France - Small Christmas market in Avioth

It's been so long since I've written anything here that I have almost forgotten the password, but here I am. Does it make sense to say I'm working on a new face for my blog and my social media outlets? Don't think so. You will see it when it will be ready. In the meantime, on our region winter came and with it the Christmas Markets. This year, the abundance of markets made me look for the smaller ones, hopefully less crowded ones, the more authentic ones and so it happened that most of the communes in the area (Belgium, Luxembourg, France) organised markets that last just one weekend or maybe two. It is the case of Avioth in France, very close to Orval in Belgium which is maybe more known to the readers of this blog.

Avioth is a village with few houses, according to the internet, with 144 inhabitants, but a big cathedral dedicated to Virgin Mary, Notre Dame. The village is better known as a place of pilgrimage, as in the 12th century a statue of the Virgin was miraculously discovered. In the 13th century a large Gothic church was build and in 1993 by the decision of Pope John Paul II it became a basilica. 

To me, the church looked imposing and big on the outside, but very warm and cozy inside. We discovered Avioth very early when we moved here (we moved here in November 2012 and according to the blog, visited this place in January 2013), together with Orval and Montmedy, but haven't been there in at lest six years if not more. BUT Avioth evolved and their Christmas Market made it to Facebook and from there on to my calendar so I would not forget to visit it, as it was open for just two days.

The Christmas Marked was a Christmas Market, it had mulled vine and gaufre and it had Santa and houses with small crafts and of course Orval beer which was drank in glass glasses not in paper ones as everything else, it had a big tree and it cost one euro 50 to enter. To me, though, the village looked even more charming than the small Christmas Market. All the houses close to the church were nicely decorated with wooden figurines, there were three or four artist workshops and some small brocantes. It was charming and I'm glad I've convinced myself and my family to brace the cold and go out.

I am well aware that the Christmas Market in Avioth has ended and, at least this year, you can't visit it, but the decorations, I would imagine, stay there at least for the holidays so if you spend your Christmas at home, Avioth, together with Montmedy in France and Orval Abbey in Belgium are worth a visit. Pack your hot beverage and some sandwiches as you know how restaurants are with their middle of the day pause.  

As for us, I hope we will visit more markets, I have my eye on one or two, maybe some in Germany, as to me they have the most traditional ones, and I hope I will find the time and the desire to write something about them and revive this forgotten blog.

Merry Christmas to all! I hope Santa will bring you all you desire!

As usual, I am on Instagram @raluca.caranfil

Luxembourg - Corona Times - Christmas lights in the city

Christmas is long gone now, but as I haven't written anything here yet, I thought to show you some of the pictures from Luxembourg City. Because of Corona Times, this year the Christmas Markets in Luxembourg were canceled and rules were imposed as to the number of people a family is allowed to meed inside during the holidays, so for us Christmas was a bit sad this year.

Normally, by Christmas Time we would have already made our way to Romania to see family and friends and sometimes they would come to us during the Holiday season, we would go once or twice to the Christmas Markets and spend the New Years Celebrations with our friends. This year we were not allowed to receive in the house more than two people from outside the household. So as we are now three, we had to stay home or see our friends in open spaces where a gathering of up to 10 people was legal.

So that was exactly what we did. We've met our friends before Christmas and between Christmas and New Years and we had walks in the forests and went to see the lights in the city centre and that was it. 

Because the markets were closed, the authorities tried to at least decorate nicely the city with a few instagramable spots. The one with the tree at the Gelle Fra was all over social media. The huge Christmas Tree was usually in the middle of the Christmas Market, now it stood alone. The did another big tree in front of Cercle Cite as they would normally do and of course the lovely stars were hanged on the trees near the Cathedral and the blue artificial tree was placed near the City Hall and also the square Knuedler was nicely decorated with lights on all the trees. Those are the spots in the photos.

I hope these pictures brought you a smile and that the new year has found you healthy and happy and that you are safe. As for Corona Times the end is in sight so hold on tight! As usual I am on Instagram if you need me @mademoiselle.ralu 

Corona Times - Ornaments for Christmas 2020

 I don't know about you, but for me 2020 was not that bad. Yes there was a lockdown, yes we cannot travel as we used to, yes covid is very serious and people have died and yes it was a depressing year. But, it is the year Ilinca was born, the first year of her life and for that one thing for me 2020 is a great year.

