Paradox - Christmas Eve

If I was running a scavenger hunt in Paris, I would make one of the "finds" a garbage can on the Champs de Elysee. They don't exist. No wonder there is so much garbage on the ground.

Christmas Eve here in Paris. It was a late morning. Because our minds think we are still in the US, we didn't get to sleep until late - very late (Janna at 4:30am) - so the kids and I needed some coaxing to get up at around 11:30am. Janna was adamant that we not waste the day. And, though I felt like I had been on the all night blitz, I agreed with her.

Janna and I got up about 45 minutes earlier than the girls and snuck out to do some shopping for food for Christmas day. We had no idea what we are doing for food tomorrow so we stopped at several small French shops and bakeries. We got breads and salami and some pasta. We also got some breakfast breads and coffee for today that we brought back to our apartment.

With the kids out of bed and fed, we headed for the Metro. We got off at Place de la Concorde. When we got out of the subway we were hit by two impressive things: the wind and a gigantic Ferris wheel (or, as Aubrey likes to call it here, the Pariswheel). We had planned on it being cold, so we weren't deterred. We immediately bought tickets for the Ferris wheel and had a spin or two. It wasn't any warmer 7,000 feet (or meters) off the ground, especially with this crazy wind, but the views were awesome. The girls looked with delight at the Eiffel Tower and then we directed them to look at Sacre Couer , near where we are staying. We could see it all.

After that we hit the Champs de Elysee. We slowly walked up the street toward the Arc de Triomphe. First we hit the pop up tents, which sold mulled wine, crepes, toys, dried fruits and many other interesting things, then further up we saw the mega shops. We would slip in and out of the warm stores just to get our core body temperature up. The wind was steady and got stronger throughout the day. It took us a good hour and a half to make it to the Arc, which the girls loved. Then we snuck back down the opposite side of the Champs until we got to Laduree.

Laduree is a fancy chocolatier/dessertery and restaurant. They are famous for their macaroons and they didn't disappoint. We had an early dinner and dessert there. I had a French club sandwich and Janna had a salad. The kids mostly had omlettes. And dessert was fantastic. So far the French don't disappoint when it comes to food. And, yes, I did have some of that magical, French, thick-as-syrup, Hot Chocolate.

From there we made our way to the American Church in Paris (ACP). It was 6:30pm by the time we arrived. Joe Schlie met us there with two of his three girls (Suzie stayed home with the little one). The American Church had a 7:00pm service that lasted 1:45 minutes. It was awesome. The first half hour was just music. Then there was an hour and 15 minutes of readings and songs and music and a sermon. It ended with a candlelit "Silent Night" that brought a tear to my eye. It probably goes without saying, but the church service was in English, which we appreciated, of course.

It dawned on me right then that this day had been marked by paradoxes. Here we had spent a good part of Christmas Eve in one of the most bustling symbols of consumerism on the planet. The Champs. Ironically, I had just pointed out to someone back home that one of things I like the most about Christmas Eve in Minnesota was how things got noticebly quieter as the day went on. Even the voices on the radio stop showing up. By later in the evening, it is just taped Christmas music piping thru your car radio while you drive on near empty streets. I love that. Yet, today, we were amidst the hustle and bustle of the Champs......until we got to "Silent Night". At that point things came crashing to a halt. All the "wants and desires" in my mind that were tempted on the Champs went silent. Finally, the peace of the Christmas story.

Another thing that hit me was something I couldn't get out of my head all afternoon. It was the poor beggers, mostly women, who kneel down on the Champs with their hands out in front of them, almost like a prayer to Mecca. Only they hold a paper cup in their hands. Their face is flat to the ground. It was the pinnacle of "begging." And yet, right behind them is the entrance to Louis Vuitton.

So Silent Night got me again, just like it does every year. There, in the American Church in Paris, it finally became Christmas Eve.

We said goodbye to Joe and his kids and walked 8.8 miles (or kilometers) in 19 degree (or -4 degree) weather to find a Metro station. I am sure we passed at least 3 of them on the way to where we knew one was - the Place de la Concorde. Cold (frozen, actually), tired, and desperately in need of a potty, we climbed on a train that took us home. Gillian and Quinn seemed to get their second wind on the subway and Gill was attempting to break dance doing some robot moves she saw some street performers do on the Champs de Elysee. It was funny to watch, she definitely needs some practicing before she can perform on the street, but it was entertaining for the Metro riders, well, okay, maybe just us.

Another great day. The girls have been troopers. Hardly a single complaint out of them. One great memory after another.

Merry Jesusmas, everyone. - Jeff (With some Janna edits and improvements)