Christmas in France

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Christmas in France (French: Noël en France) is a major annual celebration, as in most countries of the Christian world. Christmas is celebrated as a public holiday in France being celebrated on December 25, same as the United States and other countries.

Public life on Christmas Day is generally very quiet. Post offices, banks, stores, restaurants, cafes and other businesses are closed. Many people in France put up a Christmas tree, visit a special church service, eat an elaborate meal and open Christmas presents on Christmas Eve (Réveillon de Noël). Many people spend Christmas Day quietly and some attend a special church service. Popular activities also include walking in a park or the countryside and sharing a meal with family and close friends.

Video Christmas in France

Père Noël

Père Noël (French pronunciation: [p?? n?.?l]), "Father Christmas", sometimes called Papa Noël ("Daddy Christmas"), is a legendary gift-bringer at Christmas in France and other French-speaking areas, identified with the Father Christmas and/or Santa Claus of English-speaking territories. According to tradition, on Christmas Eve children leave their shoes by the fireplace filled with carrots and treats for Père Noël's donkey, Gui (French for "Mistletoe") before they go to bed. Père Noël takes the offerings and, if the child has been good, leaves presents in their place. Presents are traditionally small enough to fit in the shoes; candy, money or small toys.

Maps Christmas in France

Music

Carols

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Food

Some typical French Christmas food include:

• Omelets
• Truffles
• Rabbit terrine
• Roasted capon
• Garlic soup
• Salad, peas, green beans, carrots and potatoes
• Small chocolate and sweet candies

Traditional French Christmas food includes a lot of meats (Ham, Turkey, Chicken and Beef) with sides like mashed potatoes, beans, salad, peas and carrots. Soup and bread is also very popular. Deserts include Yule log cake, cupcakes, muffins and other cakes along with small sweet and chocolate candies.

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Decoration and decore

Decorating for Christmas is very common in France. Many households, public spaces and businesses are decorated with lights and Christmas trees. Advent wreaths (Couronnes de l'Avent) are also common, they are made up of fir and pine tree branches for the first Sunday of Advent. The Advent wreath is topped by four candles, symbolising the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. Each candle is lit on each of the Sundays before Christmas.

Trees can either be elaborately decorated or can have a simple homely and traditional décor. Instead of putting up ornamental Christmas decorations on the trees, often red ribbons are used for decorating the trees. Glass or plastic ornaments that resemble the apples that were traditionally hung from Christmas trees in France are also used for decorating the trees. Small white candles are also used. The use of the mistletoe considered to bring good luck and every household in France hangs mistletoe on the doors during Christmas. It is kept till New Year and there is a belief that if you kiss it at midnight, luck will favour you and you'll be filled with happiness and prosperity in the coming year.

Some other popular decorations include shoes instead of stockings, the use of candles are very popular and are typically set on tables during Christmas meals or set on window sills. Many French households especially Christian one have nativity scenes recreates the native scene with baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, different types of animals and the countrymen. Also known as the creche, it is kept in the living room and can be elaborate or simple, depending on individual preferences.

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See also

• Christmas traditions

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Notes

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External links

Source of article : Wikipedia