So much so I have nothing against Corona themed Christmas ornaments. Working in communication meant that since September if not earlier we cooked up the Christmas strategy for this year and we adapted it to reflect the events of this year. Let's face it, our life has changed dramatically and we spend a lot of time at home, with our family, in cozy clothes, dreaming of the vaccine and a vacation. So even if you want this year forgotten, here are some small tokens to hang up in the tree, or give to your co-workers once you are back in the office cafeteria :)

here

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here

here

here

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here

here

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Forgot to say they are all on Etsy, my partner in crime when Amazon was not enough :)

As usual I am more active on Instagram @mademoiselle.ralu drop a line there if you want to talk.

Luxembourg - Friday evening at the Christmas Market

The weekend is just around the corner and I thought that you might be tempted to follow my example and just have fun at the Christmas Markets in Luxembourg. Yes guys there are at least three Christmas Markets and you can walk from one to the next and tick different activities.

This is by no means a guide to Christmas Markets in Luxembourg, it's just to give you some pointers, some ideas of what you can do. If you are reading this from Luxembourg, I am talking about the Christmas Markets in Place d'Armes, Knuedler and Place de la Constitution.

1. First, stop by this very nice decorated tree in front of the Cathedral and take some pictures to amaze Instagram with or for your family's photo album

2. Fuel yourself with a boot cup of mulled wine or as we call it here in Luxembourg and in the region, glühwein and some chestnuts 

3. Buy some wood Christmas tree decoration from Place d'Armes and marvel at this wooden Nativity Scene

4. While you are there look for the Winter Lights photo-booths and take a picture to remember 

5. Pass to the Knuedler Market and try on some skating

6. If skating is not your thing have a wurst and admire the place

7. For me, the vibe of the Knuedler Market is closer to what I have in my mind as what a Christmas Market should be like

8. Take Instagramable pictures in front of the Town Hall and use the city free WiFi to post them, then and there

9. Drink a second glühwein, it is cheaper at the Knuedler Market ;)

10. Pass on to the Golden Lady Market (Place de la Constitution), but stop to take another picture

11. Admire for a second the Christmas Pyramide

12. Buy some more decorations

13. And maybe some gingerbread 

14. Enjoy the salmon! I've tried it for the fist time this year and it was ok

15. Ride the carousel

16. Delight yourself with some Romanian sweets

17. And pair them with another glass of glühwein

I'll leave you with some movies, the quality is not that great, but the feeling is there

Last, but by no means least, please don't drink and drive. The glühwein can go to your head :)

If you enjoyed my little Christmassy post, please be advised that more posts like this are coming your way. I'm in the Christmas spirit more this year and I have big plans. Hope to accomplish them :) As usual if you liked the post please share it with your friends. You can find me here: Dichisuri.ro

Raluca

Belgium - First Christmas Market of the season

Every year I feel less and less prepared for the Christmas Season or Holidays Season. Somehow I feel that the years pass so fast and there is Alin's birthday, then St. Patrick's day, then May's 1st holiday, then the real summer holiday, then my birthday, then Christmas all packed in a flash. I may be getting old and grumpy, but when I see Christmas stuff in September or October I feel like crying. I know there is a reason behind this, but somehow it doesn't seem right.

First Christmas market of every season is of course organised by a store and it's the plants and decorations store in Messancy, Belgium. This year they started the Christmas market at October 20th, which for me is way too early. But by the beginning of November, curiosity got the best of me and I went there to see it. That is because it is really good looking and every year they arrange the decorations in form of rooms with a central piece, a table, or a chair and the tree, and the decorations on the sides. Every year they have a gold room, a silver one, a red one and a coloured one. This year they introduced a crafty one as well. For me (Coca-Cola generation) the Christmas is only red, so I'm not that interested in the other rooms and that is also good for our budget :)

This year I only bought one decoration, although there were more that I would have wanted, but I have so many Christmas decorations, that I remember last year I even decorated the spare room and still there were some I've left in the box.

Here are some pictures. Although every year I take pictures and either share them on my social media or do a blog post about the market, I still don't know of I am allowed to take pictures.

Hope you liked my little article. If you did, please share it. You can find me at fb. page: Dichisuri.ro

Raluca