Noël en France (Christmas in France)
Joyeux Noël! (Merry Christmas!)
In France, Christmas goes by the name of Noël. This stems from the French phrase les
bonnes nouvelles, which means "the good news." This is in reference to the gospel and
spreading the word of Jesus Christ’s birth. Santa clause is called Père Noël, or more
affectionately “Papa Noël”, meaning “Father Christmas.” He is dressed in old fashioned
robes trimmed with fur, and carries a sack of gifts.
Le Père Fouettard (French for The whipping Father) is a character who accompanies
Père Noël in his rounds during St. Nicholas' Day (6 December) dispensing lumps of coal
and/or floggings to the naughty children while St. Nick gives gifts to the well behaved.
He is known mainly in the Eastern regions of France, although similar characters exist all
over Europe. This "Whipping Father" was said to bring a stick with him to spank all of
the naughty kids who misbehaved.
Gift Giving in France
Like many countries in Western Europe, the Christmas season in France begins with
Saint Nicholas’ Day, December 6th. In eastern areas of France, particularly AlsaceLorraine, parents give children their Christmas gifts on Saint Nicholas’ Day, as opposed
to Christmas Day, which is reserved for religious services and a family dinner. In other
parts of France, Père Noël comes bearing gifts on Christmas Eve for the good children.
He places small treats and toys in the children’s shoes, which they leave by the fireplace.
Adults often wait until New Years Day to exchange gifts with one another.
French Christmas Symbols
Christmas trees can be found in France, though they are not as popular as they are in
Germany, Great Britain and the United States. By far the most popular Christmas symbol
in France is the nativity scene, or Christmas Crèche. Introduced by Saint Francis of Assisi
in 1224, the Christmas Crèche did not really catch on in popularity until the time of the
Renaissance of the 16th Century.
Many regions of France also use Santons in their Christmas decorations. Translated,
santons mean little saints. The small village of Aubagne, in the Provençal region of
France, is considered the world capital of santons. Santons became popular during the
French Revolution, when many churches were closed and larger nativity scenes were
outlawed. Along with biblical figures, santons can also represent everyday people, such
as a mayor, a baker, policemen or a local priest.
French Christmas Cuisine
The traditional French Christmas dinner usually takes place after the midnight mass on
Christmas eve. Called le reveillon, the main dishes of this holiday dinner vary from
region to region. In Alsace, goose is served as the main dish, while in Brittany buckwheat
pancakes with sour cream are a featured dish. Turkey and chestnuts are popular in
Burgundy, while in Paris and Il-de-France region oysters are served. Of course, no
French Christmas dinner would be complete without the traditional log shaped cake,
Buche de Noël.
Twelfth Night /Epiphany
In Provençal, children would go outside during Twelfth Night (the day before the
Epiphany) to meet with the three kings who were on their way to give the Baby Jesus his
gifts. The children would give the three kings food for themselves and their pages. In
return, the kings would give the children gifts. In honor of this occasion, another popular
Christmas dessert, known as the Cake of The King, was served. Decorated with designs
of stars, crown, dragons and flowers, a special bean or trinket was baked inside. Whoever
got the piece with the bean was “king” for the following year. Popular up until the 19th
Century, the Cake of the King still graces the holiday tables in French-speaking Quebec,
where old world customs are still practiced. A similar cake, simply called Kings Cake, is
served in Louisiana, to mark the start of the Mardi Gras season.
Read more at Suite101: Christmas in France: French Holiday Traditions
http://www.suite101.com/content/christmas-in-france-a34540#ixzz17it5jN7m