After my Christmas articles around the world, New York, Paris and Brisbane, you understand how much I love this festive season.

Whether in the streets, shops or houses, Christmas magic is everywhere for our greatest joy, including in Reims (France).

But if there’s a place where you can really show off, it's at home! And the shops have understood that very well, because every year, we are tempted again and again to buy new ornaments even if our garage is already full of boxes.
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And this year, I’ve bought a sheep for the crèche (hahaha).

From the famous Christmas tree to the dining table, including outside and every square millimetre of our interior, madness takes us and no question of leaving a single decoration in its box.
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But finally, plates are stealing the show!

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​Every year, I become the Christmas tree fairy, how do you not know this fairy? Well, that's my tradition, you have the right to copy, I'm happy to share.

I like to believe that the tree is decorated with a thousand decorations, in a few seconds thanks to a magic wand, while the truth is, it takes two days minimum ...

You know it from now on, I’ve kept my childlike innocence, and I’m a fan of Frozen, which is very convenient to find ornaments.

Obviously, in Australia no real tree but Santa is still giving us presents.
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Last year, I’ve also created a Santa’s Village with plushes.

When I start, it’s difficult to stop me and I admit that I love this period, because it lets my creativity express itself (a little too much sometimes hahaha).

From the fairy, I can quickly turn into a diva too, who said that the decorations were only for the Christmas tree?

Well this year, I think I'll be more in pyjamas, it's also good to relax, to eat chocolates and watch Christmas movies, well wrapped in my duvet.
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Especially that sometimes, it happens that I take Christmas too seriously and I become too Christmassy! Hahaha

I don’t have a chocolate Advent calendar this year, so I’ve prepared a plate full of chocolates and stop people who already think that there are more than 25 chocolates! When we love we don’t count, and I have a lot of love for chocolate, and coffee too.

Each family has its own traditions, some decorate their Christmas tree in November, others on Christmas Eve. Some trees are artificial, coloured or not, of all sizes. Sometimes presents are much bigger than the tree. Others don’t have a tree…

In Spain, a predominantly Catholic country, the crèche and its characters are taken very seriously, check the wall of a department store in the photos below.

Everyone builds their own world, pursues family traditions and invents new ones, even more with the arrival of new partners or newborns.

A tradition that I discovered in Australia and that I kept, Christmas crackers. They are part of the Christmas table decoration and are placed on the guests' plates.

We must crack the cracker with our table neighbour, the person who keeps the cracker, wins the prize that is inside. Obviously, the gift is a function of the price of the cracker, usually a trifle but it's funny.

Fortunately, only 3 days before opening the presents! I can’t wait for Santa to deliver me from my intolerable wait. I need to know among the 8760 wishes from my list (365 days per 24 hours, a gift per hour and day 😉), which one he has chosen!

As for the tree, everybody has its own rules, some families open the gifts on December 24, others on the 25th, and still others at any time.

This is the whole principle of Christmas, to share, to give, to receive and above all to express our love for each other.

Sometimes, however, we don’t really know what Santa Claus was thinking about, kitchen knives for Little Miss Trouble, fortunately no incident to regret that night.

And when we were very very nice during the year, we can have surprising presents under the tree ...

​​My favourite bar is in a festive mood too:

​​Thank you to all the people I love who sent me these beautiful pictures:

​Santa Claus has asked me to help him this year, so no article next week, everyone will be too busy, see you next year!

And at the end of the article, two of my favourite singers who celebrate peace, freedom and love.

I wish you all a very merry Christmas 2018!
Love & Joy,
L.
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​After New York and Paris, I had enough of snow and cold, so for this new article, I take you to the sun, and to a very special place, a country dear to my heart, Australia!

As you know, Australia is in the southern hemisphere, which means that it's summer in December.

Some say it's great, others that Christmas without snow isn’t really Christmas, for my part I loved every Christmas there and I have a merry memory about it, because far from our families and from our traditions (and snow), we learn to invent new customs and discover those of our adopted country. Nothing more exciting than novelty!

For 7 years, I’ve spent Christmas in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, and for nothing in the world I wouldn’t have missed this, because this city comes alive for the occasion and in summer, nothing more pleasant than hanging out at night in the light of Christmas decorations and fireworks. It’s undeniable that I have kept my childlike innocence and I look forward to this time of the year that speaks to this part of me.

