European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 22, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The French stick to tradition by Eduardo Cue United press International although it has become increasingly commercialized in recent years Christmas remains surprisingly traditional in France Wilh families gathering around the table to open gifts after Midnight mass and enjoy exquisite food and Fine wines on Christmas Day. Trees on the champsiys6es Are brought alive with thousands of tiny while lights and major department stores put together elaborate window displays but the City of Light cannot compare with new York and other major . Cities when it comes to Christmas decorations. Not that the French realty try. Christmas is a time for re creating the simpler life of traditional France. In fact the country a Rich and varied Rural history comes alive at Christmas. Many people who live in the big cities return to their native villages to spend time with their families. This is not to say that there Are no office Christmas parties or harried shoppers. Its just that the commercialism associated with Christmas in other industrialized countries has yet to reach the same proportions in France. To the Surprise of Many foreigners the meal on Christmas eve that follows Midnight mass is deliberately simple As a reminder that holy night when Jesus was born is supposed to be a time of reflection and quiet Joy. But frugality does not have to be Boring especially in France. The traditional Christmas eve dinner includes oysters foie gras frugality is Fine but there Are limit Sand Boudin Blanc a traditional White sausage. Scrambled eggs also Are part of the menu but in France they Are topped with a Small piece of Bona fide truffle. Gifts Are opened after dinner perhaps because parents want to avoid being awakened at Dawn by eager children but probably because tradition depicts the three Kings presenting their gifts to the baby Jesus at night. The major feast takes place Christmas Day when the French gather around beautifully set tables to taste smoked Salmon More foie gras caviar and Turkey. But the Turkey is garnished with chestnuts Boudin sausages and Apple and cinnamon turnovers rather than Cranberry sauce. All of this is of course Syl tha French celebrate in big cities and Small above Christmas lights along the champselys6es in Paris at left a customer selects sausages from Kaete Sindlinger at the Christmas Market in Ober Steinbach France. A amps accompanied by expensive wines and champagnes As Well As cognacs and various liqueurs known As eau de vie water of life. Perhaps the most Beautiful stores in France at Christmas Are the food shops. At Fauchon s in the Center of Paris crowds form lines in the cold outside to wait their turn. In keeping with the Christmas spirit As Well As to ensure that customers just Don t give up and leave the management hands out free glasses of Champagne. But it is in Provence in Southern France where Christmas takes on its special significance. Provencal writers from Marcel Spagnol to Alphonse Daudet spun Christmas tales that have become Day coir a modern classics and Are widely read to children. One of the most memorable is Daudet a Story of a priest condemned to celebrate unending masses to pay for his gluttony at Christmas. Along the Canne Biere the Central Street in the Southern port City of Marseilles temporary stands display regional foods and Santons Small colourful figures representing the different characters who came to witness the birth of Christ. For Many frenchmen the Best part of Christmas is the week that follows it when millions take to the beaches of the Caribbean or North Africa or go to the slopes to do a bit of skiing and to forget about Christmas. Take your Best shot a for next years greeting card re fram1z am disco Silt t a Quot a in. Jul n. A i i i. I. By Frank Van Riper the Washington Post photographers artists designer people in Iho visual arts a have a hard time just going out and buying Holiday cards after All we re visual people right creative too so icy say. So every year it becomes a matter of Pride that my wife and i fashion our own Christmas card incorporating one or More of our images in a Way that we Hope will be interesting or at least amusing to our friends relatives and clients. The idea of homemade cards is not new. It s As old As second Grade when we All pasted glued or otherwise took hostage an innocent piece of construction paper and manufactured greetings that our moms cherished and saved for years granted people expect a Little More of your homemade efforts once you pass 40, but there is something about a personally made greeting that is More Well personal than even the Best that hallmark can devise. Even a photo greeting card counts. Kodak goes into overdrive every year cranking these out by the thousands usually featuring a family group photo atop a cheery Quot merry Christmas Quot or Quot Happy  but i have to admit my favorite card is one that incorporates photography with the season be it with a Beautiful image or a Clever visual Pun. If the idea of making Holiday cards yourself intrigues you but you Haven to done anything about it yet it might be better to think ahead to next year and plan this years Holiday photography accordingly. The holidays provide great opportunities for pictures. Families get together for meals celebrations and gift giving and every event gives the Well prepared photographer a Chance to make some memorable shots any one of which can become emblematic of All that the season Means to you. Does a frantic Christmas morning with the kids awash in gift wrap by the tree signal All that is great about the Holiday to you shoot it this year then pick the Best shot you make for next years card. Or How about the Littlest child being allowed to Light a Candle on the menorah for the first time during hanukkah face the child with the menorah Between the two of you and focus on the child a intense face As he or she performs this important task f might try to do this shot by available candlelight with the camera on a tripod and the child urged to stay As still As he or she can while the Candle is being lit the holidays always mean brightly coloured lights and these provide a number of ways to be creative and even a Little bit off the Wall with your photographs for Page 16 the stars and stripes one years card i used a shot i made it the previous year s lighted Christmas t Only i put the camera on aperture Prio stopped Down and used the deliberate Long resultant exposure to Quot paint Quot with Bright tree lights. All i did was shake the camera a Little and the result was a Beautiful abstract that maintained the familiar shape of the tree but with the added element of Bright Light trails. For some reason photographers to to stick their dogs in their Holiday greetings and my wife and i Are no exceptions. Our Golden retriever dark news i m an sex reporter has been featured in several of our annual efforts e Best probably was one in which de was captured in joyous mid leap into the water from a Rocky Shore in Mac. How do you make a picture like that Christmas a we did it with the legend tuesday december 22, 1992