Noël en France.

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        To say 'Merry Christmas' you say 'Joyeux Noël.'  Father Christmas is le Père Noël.

In many parts of France (especially in the North and the East of France) Christmas celebrations begin on the 6 December - also known as Saint Nicholas' Day.  The celebrations take place because, once upon a time, there were three children who got lost in the countryside. 
An evil butcher kidnapped them. 
Luckily, Saint Nicholas rescued the children and returned them to their parents.  This is why Saint Nicholas is known as the protector of children.  Another name for him is Santa Claus!

On the night of 5 December (the eve of Saint Nicholas) children place their shoes in front of the fireplace and they sing traditional songs to the saint before going to bed.  They believe that he will arrive on his donkey carrying treats and gifts for children. 
Below is a traditional song for the celebration of Saint Nicholas' Day.

The words to the song above are:-
Il était trois petits enfants
There were three little children
Qui s'en allaient glaner aux champs.
Who would go to gather grain in the fields.
S'en vinrent un soir chez un boucher.
They came across a butcher's house one evening.
"Boucher, voudrais-tu nous coucher?"
"Butcher, can we sleep at your house?"
"Entrez, entrez, petits enfants.
"Come in, come in, little children.
Il y a de la place assurément!"
Of course there is room!"

On the morning of 6 December, children awake to find their shoes filled with treats.  Naughty children receive a little bundle of twigs tied together with a ribbon! 
Most children will receive some twigs in addition to their presents, just to represent any times they have been naughty.

 
There is also a Christmas bogeyman called le Père Fouettard.  He represents the evil butcher who kidnapped the children.  He follows Saint Nicholas.  He carries a whip, is dressed in black and his face is the colour of coal.  He brings no presents. 

The name of Le Père Fouettard comes from the word for
'the whip.'      Le fouet = the whip.

On 6 December, in many French towns, there are parades with beautifully decorated floats - enacting the arrival of Saint Nicholas and his evil companion le Père Fouettard.  This is a celebration for the whole family.

In one French town called Saint-Nicolas-de-Port, the parade on 6 December leads Saint Nicholas to the Town Hall where the Mayor officially welcomes the saint and gives him 'the key of the city'.  After this ceremony, watched by the families of the town, there is a fireworks display.

 In the city of Lyon there is a wonderful
Festival Of Lights.  It is called La Fête des Lumières. 
It is a four day festival, starting on 5 December and finishing
on 8 December. 
Why does it take place on these dates? 
In France, the 8 December is a celebration in honour of the The Virgin Mary.
In Lyon, during this festival, everyone places candles on their window sills. 

The buildings are lit up with coloured lights and the streets are decorated with illuminations.
 
Above:- a photo of the Hôtel de Ville of Lyon, lit up during the Festival Of Lights. 
(This photo is by Antoine Taveneaux, source: Wikimedia Commons)

Le Réveillon de Noël is Christmas Eve dinner.  At around midnight, French families eat a special meal to celebrate the very beginning of Christmas Day. 
 
French children leave their shoes out in front of the fireplace in the hope that le Père Noël (Father Christmas) will fill them with treats and will place gifts on and around the Christmas tree (le sapin de Noël) for when they awake on Christmas morning. 
                  le sapin de Noël

     Special Christmas dinners usually consist of seafood, oysters, snails, smoked salmon, caviar, turkey or goose.  For dessert there is always a sponge and buttercream Christmas log called La bûche de Noël.  French sparkling wine called champagne is drunk.

Photo of la bûche de Noël.  The cake is decorated with Christmas figurines and meringue mushrooms.

Here are some French Christmas proverbs:

Décembre trop beau, été dans l'eau.
(If the weather in December is too nice,
the summer will be wet.)

Here are some more Christmas words:-
Le Jour de Noël - Christmas Day
La Nativité - The Nativity Scene
Marie et Joseph - Mary and Joseph
L'Enfant Jésus - The Baby Jesus
L'ange - the angel
L'étoile - the star
Bethléem - Bethlehem
L' âne - the donkey
Le berger - the shepherd
La crèche - the crib, the manger, or, The Nativity Scene
Les Rois Mages - The Three Kings
Le chant de Noël - the Christmas carol
Le soulier de Noël - the Christmas stocking  (The French words actually say 'the Christmas shoe.')

New Year's Eve is called La Saint-Sylvestre (Saint Sylvester's Day).  There is a special dinner in the evening called Le Réveillon de Saint-Sylvestre.  There are parties and presents too.  New Year gifts are called les étrennes.

To say 'Happy New Year' you say 'Bonne Année.'  This actually means 'Good Year.'

At midnight at New Year it is the custom to kiss under the mistletoe (le gui). In France, mistletoe is a New Year tradition. There is an old French saying:- 'Au gui l'an neuf.'  This means:- 'Mistletoe for the new year.'

New Year's Day is called Le Jour de l'An.  Lots of people make a New Year Resolution.  This is called Une bonne résolution de Nouvel An.
There are some traditional New Year songs in France.  One of them is sung to the same tune as Auld Lang Syne.  It is called Choral des Adieux.
 
  During the first days of January, a special cake is prepared called La galette des Rois (King Cake).  The cake is officially eaten on 6 January in celebration of the journey of The Three Kings (Les Rois Mages) who followed the star of Bethlehem, found the Baby Jesus (l'Enfant Jésus) and gave Him their gifts.  
This celebration is called L' Épiphanie. 
The King Cake is round and made of puff pastry.  It can be plain or filled with marzipan.  It is served warm.

 
 Miam-miam! C'est délicieux!

Inside la galette des Rois, a special trinket is hidden.  This trinket is called une fève - meaning 'a bean.' 
It used to be the tradition to find a 'dried bean' inside the cake but nowadays the trinkets can be anything from lucky horseshoes to little figurines.
You must be careful when eating the cake - just in case you bite into the hidden trinket and damage your teeth!

 On the last day of Christmas (6 January) parties take place in France and the cake is served.  Usually a child hides under the table and shouts out the name of the next person to be served a slice of the King Cake. 
When everyone has their piece of cake, it is then discovered who has won the trinket that was hidden inside. That person  becomes the 'king' or 'queen' of the party and wears a golden paper crown. 

                                 Je suis très important!

  The rule of the game is that the King (le roi) or Queen (la reine) must buy or make the next cake for the next party.
The King Cake parties are so popular that they often continue until the end of January!

During the French Revolution the King Cake was not allowed to be called by that name.  The word 'king' was not very popular at that time in France, so the cake was re-named 
Le Gâteau de l'Égalité - meaning 'the equality cake.'

Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année!

(To visit the Christmas jukebox, clique ICI)

(For a French Christmas quiz, clique ICI. )