December and winter has well and truly arrived!

The village is shrouded in a glistening white coat and there is a gleaming light when it is sunny.  The blanket of snow deadens all noise so that the joyful shouts of the children and adults alike, as they pull their sledges up the hills and have fun in the white splendor can be heard all the better. When there is a lot of snow Jack and Jess like to jump off high walls landing in the soft, deep snow.  Here and there the first Christmas decorations hesitantly appear, a few candles, fir branches or wreaths.  The kids spent Sunday morning dressing the Christmas tree (thanks to Leilani and Sequoia) while it snowed heavily in the back ground. With such a mix in cultures and Christmas beliefs we thought we would stick to our roots and put the tree up in early December, and besides, its our first white Christmas.  What better way to spend the morning than drinking hot chocolates laced with marshmallows,  dressing the tree in pajamas and watching the giant snow flakes drift by the window. In the first weeks of December there is often a lot of snow, and it can be very cold. You could go skiing everywhere at this time, but the skiing season doesn't usually start until the second weekend in December.  You are all alone as the ski lifts are still closed. There is something magical about the untouched countryside covered in fresh snow.  Where the snow cannons had until now given nature a helping hand, they are now superfluous as enough snow is falling itself overnight.  The Christmas markets are also in full swing and we had the pleasure of discovering the magical atmosphere of the famous Montreux Christmas Market. With its countless attractions and more than 140 decorated chalets all overflowing with gifts and the scent of glorious Christmas fare.