Part II: Les Illuminations de Noël a Paris 2014 (Christmas Illuminations in Paris)

There are more places to go for a walk to see and enjoy the holiday ambiance in the City of Lights, Paris.

Rue Faubourg de St. Honoré used to be the shopping mecca for name brand boutiques until Avenue Montaigne became the chi-chi place to shop for luxury goods. Saint Honoré, as it is popularly called is now a street lined with fashion boutiques - with up-and-coming designers, as well as, the long-established iconic French couturiers, specialty stores, art galleries, salon de thé, and cafés, bistros, and restaurants. 

There are other shops on the side streets that are worth visiting as well, like the Pierre Hermés patisserie on rue Rambeau, and other specialty shops on rue Royale.

This fashionable street is narrow, not like the wide Avenue les Champs Elysées nor Avenue Montaigne. It is still a favorite among tourists for shopping, or simply to window-shop.

On this same street is le Palais de l'Élysées (palace) - the official residence of the president of France; and the residences of the ambassadors to France of the United States, Canada, United Kingdom.

During the holiday season, this street is second to the Champs Élysées in its lighting designs. Almost store after store, the facades and the street are decorated and brightly lit with mini bulbs - with some that twinkle, or running lights that create movement, in curtain, swag and random designs.

Here is what has been put up this season on the Saint Honoré and the side streets.

 On rue Saint Honoré, heading to Place de Madeleine

 Place Vendome, on rue de la Paix - an elegant courtyard 

of high-end jewelry stores, 

and where the Ritz Hotel is located. 

 At the intersection of rue Saint Honoré and rue Royale

 Heading to a side street to go to La Village Royale

Entrance to Le Village Royale,  on Cité Berryer

 Courtyard of La Village Royale, exit/entrance on rue Royale -

with additional fashion and home stores, and restaurants.

This is the view from the steps of Eglise de Madeleine - on rue Royale,  through Place de la Concorde, with the Assemblé Nationale on the opposite side.

More hotels, restaurants and some luxury-good stores have joined in decorating for the holidays.

On Avenue George V

 George V Four Seasons Hotel

 Prince de Galles Hotel

 Bvlgari (Luxury Jewelry store)

 Arije - Haute Joaillerie - Haute Horlogerie 

(high-end jewelry and watches)

Restaurants at the intersection of 

rue Clement Marot and rue Marbeuf

 Zen Garden

Back on the Avenue Champs des Élysées

 Publicis Building - a light show on the facade, 

with ever-changing colors and patterns.

 Fouquet Hotel and Restaurant

 Changing light colors from white, gradually, to red

 Ladurée - fabricant de douce (sweets shop)

 Tiffany 

 This is the most bling-bling of them all!

Champs Élysées rond point (round about), 

where the Christmas market begins

The beauty of these holiday lights all point to the forthcoming celebration of Christmas, as we await the Light of the World -

     “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” NIV John 8:12

Enjoy the walk around Paris. It is so magical at this time of the year!

Poinsettia - The Christmas Flower

The Poinsettia - the Christmas flower, has a very interesting history. Joel Roberts Poinsett (1779-1851) - the first American ambassador to Mexico, can be credited for bringing this flower-plant specie to the United States. 

In 1828, Ambassador Roberts, who was visiting the Taxco region, discovered and fell in love with a ruby-red flowered plant. A doctor and a soldier by trade and an amateur botanist, he took clippings of the plant and sent them back  home to Charleston, South Carolina. Upon his return, he shared his plant clippings with a friend - Mr. Buist of Philadelphia, who, in turn, sent it to Mr. James Mc Nab, who, subsequently, brought it to the Botanical Garden of Edinburgh.

A Red Poinsettia

A German botanist, Wilenow, had named Poinsett's plant discovery as Euphorbia Pulcherrima, in 1833. Hickling Prescott - a gardener and botanist who was given the task to rename the flower plant.  By 1837, the plant was renamed to Poinsettia Pulcherrima, in honor of Poinsett - for his achievements in government and horticulture. Hence, we have come to know this plant as Poinsettia, which we now find just about everywhere, during the holiday season.

In Mexico, the Poinsettia was called Cuetlaxochit by the Aztecs. The name signified "Flower that withers, mortal flower that perishes like all that is pure." It was cultivated as a gift from the gods and Montezuma (1480-1520), who was the last Aztec king to reign. The red-blood color of the flower, "served as a reminder of the sacrifice the gods made to create the universe, and the debt which would be repaid with human sacrifice." The plant's sap was used by the Aztecs as a cure for fever and its leaves were used to make a dye.

When the Franciscan missionaries settled in Taxco del Alarcon in the 17th century, in Southern Mexico, the flaming-red wild flower was used in the Christian ceremony during the nativity procession - La Fiesta de Santa Pesebre. Many stories point to this time as to how the Cuetlaxochit (Poinsettia) became to be called la flor de Nochebuena or Holy Night (Christmas Eve) flower. 

Legend has it that there was a poor, young Mexican girl - Pepita - who was heartbroken that she had no money to buy a present for the Baby Jesus. As she was in tears, an angel appeared to her and instructed her to gather a bunch of the weeds growing around the area. And when her tears fell upon the weeds, they miraculously turned into beautiful, red blooms.

Another legend refers to a time when the Franciscan friars  were celebrating Christmas with a nativity scene they had lovingly decorated. During the mass, when the star of Bethlehem passed overhead, the leaves had turned from green to bright red. Since then, the Cuetlaxochit (Poinsettia) became the symbol of Christ's blood and became associated with the Christmas season.

