Here are some of the things we have been doing to prepare:
I made this pinecone! Not, like, the chemical make-up, but I painted it and stuck it in the tree!
Micia!
Benedetta with what will be the top of the Christmas Tree.
So, here I have the parts:
The Tree
The decorations. So, with these, we have been working on them since I got here, I think. Alessandra made the dough, and the kids cut the shapes, and once they are dried, we painted them and glittered them and eventually we had these! These are the survivers.
The kids! (The one you don't recognize is the daughter of Alessandra's friends from the north)
The tree, and Christof wearing an apron because he was making pizza. Amazing.
Here we have all of the parts coming toghether:
Lights on the tree, and Sarah starting the decorating
Ha, so this one day, while they were making these decorations, the cat stepped one of them before they dried. Alessandra painted it and the kids think it's just dandy.
The tree, halfway done
Leo contemplating where to hang his next decoration, Benny untangling something, and Sarah in shock and awe at how shiny everything is.
Alessandra and Sarah, Oh, and Bella!
I love this one of Alessandra and the tree!
All done! Me and Benny and Leo
Benny and I with the tree
Leo putting on some finishing touches.
Cat in a tree!
This star is hanging on the door.
Alessandra and the kids, oh, and Bella!
Today Guido arrives for a whole week! He was here a month ago, also, for Sarah's birthday, and about two weeks ago for a weekend. The kids are pretty excited. Except, sometimes they are asking when Babbo (Dad) arrives, and sometimes they are asking when Babbo Natale (Father Christmas) arrives. He comes on over and leaves presents for the children tonight. Then, on the 6th of January, an old witch comes at fills their stockings. Coal if they are bad.
I went to a concert last night in the theatre here, which is amazingly stunning. There was a whole string orchestra with a choir for the first half, and a woodwind orchestra for the second half. All of the songs were a bit too classic for be to actually know. They weren't my idea of traditional Christmas music. But, I was so happy when they turned down the lights, put on Santa hats, and played We Wish You a Merry Christmas as they lowered a huge lit-up star from the ceiling. They do this show every year, here. Everyone was greeting each other and talking about how big kids had gotten and how their lives were. It was nice to be among the town this way. Also, listening to Italians sing in English is hilarious. I'll have more on that later. I'll also be looking up some info on the Theatre, because I love it and it's beautiful. After the show, I headed to a cafe and had a hot rum. It tasted like Christmas.
There has been lots to do, and I brought the girls to a fun "spettacolo" (show) the other day. It was for kids and it was all interactive and things. The girls loved it. Therefore I did, too. Leo also had a Boy Scout play, but it was at the same time as the concert at the theatre. I had to choose!
Alessandra dilligently made cookies and I dilligently ate them all. Then she got a package from a previous Au Pair with more cookies! And all sorts of goodies for the kids. This is an interesting thing: Presents don't wait until Christmas. They get their one from Babbo Natale, and they don't expect anything more. When they recieve parcels like this, with presents, which they have been, they open them up right away instead of waiting until Christmas morning. I'm excited to see how tomorrow morning goes. Wow. Christmas is tomorrow morning. I am going to be making French Toast! I'm pretty excited about it.
Also, today, we have been relaxing, mostly. The kids all had baths, because we found some lice on Leo. Fun!
At 5:30, there is another Spettacolo that takes a band playing all sorts of instuments all through Urbino. We are hitting up centrale with the kids. After this, Alessandra will be preparing dinner, which is always fish on Christmas Eve, and we've been playing Christmas Carols in the house everyday. Then there is a midnight mass at the huge Cathedral in town. The whole family may not go, because it may be too late for Sarah. I'm going for sure, even though it's not the Grace United church service. I've been slightly worried about this, actually, because this is a tradition I know I'll be missing wholeheartedly. I'll let you know if I run wailing from the church. I'm in good spirits, because I'm full of cookies and anticipating great food and a fun time with the kids and, well, it's Christmas.
However, the rain has come and washed away all of that beautiful snow from the pictures I have up. It's really strange not having a white Christmas, but it was +15 today and will be again tomorrow. No one can complain about that. I've come to terms with it. I am also quite tired, today. Sarah has not been sleeping through the night, and therefore neither has anyone else in Urbino. The kids have been a bit bad lately, and they are wearing my patience. But, I keep up with my calm and graceful attitude (which means threatening no Babbo Natale and yelling as loud as they are to show them how stupid they look) and hopefully good will prevail.
This has been my Christmas Season. It's been really fun and interesting. I've learned quite a bit and now I know more about Italy that I ever would have. I've had a great time with the kids, when they are good, and Alessandra has been slightly more relaxed than usual, considering she doesn't have classes to teach. What'll happen is, I'll be having a great time, eating cookies or drawing pictures of princesses and Christmas trees, and suddenly I'll stop to think what everyone at home is doing right now. Makes me sad that I'm not there, as you know, but then I snap out of it and realize that I am here with good people and doing interesting things. Yes, I am missing Christmas at home, but this is the only time I'll be able to experience Christmas in Italy for the first time.
So, wishing you all a Merry Christmas Eve! I hope the service goes well in Grimshaw and the roads are great for everyone! I also hope everyone else in other parts of the country, or the world for that matter, are enjoying their own traditions and preparations for the big day!
I'll have some new ones for when I get back!
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