Joyeux Noël!

Hello again!  Bet you didn't expect something else this fast.. but a lot has happened and I just happen to have the time to tell you about it!  Let's see.. I left off on Christmas Eve, no?  We got to my hostmom's parent's house just in time to change clothes for the 'midnight mass', which was actually at 8:30.  There was a story  about a wall that opened up to let everyone enjoy the garden inside that I didn't quite understand, but overall it was an average Christmas Eve service!  It was weird that I didn't recognize/know the songs though! 

After,  we returned to the house and started the meal (it being nearly 10 at this point).  First was the apéro, which I believe I've mentioned before, aka the appetizer.  Then we went to the table, where the presents were waiting for us before we ate a succession of dishes: including the foie gras (a specially prepared liver, usually of swan or duck that doesn't taste at all like normal liver), then a meat and vegetables, then cheese, then a clementine, then the Buche of Noël (a log of cake and chocolatey goodness).  We stayed at the table a long time, eating and talking, and the night ended for me around 1:30 or so.  The adults stayed even longer!

The next morning was strange for me as a Christmas morning.  I slept in longer than I ever have before on that day-10:00!!  There was no rush at all to do anything, since we had opened the 'Santa' and family presents the night before.  PS, Santa presents are the same as presents from Mom and Dad-kids don't get something from Santa and something from the parents!  Anyways, spent the morning hanging out in the house-little tiny breakfast, cleaning from the night before, etc.  At noon we had another big meal, even though there was a lot less people (my host aunts/uncles/cousins had left before I woke up).  After eating, we headed to my host mom's brother's house. 

We spent that afternoon and evening there:  there were 7 little kids aged 3 and 1, so that was fun!  But the adults also spent time hanging out in the wine cellar and talking or playing cards.  Of course around supper time we ate!  This time a soup and sandwich type meats, then cheese and dessert.  I had a good time there talking and joking with my hosts!

The next day we said goodbye and moved on to my host dad's family, about an hour away near the town of Angers, which I'm told is 'la plus belle ville du monde', the most beautiful town in the world.  Spent another afternoon around the table, and into the evening playing games and talking.  We ate a lot and I tried some new stuff.. in addition to a terrine of salmon, something like shellfish (don't know the name in English but it's what lives in shells when the shells are in the ocean!), and jigot which I found out later is a type of lamb.  It was all really good!  A few highlights of the day were when we all gathered around the computer to talk to my host brother who's in the US, and then when I in turn skyped my family.  My host family came in to say hello to everyone back home, it was really cool! 

The next few days were spent with family- Papy and Mamie (grandparents) in particular, but also with the others!  One of the afternoons I went with my host mom, aunt, and cousin in downtown Angers to shop.  The downtown's really big and has plenty to see!  I got a coat so now I'll be much more stylish/French in the cold.  Believe it or not, not everyone wears ski coats all the time like back home!

I also got to see the Château d'Angers-the city's castle.  It was cool but a completely different look than Chambord.  Angers has a castle from the Middle Ages, so it's older and was more 'functional' as a fortress than as a royal palace.  The little streets all around it were even more beautiful though, all paved in stone and looking like they came right out of a movie.. which is not entirely false, as they did make a movie there!

Pictures coming soon!