Isn’t this a beautiful view, at least it is for me. It is Christmas Eve and in Switzerland, as many countries in Europe, it is the day when it all starts with the celebrations. I seem to be getting sentimental in my Golden Oldie years and have again discovered the nice side of it all. Even if you do not believe, like myself, you can still savour the various aspects: decorations, food, and above all family connections.
I have received Christmas cards from the remains of my English family, and also from friends in Switzerland, each one a delight. There are perhaps not so many, but as we get older unfortunately we diminish in numbers.
However, let’s look on the bright side. We do not have a big family get together on Christmas Eve or Day, just the local part. It will just be Mr. Swiss, No. 1 son and me. No. 2 son is on the other side of Switzerland and his wife comes from even further away in Germany, so we will only be seeing them later.
We gave up Christmas gifts a few years ago, but the thought counts, and of course my two grandchildren do not get forgotten. As I get older I begin to discard the attachments I have collected on my way through life. One of my hobbies is photography and on the way I have quite a collection of cameras and lens, but you can only take a photo with one camera and lens, so I began to sort it all out. I have now given one of my cameras to son No. 2 with two accompanying lens. It is a Nikon camera that I have used, and a very good one, but since buying my bigger and better camera, it has been somewhat cast aside.
On his last visit as he was leaving, I gave it to him at the last moment, but did not have so much time to explain everything. In the meanwhile the photography virus has packed him. He has the instructions and decided to go about it all quite professionally with manual applications. I have heard he is taking photos everywhere at the moment, discovering all the possibilities. Today I received the photo as above taken just before sunrise today in his garden. He even gave me the shutter speed and the aperture f stop he applied. He said he put the camera on a surface to keep it steady for the second he needed for the photo. What a wonderful gift that photo was for Christmas. No. 2 son has a new interest.
It might not be a candle, but my day has been illuminated by this photo.
Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss 
He is following in your footsteps, Pat. A very lovely photo. But you get the Pulitzer before he does! 😉
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No-one was more surprised than me. Am so proud of him (as long as he doesn’t get the Pulitzer first)
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How wonderful that you can share your joy of photography with your son, Pat!
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I have a few more suprises for him when he visits this week.
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This is just plain BEAUTIFUL and touching. I do the same and I take great joy in giving joy with my giveaways. Love your last sentence.
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Thanks Kiki. It is so rewarding when I see what he is doing with the camera.Perhaps he might be taking some photos at the next government meeting.
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Beautiful, both the image and the sweetness of your message. My card is on the way to you — I hope it gets there before 2021. Merry Christmas, Pat. ❤
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I know the post can be slow at the end of the year, but I think it will arrive by 2020. I am looking forward to it. I was sp thrilled to receive that pboto. His photographic talents are already overtaking mine.
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I order my Christmas cards from a printing company (they are a drawing of mine), and they got lost in Denver. I ordered more and I finally got some at the end of last week. So…
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I know you always draw your own, that is why I am so looking forward to it.
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❤
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A wonderful posting …. have a blessed evening .. SLP …
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A wonderful posting …. have a blessed evening .. SLP …
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Thankyou
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A lovely photo and a special gift for your son, not just a camera but a new interest that he can enjoy and maybe share with his children when they are old enough.
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He had really discovered photography and is doing a great job
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Photography must be in your son’s genes. Such a wonderful gift. Happy Christmas, Pat.
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He always brought some good photos from his business journeys, but only with the mobile phone camera. Now he is really developing his talent.
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and of course a happy Christmas to you
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Thank you, Pat. ❤
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Truly the best Xmas present is to be able to share knowledge with and, even better, be the instigator of a new hobby with someone you care about. That is a lovely story and I wish your son well with his photography.
Like you, I’m a non-believer but I derive great happiness from the Christmas holidays whether it’s in the colourful decorations, the tinsel, the bauble laden trees, or the smiles on most people’s faces – I even like the carols as I manage to avoid them in shops having done most of my shopping earlier. And I shall shortly be leaving to join my goddaughter and her family for a lovely Christmas meal, but not turkey. This year I have a choice of beef fillet or Weiner Schnitzel followed by lemon posset! I’m not able to help with serving meals to the homeless though, but the younger members are doing their bit and my help is merely financial. After Christmas I shall make more efforts to use my voice to make my government feel more responsible for this. Happy New Year to you.
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I was so happy and surprised to see how No. 2 son was getting interested in the world of photography and he is doing well at it.
I can only endorse your non believer ideas, although would be glad when I would not have to Organise so much alone. Mr. Swiss is now 80 years old and also had his mobility problems. We had beef filet yesterday for the Christmas Eve meal which is our big day in switzerland, and had veal steaks today in a morilles cream sauce. Now for a relaxing afternoon.
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