What I love:
• Picnic on the sand, watching a Christmas movie on a giant screen, with children playing in the pool and the illuminated city in the background. Of course, I'm talking about open-air cinema at South Bank, Brisbane's artificial beach, where Christmas movies and cartoons are projected every night.

• Discovering the short-animated film projected on the magnificent facade of the Brisbane City Hall. The Christmas tale changes every year, and this year, it’s about a little girl who would like to live a white Christmas (it doesn’t snow in Brisbane). So, she goes to visit Santa Claus at the North Pole with her kangaroo friend, but soon she misses the warm weather and her swimming pool! I miss them too!!

• Having a wander through the beautiful enchanted garden of Roma Park, looking for Santa's fairies and elves. Absolutely magical! There is a long queue every year so it's better to be prepared, but it's a beautiful display.

• Admiring the fireworks every evening at 8pm from December 20th to 23rd. Brisbane is famous for its fireworks, including the Riverfire, held annually to close the September Brisbane Festival. But I must admit that Christmas fireworks is special and angelic with its own music and songs.

• Watching the Christmas Parade on Queen Street.

Everything I’ve mentioned is FREE, the Brisbane City Hall and its partners are happy to offer its residents and visitors these shows and entertainment for the festive season, so enjoy!

​To know all about this season, visit these websites:

• www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/whats-on/christmas-2018-in-brisbane
• www.visitbrisbane.com.au/christmas?sc_lang=en-au

#merrybrismas #christmasinbrisbane

Christmas in Brisbane is mainly about friends and cooking! I’ve even had a Greek meal and I ate caviar for the first time!

But everything is turned upside down, we eat strawberries instead of clementines, we make barbecues instead of chimney fires, and we play bowls in shorts instead of going to the ice rink ... Very confusing at first but we accustom, and I admit it’s rather nice to wear summer dresses at Christmas.

Pavlova is the traditional Christmas dessert in Australia. It was created in 1920 in Australia or New Zealand when Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova toured these countries. It’s composed of a very crispy meringue outside and soft inside, covered with whipped cream and fruits. Perfect in hot and humid weather! However, mixing cultures is great, and some of my French girlfriends are very talented in yule logs!

If I remember these different Christmas, where have I been for my first Christmas? Noosa on the Sunshine Coast = beach. The second year? Coolangatta, Gold Coast = Beach ... Well, so many places here: the coasts, the islands, and of course the Great Barrier Reef.

And yes, the beach is part of the tradition in Australia. In general, families celebrate Christmas at the beach around a nice barbecue and watch Santa Claus surfing the waves. He has the right to relax after the crazy night he had!

You’ll notice how white the sand is, and it’s very thin too, like flour. However, there are certain places where swimming is strictly reserved for a certain population, these V.I.P.!

Don’t forget to send me a photo of your Christmas tree or to tell me about a tradition that is important to you: [email protected]

And thanks to those who have already done it.

Have a Merry Festive Season everyone!

Love & Joy,
​L.

I hope you’re feeling the Christmas spirit after my last article about New York. Today, I chose another truly magical city for Christmas: Paris. And you'll see, we'll go back in time, at the Belle Epoque ...

First, breakfast at the Café de Flore founded in 1887, a famous place to cross a few celebrities, and as it seems that I’m becoming one (Check page Media), it’s perfect.
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I like to walk in Paris in winter, the air is fresh and invigorating, the light is peculiar on certain days, cold and bluish. And without the leaves on the trees, we see monuments and buildings differently ...

As a reminder, the Eiffel Tower was unveiled in 1889 during the World Fair in Paris. It consists of four pillars forming a square of 410 feet side, and it’s 1,063 feet high.

Unfortunately, no ice rink this year. Skating 187 feet above Paris was an unusual experience though!
However, we’ll be delighted with the almost 30,000 square foot of temporary ice rink (from December 16 to January 9) installed in the Grand Palais and titled for the occasion the Grand Palais des Glaces (The Great Ice Palace). For sure, a historic and magical place to slide...
 
However, to relax, nothing beats the beautiful Christmas shop windows.

Since 1909, Paris has automatons in its windows and every year, machinists and creators amaze us with great creativity and ingenuity.

