Noël en France.
(To hear some French Christmas carols, clique ICI)
(For a Christmas quiz, clique ICI)

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

In many parts of France (especially the North and the East) 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 with his donkey carrying treats and gifts for children.  (Below is a traditional song for Saint Nicholas.)

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 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. 

On 6 December, in many French towns, there are parades with beautifully decorated floats - enacting the arrival of Saint Nicholas and his evil companion 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.

 Le Réveillon de Noël is Christmas Eve dinner.  After midnight, French families eat a big, 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 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. 

     Special Christmas dinners usually consist of seafood, oysters, snails, smoked salmon, caviar, turkey or goose, and for dessert a Christmas log called La Bûche de Noël.  French sparkling wine called champagne is drunk.

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.)

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 and not associated with Christmas.

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) to celebrate the Three Kings who followed the star to find the Baby Jesus (l'Enfant Jésus).  This occasion is called L' Epiphanie.  The King Cake is round and made of puff pastry.  It can be plain or filled with marzipan.  It is served warm.

Inside the cake, 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.

 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 receive 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. 

  The rule of the game is that the King or Queen must buy or make the next cake for the next party. The King Cake parties take place in France 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!