I love Christmas or Christmas eve on a Sunday. What better way to honor the Sabbath. For Sacrament meeting, both wards that meet in our tiny building held Sacrament meeting together. Catherine is a gift giver, so before and after the meeting, we handed out gifts of chocolate and Christmas ornaments to members of the ward who are fast becoming stalwart friends.
A highlight of our Christmas weekend was caroling with the mission. The mission president and all the missionaries in the Lyon area gathered at the Place Bellecour in to sing Christmas carols. The office elders brought a portable light the world banner and we set up in several places to sing carols. We had crowds gather and missionaries mingling with them to pass out light the world invitation cards.
After Caroling, we made our way to our newly called Bishop’s home to have dinner with his family as well as a trio of sisters called to the mission office as media specialists. She used a Raclette to melt slices of cheese to ooze over baked potatoes and baguettes. Catherine is making a list of French cooking implements to take home with us at the end of our mission. Also on her list is a massive Crepe maker she saw at a Christmas market. I tried to warn Catherine about the Fois Gras (fatty Duck Liver), but I was not fast enough. She left most of that hors d’oeuvre on her plate.
Late Christmas Eve, I started a group video chat with my children. We miss them terribly and to chat with them all as they were preparing their respective Christmas celebrations was a healing and binding experience. By the time we had chatted with all our children and made it to bed, it was 2:00 AM Christmas morning.
This was our first Christmas together as a couple. Last Christmas, we were dating and spent Christmas with our respective families. We opened gifts around our small tree, talked about the traditions held dearly by each of our families, and how we could incorporate them into our celebrations together. One tradition I will give up is the 16-foot-tall Christmas trees that my ambitious sons picked out to dominate our living room. For years, we patronized a Christmas tree farm in rural North Plains and paid $5.00 for a tree, any size. My sons picked out these massive monoliths while I caught up with the farm owner.
Catherine’s family does an elaborate nativity recreation, dressing the grandchildren in costume to tell the Christmas story. I am sure we will be doing that where ever we spend Christmas with family.
Another tradition is to build Ginger Bread houses, and then take them out on the New Year to plunk at them with BB guns. Wow, I love this family.
Christmas eve, we were invited to share a meal with the Conessa family, an older couple with a rich history of Christmas tradition. We sat at the table for dinner and conversed. From time to time, Elizabeth would bring out another course. We started with a ham and cheese hors d’oeuvre; tiny tarts served hot. Next, she brought out halved tomatoes with deviled eggs and humus on top. Roasted duck followed, then a cheese course, a traditional French Yule log and finally the champagne (non-alcoholic, of course) The meal itself lasted over three hours. They regaled us with tales from their youth, Anthony told us of his grandfather who had shot a fellow suitor in the rear. No problem, he simply called the doctor to come and remove the buck shot. According to his incredible wife, Anthony was quite the looker in his youth, and was always surrounded by a bevy of beautiful girls. He told them he was looking for a girl who did not smoke, drink and was virtuous. The girls all assured him that no such female existed. He found his bride at a service project. After the project, sweaty and dirty, he paraded her around his old haunts to assure the girls that such a lady indeed existed.
Yes, I know the day has passed, but Merry Christmas to all of you and your families. Build those memories, those traditions, and most important of all, share that spirit. Jesus Christ is the power that will save this world and all of us in it. Testify of Him.
Cathy and Tim Frodsham
Latter-Day Saints 