If you read any France/expat blogs, or if you live in France yourself, you know that the French don't send Christmas cards.Between buying gifts, decorating the house, and preparing (elaborate) Christmas meals, who has time for it? Indeed, this is one French concept I really like.
The tradition here is to send New Year's greetings, and, in typically leisurely fashion, the French allow themselves the whole, long month of January to get it done.
Of course, les voeux du Nouvel An used to be cards sent by the post. Personally, after a lull the past few years, for 2011 I have noticed a huge increase in electronic cards/photos created by families and companies.
Betwixt and between, I have managed not to do any type of holiday greeting the past few years. No -- make that for the past decade.
But this year, we got organized. My husband and I created three versions of the above e-greeting, and one of my daughters even made up photos to send out by snail mail.
I've managed to send a few of the photo/cards, but hardly any e-greetings. Oh well.
Happy New Year...or Bonne Année 2011...anyway.
What a sumptious and evocative pic!
ReplyDeleteLa bonne annee yourself ;) (am about to go to French class)
I was surprised that this year, I only got one card by snail mail. This after years of decorating my mantel with cards received. I guess those times are over.
ReplyDelete@writers Thanks, but it was taken by my husband, in the Magritte museum (not quite sure what the link is to Magritte) in Brussels.
ReplyDelete@meredith I'm not sure we got a single snail mail card...oh yes, maybe one. But as I said, I did notice a BIG increase in email greetings, both personally and professionally.
In my family, we tend to send New Year's greetings until 14th July...
ReplyDeletegeez i must be french i didn't even know....i got through half my new year's greetings, and i guess the rest will be sent the month of the chinese new year!
ReplyDeletehappy new year!
Bonne Année from me also!
ReplyDeleteDon't think we had any 'e' Christmas cards at all this year. They were all snail mail.
@spaced @mouse Those could be two systems to consider, because I actually quite enjoyed sending them this year.
ReplyDelete@Betty The Brits and Americans seem to be holding on to the paper card tradition somewhat; I did get about 5 or 6 (I used to get many more, but then again I used to send them too!) and indeed, did not get any electronic Christmas Cards.
It's okay, I still haven't sent out mine. I think I'll do it in March after my exams.
ReplyDelete@Megan LIKE! Oops, this isn't Facebook...
ReplyDeleteAha. So that's what happened to me. The Non Christmas Card Gene. Who knew it could survive the Canadian Cold?
ReplyDeleteI never get them out - I have them, bought from a local student when we first moved to France. I think I'm going to stop the Christmas cards to the US, too - hardly got any this year and I'll be happy to have one less chore. Holiday emails I still do, though ;-)
ReplyDelete