“It’s not just elves who know how to make magic at Christmas”.

Ah, Christmas! That time when tinsel shines brighter than the stars, sweetness is in the spotlight, and magic is so present that she could almost get hired as Harry Potter’s personal assistant. But wait, there’s more! Did you know that Christmas has its own secret backstage? So strap on your candy cane boots, as I take you on a hilarious journey through the underbelly of Christmas magic.

Christmas is the season of DIY (Do It Yourself). Families gather to make their own decorations. Remember last year when Aunt Jeannine tried to make a reindeer wreath? It was… memorable, to put it politely.

That was a story that wasn’t quite mine …

Let me tell you …

For us, Christmas wasn’t just a celebration, it was a real family adventure. The magic began long before December 25. Each of us had a part to play in the preparations. Mom was the queen of logistics to welcome the whole famiglia. She transformed our house into a veritable dormitory, accompanied by the lyrics of Eros (Ramazzotti of course).

Dad, who had an innate flair for exterior decoration (and a slight tendency to rival the decorations at the Château de Versailles), was the undisputed king of lights. One thing was certain: Santa Claus couldn’t miss our house. In fact, my brother has taken over the decorating, but he’s focusing more on the Disney kingdom. Meanwhile, my little sister-in-law is baking delicious cupcakes that are so good, even Bree Van de Kamp can hide in them.

We have wonderful memories of our childhood ????

Things change, but they’re just as beautiful…

As a mom, every Christmas with my own little tribe is quite an adventure. Forget the complicated stuff and the magazine decorations. In our house, it’s more like “Hygge” time, a fun way to enjoy the present moment with what you feel like at the time. We light candles everywhere and it makes us happy.

The first thing is to choose a family Christmas movie. Eva, my eldest and biggest fan of Christmas films, asks for her dinguo film, “Un Noël de Folie”, every year. That’s our cue to all stick together on the sofa and shout “Free Frosty, free Frosty!” like crazy. Yeah, it might sound a little weird, but it makes us laugh. Even my furry son (our beloved little Jack Russel) ” Arnold” is especially fond of (Collage dans la canapé!)

We’re also champions of apérodelavent, so well before New Year’s Eve, we’re preparing a series of them. With my daughter Kenzou, we talk about recipes as if we were going to write a cookery book. We even wonder if we should publish it one day, “Miam-miam Apérotime”.

A super stylish name…

And how could I not mention my darling “Co” … He pampers us with his bartending skills. He prepares cocktails worthy of the best Bars and puts the cherry on the Guetta of our Christmas. As my old friend Sev would say! ( * the DJ)

Of course, I can’t forget my youngest, Mady, who brings her own sparkle to our family time together. She’s full of energy and knows how to set the mood with her laughter and legendary craziness. As for my son Ishan, he’s become a master in the art of making the creamiest hot chocolate ever. (No, that’s not true, that was just to make it look nice ????) He tries to introduce us to rap, but we prefer to listen to Mariah Carey at this time of year.

Would you like me to remind you of the song’s title?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXQViqx6GMY

Voilà….It’s our Christmas, simple, sweet, warm, with a good dose of madness, gluttony and love, but above all with the family.

Love ma family

Steph