it's officially christmastime in florence! the streets are lit, stores are decorated, the christmas market is open, and hot chocolate with gelato is everywhere!!!
this department store is completely covered in lights. it is blinding. but festive! also they have really interesting christmas decorations made of recycled items (they are way cooler in real life, i promise...)--so eco-friendly!
santa croce christmas market--candy anyone?
some german food in italy...naturally
last weekend we had some friends from TCU over to bake christmas cookies--italian style! one tiny kitchen, fifteen people, two batches of dough, three wine-bottle-rolling-pins, a few hundred of those little cookie decorating silver balls (which we haven't been able to find for years at home--i'm pretty sure they're illegal or poisonous or something. but i'm still alive! definitely smuggling some home...), and a few blackened cookies later, our stomachs hurt but our hearts were full of christmas cheer!
our italian roommate even pulled out some of her christmas cookie cutters! but don't worry, we got creative too...there was a duomo, a ponte vecchio, several perfectly wrapped presents with chocolate inside, and even an old traditional goodie (in loving memory of prahaha...) made by christie, who also provided these lovely pictures! shout-out!
then up went the duomo tree (covered in fleur-de-lis of course) and the nativity!
christmas decorations continued...almost every street/neighborhood has different lights and i love it. so festive! one even has snowflakes! makes me nostalgic for poplar avenue...(minus the tiny right lane which instills fear in many memphis moms. and me).
off to the next adventure--ice skating!
pros.
taking pictures while skating. risky.
skating in general. risky. i'm pretty sure all of these pictures capture moments right before almost falling...luckily there were only a few mishaps (i won't name names).
spotted: speed skaters.
next stop: christmas party! 99 cent store decorations make great costumes, right? i think so...
after fun christmas celebrations, we got back to the books and began to embark on our final adventure (literally): finals. they are now the only thing standing between me and memphis. three tests, two presentations, and one paper and then i will be off to america for two weeks of family, friends, and christmas festivities! until then, i will sit in front of the faux fire (http://fauxfire.com/#) and study for finals.
buon natale!