​​By the way I don’t forget to go shopping! And some stores, well, attract me more than others with their paintings of undressed Adonis.

​​A break from time to time, we are in the capital of world gastronomy!

In addition to admiring the illuminations, there are countless things to do in Paris at night, as in any major European city: restaurant (again, yes, I know!), theatre, concert, ballet ...
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My favourites:
• The Moulin Rouge (Red Mill), so French! Created in 1889, the same year as the Eiffel Tower. Why a mill? There were about thirty on the hill Montmartre to grind grain, corn, plaster and stone.
• walk to Montmartre and admire the Sacré Cœur by night, this basilica was officially achieved in 1923.
• but also, the Bouglione Winter Circus, perfect for families, a 42-meter-diameter building inaugurated on December 11, 1852.

​​A little recap in a video:

Of course, I couldn’t conclude this article without talking about Disneyland Paris. The park lights up even more at this time of the year and Santa Claus doesn’t miss the opportunity to come. We have already visited together the park so in this article, I offer you a small video that puts us in the mood, we could almost smell Christmas by watching it.

​And here for you, the song of the latest Disney movie, The Nutcracker and the 4 realms, so as not to lose our childlike innocence, and wait patiently before the arrival of Santa Claus.
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Have a good week!

Love & Joy,
L.
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It's December 1st and Christmas is coming! I’m excited because I love this time of the year with its various traditions, all its lights and its performances. No matter the country or the city, there’s always something unique to discover.

All this month of December will be dedicated to this festival in different cities of the world.
Europe has already had its first snow and the city that we’re going to discover too!

I’ve been to New York several times and I love this city. But if there’s a time of year when this city is even more magical, it's Christmas time! And I was lucky to realise that dream last year.

Everything you see in movies or series is very real, New York is adorned with its best ornaments to delight everyone.
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So, sit by the fire or wrap yourself in a warm blanket and follow me:

​Whether in the stores, in the windows, in the street, in the Christmas markets, or in Central Park, magic is everywhere and takes you in its whirlwind of light, colours and enchantment.

The magnificent Rockefeller Center Christmas tree shines with 50,000 led lights, and this year it has a new very shiny Swarowski crystal star, made of 3 million crystals for 900 pounds.

​The shops creatively compete every year to transport us to another world and they succeed very well:

​But when it snows outside, and we start to get cold, better continue the adventure inside, it's just as magical, and it's a good excuse to shop at the same time!

I also like to take refuge in building’s lobbies, each entrance is decorated with care, don’t be afraid to venture, most of the time you’ll even find a coffee shop to relax, and you know my addiction for this drink.

The lobby decoration of the Empire State Building is my favourite, a mini museum on a few square metres.

​The very famous 5th Avenue with its luxury boutiques decorated like nowhere else.

But if there’s an event not to be missed in this street, it’s the light show on the facade of the department store Saks. 

​​Central Park, with or without snow, is a unique place to wander and daydream, or in my case eat the famous cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery.

​​The reason why I really wanted to go to New York for the holidays, it's due to my passion for art and dance. I’ve always dreamed of seeing The Rockettes and their very famous Christmas Spectacular at the Radio City Hall, with its 36 dancers lined up at the same time on stage. And in December 2017, my wish was realised!

I took the opportunity to have a guided tour of the Radio City Hall, I’ve discovered its history, seen behind the scenes and met a Rockette.

The building was built in 1932 in the Art Deco style and it’s an integral part of the Rockefeller Center. And the show has been performed since then, which means for 86 years!

Even today, it’s the largest theatre in the world with a capacity of 6,000 people.
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The Christmas tree chandelier at the entrance is in Swarovski crystal, 10,000 in total!!! It measures 35 ft tall and 17.5 ft wide, and weighs 3,000 lbs. I can assure you that it’s massively brilliant and impressive. Its installation takes 2 days.

​Obviously after all this, I need a break, cocktail, cookie and burger, perfect combination!

​Before concluding this article, I would like to request your participation. You have already decorated your Christmas tree or you’ll do it soon, so send me its picture at [email protected]

​I will publish my favourite trees in the article of the 22nd of December!!

Wish you a lovely Christmas season everyone!!

​Love & Joy,
​L.