French Christmas Traditions
Christmas, always called 'Noël in France, is largely
characterized by exchanging gifts within families, and by gifts brought by
Father Christmas, or Père Noël, as he's called in France. French
children put their shoes in front of the fireplace, in the hopes that
Père Noël (aka Papa Noël) will fill them with gifts.
Family celebrations begin with the
decoration of the Christmas tree a few days before Christmas; candles and
lights, tinsel and many colored stars are attached to it. On Christmas Eve when
the children are asleep, little toys, candies and fruits are hung on the
branches of the tree as a supplement to the gifts Père Noël has
left in the shoes before the fireplace.
In some parts of France Père Noël brings small gifts on St. Nicholas Eve (December 6) and visits again on Christmas. In other places it is le petit Jésus who brings the gifts. Generally, adults wait until New Year's Day to exchange gifts.
Local and regional Christmas traditions are still rich and varied, with the Christmas meal being an important family gathering with good meat and the best wine. Le reveillon is a very late supper held after midnight mass on Christmas Eve. The menu for the meal varies according to regional culinary tradition. In Alsace, goose is the main course, in Burgundy it's turkey with chestnuts, and the Parisians feast upon oysters, lobster, and pate de foie gras (often carved in the shape of a Yule log). It is traditional in Provence to cap the reveillon with thirteen desserts, symbolizing Christ and the twelve apostles.
France being a Catholic country, Crèches (nativity scenes) are everywhere and are very detailed and beautiful.
Explore more about French Christmas Traditions
Christmas in France - French
Christmas Customs and Traditions
In France, Christmas is a
time for family and for generosity, marked by family reunions, gifts and candy
for children, gifts for the poor, Midnight Mass, and le Réveillon.
Christmas traditions & customs
round the world. How different...
Christmas tradition and custom are
different in every country, and Father Christmas - Santa Claus -has many names.
How people abroad celebrate Christmas in: Belgium, Brazil, Finland, France,
Germany, Latvia, Russia, Sweden, USA and the West
Christmas
Decorations And Social Customs
In many countries, businesses, schools,
and communities have Christmas parties and dances in the weeks before
Christmas. Christmas pageants may include a retelling of the story of the birth
of Christ. Groups may visit neighborhood homes to sing Christmas carols. Others
do volunteer work or hold fundraising drives for charities.
Holiday Traditions - France
Christmas customs, originating in the Middle East, were introduced to France by
the Romans. Reims was the site of the first French Christmas celebration when,
in 496, Clovis and his 3,000 warriors were baptized. Bishop Rémi had
purposely chosen the day of the Nativity for this ceremony. Other important
events eventually took place on Christmas day in the following years.
christmas in france
These files
will explain some of the traditions and customs that surround a Christmas
celebration in France.
Christmas in France. Santa's Net.
Christmas Traditions. Christmas...
Christmas in
France a Christmas Tradition Around the World at Santas.Net Home of everything
to do with christmas and Santa Claus and How Christmas is celebrated around the
world.
French Christmas Traditions
- Americans in France
Christmas in France is a holiday spent with family
and wonderful food. Nowhere is the importance of dinning in French culture more
evident than at Christmas.
Christmas Traditions in France and
in Canada
From the Middle Ages up to today, the living cultural
tradition inherits and borrows from the different cultures it encounters.
Despite the everchanging evolution of tradition, due mainly to history and
changes of mentalities, French legacy remains vivid in the Canadian tradition
in Quebec as well as in the Western provinces. The perenniality of the English
customs and the magic of the American tradition add to the wealth of the
Canadian heritage.
Christmas Tradition
Origins
Why do we have Christmas trees and other xmas trivia
My Christmas Tradition
Every December, I involve my entire family in an attempt to establish a
Christmas tradition. Finally after years of effort, my perseverance has paid
off. I have established one - that being, the annual attempt to establish a
Christmas tradition.
French law makes Christmas
tradition a political issue
As Christmas approaches, France is
awakening to the realization that a new law banning conspicuous religious
symbols at schools - a measure used mainly to keep Muslim girls from wearing
traditional Islamic head scarves to class - can cut both ways.
