Etude biblique Fête de Noël

That means that instead of a pretty straight Bible Study from 19h00 to about 21h30, we'll have food (pizzas, nuts, crisps, etc) and two talkettes. I am doing prophecies and Sammy is doing presents.

The kind of food we are having is called a collation. Of course, we use that word in English, but often with a different meaning.

There are various kinds of after service food that occurs in the church. (tongue in cheek alert...)

1) un apero : this is crisps, nuts, little pieces of pizza, small open sandwiches, served with fruit juice and sometimes white wine with blackcurrant syrup in it (there's a name for this - I think it is called kir)

2) une collation : to the crisps, nuts, pizza and sandwiches add cakes and biscuits. Une collation is served with tea and coffee, herb teas and sometimes hot chocolate.

3) un pique-nique / un repas tiré du sac : (this had me baffled the first time I heard it - it means a meal pulled out of a bag - echoes of Tommy Cooper "meal, bag, bag, meal ... har har har ... just like that") Anyway with this you bring your own food and you eat your own food. Pique-nique is pronounced peek-neek in standard French, but in Bordeaux usually peeker-neek or even peeker-neeker.

4) un repas commun - this is where you bring a dish, maybe some salads, a roast, a dish of meaty goo, a dessert, or whatever, and you pull out massive tables, all sit round and eat and talk for a long, long time. In Britain I was an insufferable purist - one dessert and you do not mix chocolate and fruit! Here I do as the French do and take a small amount of everything I fancy. GREAT!

One little warning. Tarts are eaten as they come, with no cream or custard on top.

Anyway in my preparation for tonight I have been struck again by the amazing cohesion of the Bible - one book, many centuries. Many authors, one subject - the Lord Jesus Christ.

Comments

Emmanuel said…
In our part, by the swiss border, we also had un repas canadien: a bit like the repas commun. Everybody brings a main dish (salad or else), and a pudding, and then we share everything.
Anonymous said…
Years ago I lived in Germany and visited France. I've often wished to go back to both. Have a wonderful holiday season and a Merry Christmas. Your after service meal possibilities sound yummy.
Alan said…
Nice to hear from you, Robbie. When you come back to France, visit Bordeaux and try some foie gras and some Arcachon oysters. (In fact you can have mine!)

Bonnes fêtes!

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