The woman at the party the other night seemed happy, her smile was constant and her laughter easy. Her young son stood by her side and often had his arm around her, they seemed…

                In France Christmas begins on Christmas Eve and continues twelve days until Epiphany. The moment before Christmas is called Advent. A time to prepare the way for Christmas.    Growing up my Mom took…

                 I was nineteen when I entered a monastery in New Mexico. Prayer and spirituality were as much a part of my life as dancing and having a good time with my friends. My life…

                French Christmas Tradition No. 1- Provencal Santons. The Provencal creche is similar to the nativity scene except it includes the entire village, not just a handful of shepherds, drummers and angels. The Provencal santons…

My friend Shelley loves Christmas. Every year her home is transformed into a Christmas wonderland. Shelley decorates the tabletops, the counters, shelves, every nook and cranny (even her bathroom!) with her large collection of vintage Christmas symbols of happiness. As…

                Rummaging through a box of old letters at the French antique market, a cloth envelope intrigued me. The paper address label was sewn on and read in French: "Echantillon sans valeur – Sample without…