Pretend Parisian: You get bread for Christmas! HO HO HO!

Nothing says a French Christmas like a baguette-carrying Santa, right?

This week has been pretty lax; just enjoying doing a lot of nothing. I wish I could say I was reading books, making lesson plans, and being productive..but that'd be a lie. I've been sleeping a lot, catching up on TV series online, and editing photos from this fall. The family left earlier today, so I'm officially on vacation! As for my plans, I'm going to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with the family I used to work for. I was really flattered that the mom asked me--I mean, we get along great, but inviting someone from outside your family to Christmas is a really kind gesture. She said no worries, I was part of the family and it wouldn't be a problem. So I won't be all alone drinking wine and watching movies! Of course, I'd love to be at home with my own family eating pork pie and sugar cookies, and watching It's a Wonderful Life, but this year, I'll have to be with my adopted French family. I'll be thinking of you all, though. This is my favorite time of the year!

I'm headed to Berlin on Christmas night, by bus. Fourteen hours on a bus is going to be awful; I know it already. I promised myself after taking a similar trip to Munich two summers ago that I would never again take a bus ride that long..but look at me doing it again. It's cheap, and it's overnight (so I won't waste the day), but I'm going to be one tired SOB upon arriving. Meh, I'll survive. I'm really excited to go and test out my German for a few days. Luckily, there'll be Christmas markets and whatnot still up on the 26th, so I can kind of get the German Christmas experience without being there all alone on Christmas Day. I'm going to stalk a university I'm interested in and do some sightseeing around the capital. I've wanted to go for a long time, so I'm sure I'll enjoy it and be sure to take tons of pictures. I'm going by myself, but a few days later, I'll be going to Holland to rejoin my friend in Amsterdam. We're going to spend the New Year there and before I know it, I'll be back in Paris for a new semester. :( I want vacation to last forever!

Here are some drawings some of my students made me on the last day of school (too cute, huh?):

Well I'm crossing my fingers that the French (once again) will pay me tomorrow so I can partake in the pre-Christmas shopping frenzy tomorrow. I want an iPhone. Real bad. And they're on sale until Christmas. C'mon, Frenchies, make it happen..

Enjoy some final holiday shots of Paris!