You Say Merry Christmas, He Says Joyeux Noël

We finally finished our Christmas shopping three days before Christmas. I can't believe we actually got it all done before Christmas Eve. We always seem to be rushing around for those last minute items right up until the last minute, and normally we spend several hours at the stores right before they close on Christmas Eve.

Most of the presents we purchased were easily found once we made it into the store to get them. Is it me or were the crowds a lot bigger and the people a lot meaner than last year? I looked forward to purchasing the gifts I could order online, just so I wouldn't have to brave the crowds at the mall one more time. One present wasn't as easy to find as we had hoped, but we finally accomplished the mission with some help from the France Guide. My brother-in-law loves France. He visited there as an exchange student in college a few years ago and absolutely fell in love with the place, especially the Loire Valley region.

Ever since he visited France that year, we have gone out of our way to get him an authentic French gift. This year we decided to get him a bottle of wine from the Loire Valley.

We've heard many things about different French wines, but the Wines of Loire Valley are supposed to be second to none, at least as far as he is concerned, so I am sure he is going to love his gift this year.