Buche de Noel (cake)….also known as the Yule Log cake has been ordered for our Christmas day dinner dessert. We are fortunate to have a Bend, OR bakery, Foxtail Bakeshop, that offers two different Buche de Noels for a pick up on Christmas Eve day: https://www.foxtailbakeshop.com

Not only do they offer them, but one of them is gluten free (chocolate flourless sponge cake as its base) which we need for one of our family members.

These delicious photos were taken through the front window of the tiny Pierre Herme shop, one of the most stunningly presented and mouthwatering patisseries in Paris, proven by the lineup of faithful customers and tourists determined to get a taste of this famous shop’s wares. They have several locations. Here is a link to their website: https://www.pierreherme.com/utm_source=GMB&utm_medium=GMB&utm_campaign=GMB%20Bonaparte

Buche de Noel–“The history of the Yule log cake stretches all the way back to Europe’s Iron Age, before the medieval era. Back then, Celtic Brits and Gaelic Europeans would gather to welcome the winter solstice at December’s end. People would feast to celebrate the days finally becoming longer, signaling the end of the winter season. To cleanse the air of the previous year’s events and to usher in the spring, families would burn logs decorated with holly, pinecones or ivy. Wine and salt were also often used to anoint the logs. Once burned, the log’s ashes were valuable treasures said to have medicinal benefits and to guard against evil. Some groups claimed the ashes would protect the bearer from lightning—an important quality at a time when houses (and most of the contents in them) were made of wood.” An excerpt from this link: https://www.history.com/news/the-delicious-history-of-the-yule-log

I thought it interesting that STARS were used as the theme on Pierre Herme’s Buche de Noels. The photo just above is a part of my 6th arrondissement neighborhood. More STARS showing off in the evening.

I brought home more than one of these STARS from Paris (below) as well as the multiple-starred item found in Nice, France and use them in my ornamental decorations to help to bring the sparkle of Paris and Nice to our home. This is also a fascinating link about the varied meaning of STARS: https://dreamingandsleeping.com/spiritual-meaning-of-stars/

You can sing along with this sweet youtube video–for your own pleasure or your children’s, or your grandchildren’s with the use of Zoom, on the phone, or FaceTime…or send them the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0TsK1YijWo AND, of course, you remember this one too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCjJyiqpAuU

I’m guessing we all know what wish we would make this year. Go ahead. Make a wish! It might just come true!