In Mexico, the Poinsettia - la flor de Nochebuena, is displayed on Dia de la Virgen on December 12.  On December 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe - the Patron of the Americas, is celebrated in the United States. Poinsettia Day falls on December 12, in remembrance of the date in 1851 when Joel Roberts Poinsett died.

The Cultivation of Poinsettia

At Ecke Ranch, in Encenitas, California, the Poinsettia varieties are cultivated all year round to keep up with the growing demands for this favorite Christmas flower plant during the holiday season.

In 1911, Paul Ecke started marketing the Poinsettia as the Christmas flower, as its blooming cycle coincided with the winter season, around the celebration of the holiday season. At first the Poinsettias were grown in the fields and shipped to commercial greenhouses to grow for their local markets.

By 1963, there was a change in the production as it shifted from field planting to greenhouses. They have since developed their breeding technics and have come up with some of the leading Poinsettia varieties in the world. Three generations share this breeding traditions to continue to bring us these seasonal Christmas flowers.

Some of the Poinsettia Varieties at Ecke Ranch

Ecke's Flaming Sphere

Prestige Red - the best selling variety

Freedom Early Marble

Freedom Jingle Bells

 Peppermint Twist variety (with curly leaves)

Monet Twilight (flat leaves to the right)

The parts of a Poinsettia plant

The actual flowers in a Poinsettia plant are the the small, yellowish things known as cyathia; the colored leaves that develop pigmentation after flower initiation are the bracts.

When days become shorter and nights are longer starting in mid-September in the Southern Hemisphere, the bracts begin to form their colored pigmentations. The growth phases are referred to as vegetative growth - the plant growth prior to flower initiation; the flowering stage is the reproductive stage which will take a couple of weeks. This can all be achieved with precision when time and growing conditions are taken into consideration. Here is more information about how you can successfully grow your own Poinsettia.

This holiday season, you can fill your homes and other places with the Christmas flower plant, Poinsettia, in different colors, if you please!

To buy directly from Ecke Ranch, here is their contact information:

Ecke Ranch

527 Encenitas, Suite 104

Encenitas, CA 92024

Tel. (760) 753-1134

Email: ccrysler@eckeranch.com

Les Illuminations de Noël a Paris 2014 (Christmas Illuminations in Paris)

On November 20, 2014, at approximately 6:00 p.m. the trees lining the sides of the Avenue Champs Élysées were the main event for the crowd that had gathered. 

In partnership with two companies - Sony and Sotec, the Mairie de Paris (city hall) had advertised the Nouvelle Illuminations (new lighting) for the 2014 holiday season, on banners hanging between the trees along the wide, main avenue of Paris.

 The Champs Élysées without Christmas lights

 Camera, lights, click! 

In expectant anticipation, the yellow and blue Christmas lights were turned on in grand scale at about 6:20 p.m. The crowd was truly delighted!

The small blue lights situated on the upper part of the trees look like stars glowing in the night.

 On both of the broad sidewalks on the avenue , the second row of trees had their own light theme, with random spray bouquets  of blue lights, with white running lights on some of the stems, looking like snowflakes.

The much awaited nouvelle illumination - the new holiday lighting, on the main avenue  is a sight to behold, adding another festive touch to the preparations which started in late October.  A week after the Christmas Market opened, the whole stretch of the Champs Elysées is now lit up.

These twinkling lights - whether on the main avenues, small streets, or store fronts - are all part of the preparation for the big celebration. Living up to its name "City of Lights, here is how the French bring Christmas glow into Paris.

Among some of the storefronts on the Champs Élysées...

 

Pizza Pino - right next to the metro Line 1 exit - 

Franklin Roosevelt stop

This is a favorite food-stop among the tourists.

 Roma Pizzeria - on the other corner, across from Pizza Pino

 Häagen-Dazs' Chalets

 Weeping willow Christmas trees (fake) at the entrance of 

Ann Tuil - a shoe store

 Kusmi Tea - gourmet tea in high quality blends

 Mercedes Benz showroom, with a 

multi-colored running logo lights

Une chocolaterie

 La bounlangerie/patisserie

 A shopping arcade entrance - Arcades des Champs Élysées

 The store with a diverse selection of beauty products

 An enclosed, outdoor café by the Marriott Hotel

 City street lights...

 Avenue Montaigne - a famous street known for all the 

chi-chi, designer boutiques.

 Yellow lights with running white lights, in a spray bouquet arrangement is the basic design used hanging on the trees and the Christmas trees, a change from the red lights that had been used on this street in the past years.


The Dior boutique on Avenue Montaigne 
leads the way in holiday decorating.

The newly renovated Plaza Athenée Hotel

Paul and Joe - a collection of casual to chic fashion

Rue Cler - a permanent street market 
On some weekends, each season, a grande brocante ( a traveling giant flea market ) takes place on a part of this long street.

 Rue de Champs des Mars - intersecting rue Cler

For a fun, magical night, there is more to see in a sightseeing tour - "Illuminations of Paris" that is handled by Paris Cityvision. Enjoy this city tour at this time of the year. This will include the iconic landmarks, decorated and lit up during this holiday season. To book your reservations, please click on this link. Enjoy a lovely dinner or a show, after,  and cap the night with a glass of wine before you head back.

And soon it will be Christmas!  Celebrating it in the French capital is more than a memorable experience.