A Chic Paris Holiday Season – Day 22 – Counting Down to Christmas Day – Intention
December 24, 2020
In A Chic & Simple Christmas, Fiona Ferris encourages us to do a mental walk-through of our Christmas celebrations so that we mentally prepare ourselves to experience the day as we choose to do. When we set our intention and our mental attitude, we are more in control of how we interpret and react to the events of the day.
I’ve been practicing with “setting my intention” for the past few days. Not to practice for handling comments or difficult family members but to see if I can collect myself even before the day begins and set a peaceful, calm mood (that can hopefully last through the day..) Before I get up out of bed each morning, I have paused to enjoy the moment and say a “thank you” to the universe. (The past two days, I have woken up to the sound of a gentle rain falling in the courtyard of my building. Very peaceful!) It’s also been uncommonly warm here in Paris – about 55 F (10 C). I have been going out in long-sleeved cotton turtleneck shirts and skinny jeans, waterproof tall boots and a raincoat. (Most women I see are wearing skinny trousers and tall boots – because it’s been a rainy, messy past several days.) Right now, the temperature outside is dropping. It will be a chilly Christmas Eve and Day – between 32F and 45F (0C and 8C). I can feel the cold weather arriving through my pantouffles (house slippers) – there is a slight draft across the old parquet floors from the tall windows that keeps me informed of the weather outside.
I have already set my intention for the day of Christmas Eve. I want to feel light-hearted, relaxed and joyful. I already have my clothes for the day set out – a wool sweater, trousers, wool socks and the trusty water-proof tall boots. I have only a few errands to run: to pick up croissants for breakfast and a loaf of pain au lait (a small, soft bread loaf) for our Christmas morning French toast casserole. After lunch, I pick up the all-important Christmas cake. Dinner will be our “traditional” Mexican spicy chicken tacos and burritos. (I will prepare the French toast casserole while my husband puts together the spicy chicken and sides.) We have Christmas Eve service at the American Cathedral of Paris at 7 pm. (I need to check if France’s national curfew (couvre-feu) in in effect for Christmas Eve. The curfew is suspended for Christmas Day.) After the service, we will walk home, get in our pajamas and then open one present each. After that, bedtime for us all.
Best wishes for a delightful Christmas Eve!
