Christmas en France
See Video
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xcwkvq_christmas-in-france_lifestyle
Christmas en France
Objectives
- Learn some specific words such “la crêche” and
“les santons“, “Joyeux Noel”, “Bonne Année”
- Find out the legendary relationship between
Children and “Père Noel” (Santa Claus), “Le
Réveillon”)
- Learn about some cultural facts such as “la
Buche de Noel”, "Jingle Bells“, “La Fête des Rois”
Christmas in France
Instead of teaching an "Around the World" unit
about light festivals or Christmas, you may
want to feature this in-depth lesson about
Christmas in France.
See the link
http://www.everythingesl.net/lessons/french_christmas.php
Instructional Sequence
• Christmas trees
called “arbres de
Noel” or “sapins”
have become
very famous and
fashionable in
France.
• But “la crèche” is a
major Christmas
holiday decoration.
• “La crèche” is a
depiction of the birth
of Jesus as described in
the gospels of Matthew
and Luke.
• People pass their
"santons“ down through
the generations.
• There are “santons”
representing not only the
wise men and the holy
family but local
merchants also.
• During the Christmas
season, santon makers
gather in Marseille and
other locales in
southeastern France to
display and sell their
wares.
Children and Père Noel
• Have students keep in
mind French children put
their shoes by the
fireplace on Christmas Eve
in hopes that "Père Noel"
(Santa Claus) will bring
them some toys.
• “Père Noel” is tall and
thin. He has a long red
robe trimmed with fur. He
brings toys to children in a
sack
• On Christmas Eve everyone
eats a huge dinner called "Le
Reveillon.“
• In France it is a time for the
whole family to come
together at Christmas time to
holiday and worship. On the
eve of Christmas beautifully
lit churches and cathedrals,
ring out Christmas carols with
the church bells.
• Dinner is over and the family
has retired to bed, they leave
a fire burning and food and
drink on the table in case the
Virgin Mary calls in.
• After this large dinner
of goose, turkey,
chicken, or beef; a fish
dish, cheese, bread,
wine, and fruit, many
families serve a "Buche
de Noel."
• The “Buche de Noel” is a
sponge cake decorated
like a yule log.
• Some families burn a real
log in the fireplace.
Download our PDF Yule
Log.
• Students can make a
replica of a"Buche de
Noel." See Make a Buche
de Noel.
• French families think that
mistletoe is also lucky and
hang it everywhere.
• Have students write a
wish for the New Year on
an index card and attach it
to the downloaded
Mistletoe picture.
Watch Video Noel in Paris
Watch Video Noel in Paris
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rrnKA2AGjo&feature=related
Teach your students how to say to
each other.
“Joyeux Noël”
(Merry Christmas)
“Bonne Année”
(Happy New Year)
Happy Hannakkuh is
“Joyeux Hannakuh.”
Have students practice in
groups.
Le Jour de l’An
Hilarious Video to say “Bonne Année”
Le Jour de l’An (First Day of The New Year)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x63h49_le-jour-de-lan-les-inconnus_fun
"Jingle Bells" in French
Teach your students to sing "Jingle
Bells" in French. Here are the
words:
"Jingle Bells" in French
• Tintez Cloches, Tintez
Cloches
(Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells)
• Tintez dans la nuit
(Ring in the night)
• Pere Noel et ses grand
daims
(Santa Claus and his big
reindeer)
• Arrivent toute de suite..ite
(Are coming soon)
La Fête des Rois
(Feast of the Magi)
La Fête des Rois (Feast of the Magi)
• This is a children’s holiday. A
butter “galette” (cake) is
baked and a “feve” (favor) is
placed inside.
• The “galette” is cut into
pieces and the child who
finds the “feve” is “roi”
(king) or “reine” (queen) for
the day.
• That child receives a
“couronne” (crown) and the
other children say “Vive le
roi or Vive la reine)!
Instructional Sequence
• You can buy a cake
and put a bean in it
to use as a favor. Or
bake a cake using a
mix.
• Keep track of where
the favor is so that
you are sure it has
been served.
Teach students
“J’aime la galette”
in the following way:
• J’aime la galette
• Savez vous comment?
• Quand elle est bien
faite
• Avec le beurre dedans
• Tra la la la la
• Tra la la la la
• I like the galette
• Do you know how it is
made?
• How well it is made
• With butter
• Tra la la la la
• Tra la la la la
1.Teach students “J’aime la galette” in
the following way:
• J’aime la galette (walk in a
circle holding hands to the
right)
• Savez vous comment?
(change directions - go left)
• Quand elle est bien faite
(go right)
• Avec le beurre dedans (go
left)
• Tra la la la la (hands over
head, walk in )
• Tra la la la la (step back to
place in circle)
• 2. Cut the “galette” and
give to students. Instruct
them to wait.
• 3. Everyone must eat
carefully and at the same
time. Teach students to say
“Miam” Miam” (yum, yum)
When a student finds it ,
they must say “le voici.”
• 4. Crown the king or queen.
Students say “Vive la roi or
la reine”
• This is a children’s holiday. A butter “galette”
(cake) is baked and a “feve” (favor) is placed
inside.
• The “galette” is cut into pieces and the child
who finds the “feve” is “roi” (king) or “reine”
(queen) for the day.
• That child receives a “couronne” (crown) and
the other children say “Vive le roi or Vive la
reine)!
Assessment – See worksheet
Please, remember only ONE answer is correct.
1- The phrase “arbres de Noel” means _________________________.
A- Christmas wedding
B- Christmas trees
C- Christmas party
2- The French word “sapins” is _______________________________.
A- a famous and fashionable tree for Christmas
B- a way of dressing up on Christmas Day
C- an outlook upon Christmas party
3- The French phrase “la crèche” reports to ____________________.
A- a major Christmas holiday decoration
B- a depiction of the birth of Jesus
C- all above
4- The French "santons“_____________
A- represent all below
B- represent wise men and holy family
C- report to local merchants
5- Why are French children putting their shoes by the fireplace on
Christmas Eve?
A- They believe in getting gifts from "Père Noel"
B- They hope they will spend a nice party
C- They are ready to meet with local merchants
6- Which of the following is the best description of that "Père Noel" ?
A- He is tall and thin. He has a long red robe trimmed with fur. He brings
toys to children in a sack.
B- He is fat and heavy. He has a short red robe trimmed with fur. He
brings toys to children in a package.
C- She is tall and thin. She has a long red robe trimmed with fur. She
brings toys to children in a sack.
7- On Christmas Eve everyone eats a huge dinner called _________.
A- “Le Réveil
B- “Le santon”
C- “Le Réveillon”
8- The “Buche de Noel” is _________________________
A- a sponge gift decorated like a yule log.
B- a sponge toy non decorated like a yule log.
C- a sponge cake decorated like a yule log.
9- Why do French families hang mistletoe everywhere?
A- They think that mistletoe is also is a symbol of Christmas and hang it
everywhere.
B- French families think that mistletoe is a symbol of being lucky and
hang it everywhere.
C- French families think that mistletoe is also lucky and throw it away.
10- Based on the following French phrases
“Joyeux Noël” , AND “Bonne Année”, which of
the following combination of translations is
correct?
A- “Merry Christmas” and “See you next year”
B- “See you next Christmas” and “See you next year”
C- “Merry Christmas” and “Happy new year”
11- “Le Jour de l’An” correspond to ____________.
A- January 31st
B- December 1st
C- January 1st