And slew the little childer.

Of his love and mercy mild
This the Christmas story;
And O that Mary's gentle child
Might lead us up to glory.

O and A, and A and O,
Cum cantibus in choro,
Let our merry organ go,
Benedicamus Domino.

***
We've had some snow recently.

Went toy shopping and stopped for a hearty lentil and chestnut soup at a great joint near the cathedral,

finishing with their signature cocoa!

Not too many downhome places like this in Lausanne which is filled with traditional restaurants and cafes that to casual Americans can feel stuffy. This place had a Moosewood (famous vegetarian restaurant in Ithaca, NY) feel to it. Mostly college kids.

Saint Francois square from the #1 bus.

The sunset the other night was spectacular.

Lessons & Carols & Nativity Play

Michael was innkeeper & Jack part of the angel choir in All Saints' Nativity Play.

Christmas plays are basically photo-ops for parents, but this one was streamlined, evoking worship and purpose, not just " we gotta gett through this."

Derrick as grandpa reading to the kids,

who acted and sang,

recounting the narrative of hope and King Herod's slaughter.

Camel-scooters of the Magi.

***

Lessons & Carols (or Vespers) services place the emphasis on waiting - the not yet, rather than already - situating the savior's birth within an unfulfilled history; pulling the past into a future unknown, rather than restaging a single, completed event.

Aisha & Paige helped watch the boys during Monday evening practices. The Brits all grew up with the standard pieces, so we focused upon newer carols, such as the beautiful A Spotless Rose. The Genesis fall, then the OT prophesies leading not only to Christ, but His Kingdom of peace were powerful, again. Btw, there are Brits for whom this service is alien territory now. Ended with mince pies and mulled wine, then hurried home to have our final house church for the term!

Fall Clean-Up

Weather's finally starting to turn and the snowline's lower - many have already been snowboarding on Zermatt, where you can do winter sports all year.

As we head into finals, time for a blog clean-up!

I had a birthday. Magnificent cake, a double-layered, pound cake tiramisu TO DIE FOR. Birthdays are celebrated during lunch, but Carolyn made a special effort, which everyone appreciated.

Something about massive sheet cakes.

Erice makes special handmade cards, which the students signed. My actual day was 11-11-11, but was overshadowed by Michael's Tintin extravaganza, so we made up for it.

We sometimes joke that Michael will grow-up to be an event planner; he so relishes celebrations and festivities.

***

On the actual day, we went out for a rare steak dinner at Les Trois Rois (The Three Kings) and enjoyed some tasty beef; Michael surprised us all by ordering horse!
The FLON - the old, bohemian warehouse district - has been turned into a retail transportation hub, with a wintertime patinoire (ice-skating rink).

Most larger towns have rinks, so we thought it'd make a great student venture.

The boys go on regularly skating trips with their school,

and Jack got the hang of it eventually.

This young Swiss man came out of nowhere and played with the boys.

Michael, surprisingly to us, fell lots of times, but never tired of it...

and the students formed a line

***
France and Germany have Christmas markets - Marche de Noel - with Montreux's the best in this region.

Rides,

such as this open carriage ferris wheel spins as it revolves! As in Japan, lawsuits don't pay well and it's not a civil right to be safe, so public spaces are full of real adventure.

Carolyn headed up Christmas cookie sessions to great success!

This year, we bought Betty Bossi's (Martha Stewart of CH) cookie dough,

which came with a simple diagram for a Gingerbread House!

The hazelnut dough (dark brown) was delicious.

***

There was a Secret Santa gift exchange, with the boys in the middle of everything.

which the boys absolutely loved.

Mugs seemed to be the prevailing gift.

Alex, whose aunt played with Miles Davis, is a sax player herself, & gave Jack a ride afterwards. The boys are fascinated by her leopard robe.

***

Dec 6th was St Nicholas Day, celebrated in German & French speaking countries, especially, by placing a Nick-shaped loaf with chocolates in an old shoe at bedside. The old town had a St Nick riding on a donkey. The above example is a particularly stunning example, with the traditional ceramic pipe.

Found these frozen clementines filled with tangerine sherbert - first course at Mrs. Schaeffer's Christmas dinner.

The Army were out at the Vevey market.

Really enjoy these Spanish KAKI - for one thing, they're huge.

Michael drew cards for everyone, placing a gift and card at each plate one breakfast.

This string of nuts, orange, cinnamon was beautiful, though sooon lost much of its scent.

Our Charlie Brown tree.

Happy Advent! It's in full-swing here.