Getting Ready for Christmas

Just in time, on the 1th of December 2013 (can't believe that the year is almost over :O), I decided to bring on some Christmas mood in here. 

*turns on "Jingle Bells*

No, I'm kidding. But how do you get into that "Christmas Feeling" everyone is talking about when you're about 604 kilometres away from home and your friends and family are scattered across the world ? (like sugar sprinkles on a christmas cookie, badum tss!)
By the way,

Christmas: Level Over 9000

Step 1: Making Christmas cookies

It sounds easier than it is in real life. Just to get together all of the ingredients is a challenge. You'r lookig for baking powder? It's called "Levure chémicale". Don't be so silly mistaking "Levure boulangère" to be baking powder. But seriously, who could be that dumb? - Me. For all those "non-pros" in the world of French supermarkets (like me): Levure boulangère is yeast. 
And when you finally found all the ingredients, you have to struggle to put them into "one thing" without the kitchen utensils every mother has at home. Let's talk about measuring things without a scale or a measuring cup. (I used a table from the internet in which the values are converted to e.g."15 spoons full of sugar", to be honest)
My tip: Don't panic, if you don't find all the ingredients that are in the recipe (sugar, eggs and flour should be found), try to replace them if possible with things you find. My example: I took chocolate coating instead of hazelnut. 

I'm still not 100% satisfied with my decision, but who cares they look good, don't they?

Step 2: Decoration needed

Yep, back to the good old standards. Do some handicraft work with some coloured paper and cotton, and you get fancy little Santa Clauses, stars, snow flakes or Christmas trees. ("The Perks of working in a kindergarten"). 

Looking outside my window gets you into Christmas mood

Step 3: Watching the decoration others made

No further explanations needed. Just walk around the city and try to find some decoration that doesn't kill your eyesight because it's SO SHINY and isn't corny as hell. I know, it's hard, but there will be....anywhere. Avoid going on the Christmas market at "Champs Elysées", try to find smaller, local ones. Today, we visited one in "the ghetto" Pré-Saint-Gervais and it was pretty cute. With all the handi-crafted stuff and the little kids and the music. (The only thing, it was inside a market hall what kinda killed the atmosphere, and there was this terrible fish smell all over the place).

Even in the ghetto, there's Christmas feeling... ;)

Step 4: Christmas presents!

I don't have any by now. That's all there is to say. AHHHH! 

Step 5: Don't worry too much about it

Suddenly, while writing about it, I get this feeling that the idea of Christmas is just something we invented. Maybe to have some days off and celebrate, to offer each other presents and strengthen the economy with it. 

But after all, is it that bad, even if Jesus wasn't born 24th or 25th of December? Or if he never actually lived? I don't think so.
Because, what is bad about a celebration of love, the worship of family and being together and decorating everything nicely? It brings some light into dark cold winter nights. That's why I concluded...

My theory: Christmas was just made up by some desperate people to make them happier and get over their winter depression in the temperate zone.
Amen.

Nothing about the topic, just some people who were randomly roller blading
 past me when I wanted to cross the road. #Paris (yeah, I use hashtags, but it's ironic)