CHRISTMAS INFORMATION

 CHRISTMAS IN FRANCE

Merry Christmas - Joyeux Noel

Celebrating Christmas in France reminds everyone of the very first Christmas. It

is usually a holiday for the children, while New Year's celebrations are for the

adults.

The Decorations

Family celebrations begin with the decoration of the Christmas tree a few days

before Christmas; candles and lights, tinsel and many colored stars are attached

to it. On Christmas Eve when the children are asleep, little toys, candies and

fruits are hung on the branches of the tree as a supplement to the gifts Pere

Noel (Santa Claus) has left in the shoes before the fireplace.

About a week before Christmas, the family sets up the creche (manger scene).

In the creche, they place Mary, Joseph, shepherds, angels, and the farm

animals. Baby Jesus is left out of the creche until the family returns from the

Christmas Eve midnight mass. The Three Wise Men are added to the creche on

Jan. 6th, the Epiphany.

The Tree

The Christmas tree has never been very popular in France. In Southern France,

a log is burned in people's homes from Christmas Eve until New Years Day. A

long time ago, part of the log was used to make the wedge for the plough as

good luck for the coming harvest.

The Gift Giver

On Christmas Eve, candles are lit around the creche. A Yule log is lit and carols

are sung. The children place their shoes in front of the fireplace, so that Pere

Noel can fill them with gifts. Pere Noels French partner is Pere Fouettard, father

spanker, and he will "reward" bad children with a spanking. The adults give each

others presents on New Year's Day.

At midnight everyone attends the Christmas mass. Churches and cathedrals,

large and small, are magnificently lit and echo the joyful melodies of carols and

bells. Many churches have a crèche or manger. Sometimes a real infant was

placed on the hay of the manger during the mass.

The Food

After midnight mass on Christmas Eve, the family returns home and has the

grand feast of the season, which is called le reveillon. Le reveillon is a very late

supper held after midnight mass on Christmas Eve. The menu for the meal may

be of stuffed turkey or goose, ham, salads, oysters, cake, fruit, and wine. The

French make a traditional Yule log-shaped cake called the buche de Nol, which

means "Christmas Log."