Christmas in
France
A guide to celebrating Christmas in
France
Merry Christmas and a
Happy New Year!
Joyeux Noël! Bonne Année!
The celebration of Christmas in France varies by region. Most
provinces celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December, which
is a bank holiday. However, in eastern and northern France, the
Christmas season begins on 6 December, la fête de Saint
Nicolas, and in some provinces la fête des Rois* is one the most
important holidays of the Christmas season. In Lyon, 8
December is la Fête de lumières, when Lyonnais pay hommage
to the virgin Mary by putting candles in their windows which light
up the village.
Traditions and Customs
French children put their shoes in front of the fireplace,
in the hopes that Père Noël (aka Papa Noël) will fill
them with gifts. Candy, fruit, nuts, and small toys will
also be hung on the tree overnight. There's also Père
Fouettard who gives out spankings to bad children
(sort of the equivalent of Santa Claus giving coal to the
naughty).
There is also a law in France that Father Christmas must
respond to each letter he receives!
A Letter to Father
Christmas in French
Cher Papa Noël,
Comment vas-tu ? Et ta femme ? Est-ce qu'il fait froid chez vous ?
Je m'appelle Laura et j'ai 10 ans. Ma famille et moi avons déjà
décoré le sapin de Noël,
mais il n'y a pas de cadeaux en dessous, donc je t'écris.
Je veux un bon cadeau cette année ! L'année dernière, tu m'as
donné des livres,
merci beaucoup, mais je voulais une bicyclette.
S'il te plaît, peux-tu me la donner cette année ?
Merci beaucoup Papa Noël et joyeux Noël et bonne Année !
Laura
Write your own letter in
French
Cher Papa Noël,
Comment vas-tu ? Est-ce qu'il fait froid chez vous ?
Ici, le temps est ………………………………….
Je m'appelle …………… et j'ai ……. ans.
Ma famille et moi avons déjà décoré le sapin de
Noël,
Je voudrais …………………………………………….
Merci beaucoup Papa Noël et joyeux Noël et bonne
Année !
…………………………………………
French Vocabulary
Match the words to the pictures
un l’arbre de noel
Papa Noel
la neige
une chandelle
un cadeau de Noël
Jingle Bells
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)
Bûche de Noël
INGREDIENTS:
¾ cup self raising flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate
chips
¾ cup whipping cream
Cocoa Frosting (recipe follows)
5 eggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar,
divided
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup icing sugar
White Chocolate Curls (recipe
follows)
2 teaspoons unsweetened
cocoa powder
PREPARATION:
1.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease 15-1/2X10-1/2-inch swiss roll pan; line pan with waxed paper. Grease waxed
paper; set tin aside. Place flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl; stir to combine. Beat egg yolks and 2/3
cup granulated sugar in small bowl with electric mixer at high speed about 5 minutes or until thick and lemoncolored, scraping down side of bowl once. Beat in vanilla; set aside.
2.
Beat egg whites in clean large bowl using clean beaters with electric mixer at high speed until foamy. Gradually
beat in remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until stiff peaks form.
3.
Fold flour mixture into egg yolk mixture; fold into egg white mixture until evenly incorporated. Spread mixture
into prepared pan. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched with finger.
4.
Lightly sift icing sugar over clean dish towel. Loosen warm cake from edges of pan; invert onto prepared towel.
Remove pan; carefully peel off waxed paper. Gently roll up cake in towel from short end, swiss roll style. Let
rolled cake cool completely on wire rack.
5.
For chocolate filling, place chocolate chips and cream in heavy 1-quart saucepan. Heat over low heat until
chocolate is melted, stirring frequently. Pour into small bowl; stir in rum. Cover and refrigerate about 1-1/2 hours
or until filling is of spreading consistency, stirring occasionally.
6.
Prepare Cocoa Frosting and White Chocolate Curls; refrigerate until ready to use.
7.
Unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cake with chilled chocolate filling to within 1/2 inch of edge; re-roll cake.
Spread Cocoa Frosting over cake roll. Garnish with White Chocolate Curls. Sprinkle with cocoa.
Chocolate Frosting
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted*
½ cup icing sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
PREPARATION:
1.
Beat cream, cocoa, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer at
medium speed until soft peaks form. Do not overbeat. Refrigerate
until ready to use.
Christmas Vocabulary
Quiz
You may want to use a dictionary to find the correct answer.
Find out what the other words mean too!
1 It has lights, tinsel, and a star
on top.
a)
b)
c)
d)
un bonhomme de neige
le gui
l'arbre de Noël
une peluche
2 Rudolph is one.
a)
b)
c)
d)
un
un
un
un
santon
ruban
renne
ange
3 Stand under this so that I
can kiss you.
a)
b)
c)
d)
la veille de Noël
un ruban
le gui
la bûche de Noël
4 He lives at the North Pole.
a)
b)
c)
d)
Père Fouettard
Papa Noël
la Saint-Sylvestre
la Messe de Minuit
5 une carte de Noël
a)
b)
c)
d)
Christmas
Christmas
Christmas
Christmas
carol
present
card
tree
6
Snowball
a)
b)
c)
d)
le pain calendeau
une boule de neige
un bonhomme de neige
un santon
Photographs
Champs Elysees in Lights
Bûche de Noël
French Christmas Markets