What do they call the Christmas in France?

In France, Santa is called Père Noël (pronounced Peh-r No-eh-l), literally 'Father Christmas. ' As you may have guessed, the word for 'Christmas' is Noël, and it's named after the Saint who is celebrated on December 25. Back before Père Noël became the symbol of Christmas, the French celebrated Saint Nicolas.

What is the word for Christmas in France?

The French translation for Christmas is Noël.

What do France call Santa?

Santa Claus, as in other cultures and languages, there are many ways to call Santa Claus in French, like, “Père Noël”, “Papa Noël”, “Saint Nicolas”. The most commonly used “Père Noël”.

What is the night before Christmas called in France?

Let's look at the réveillon de noël first:

Le réveillon de noël is on the 24th December. While Christmas Eve in English refers to the whole day, le réveillon is only the evening. Families gather together to prepare and eat a feast of fine food, and swap gifts.

What is the name of the Christmas Eve feast in France?

In France, the main festive Christmas meal is enjoyed on the Christmas Eve - December 24th. The tradition has its name - it's called Le Réveillon - and basically it's a long dinner followed by staying up all night for the arrival of Père Noël: Father Christmas - French Santa Claus.

What is Christmas like in France?

Why is it called Réveillon?

A réveillon (French: [ʁevɛjɔ̃]) is a long dinner held in the evening preceding Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. Its name descends from the word réveil (meaning "waking"), because participation involves staying awake until morning, as the meal finishes.

What are 3 facts about Christmas in France?

These are some unique facts about Christmas in France. The word “Noël” first appeared in France in the 12th century. Christmas was set on December 25th by a Pope in 354. Christmas trees came to France from Germany in the 16th century.

What does Santa look like in France?

Père Noël, much like Father Christmas or Santa, is generally seen in France as a kindly old man with a white beard, wearing red robes with white fur lining. Since the first references to this character, which appeared in the 19th century, he has become a central image of Christmas for French children.

Do the French put up Christmas trees?

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.

What do the French eat for Christmas?

Christmas Dinner

Dishes might include roast turkey with chestnuts or roast goose, oysters, foie gras, lobster, venison and cheeses. For dessert, a chocolate sponge cake log called a bûche de Noël is normally eaten. Another celebration, in some parts of France, is that 13 different desserts are eaten!

What are 5 facts about Christmas in France?

What does France do on Christmas Day?

So more and more, French people celebrate Christmas on December 25th, with a late lunch (kind of like Thanksgiving in the US). First we have a drink of Champagne and some finger food as we open the presents, then a long, delicious, scrumptious French Christmas meal.

Does France do Boxing Day?

December 26th – Boxing Day/Saint Stephen's Day (Deuxième jour de Noël) This holiday is only celebrated in the Moselle and Alsace regions. Churches here host special church services to celebrate Saint Stephen. The holiday may affect public transport in these regions, so check the local schedules.

Why are shops closed on Monday in France?

But where does this tradition of closing on Mondays come from? The reason lies in France's enshrined labour code, the Code du Travail, which was first published in 1910.

What do French children call Santa?

In France, the name for Santa is simply Père Noël, which translates to Father Christmas. You might also hear the little ones calling him Papa Noël, but it all amounts to the same thing.

Does French Santa say Ho Ho Ho?

Although the Père Noël largely resembles this image, there are a few differences that make him French – and no, it's not because he walks around with a baguette and cigarette in hand, nor does he say “Oh là là” instead of “Ho ho ho”. Here are a few reasons why the French Santa Claus is different.

What does Santa eat in France?

In France, children leave out carrots and cookies in their shoes. The French make sure Santa Claus isn't hungry by leaving him treats — like biscuits — as well as carrots for the reindeer. They typically leave the goodies in their shoes and awake to find the food gone and presents in their place.

What do French children do for Christmas?

What is Christmas like in France? Forget about stockings, it's all about the shoes as each child leaves a pair of their own shoes at the foot of the Christmas tree before going to bed on Christmas Eve. This means Father Christmas will know exactly where to leave everyone's presents.

What is the French Christmas shoe tradition?

Why a shoe and not a stocking? The favourite British tradition of the Christmas stocking isn't really a thing in France, as it's replaced by children leaving out their shoes and boots for St Nicholas instead.

What are the 13 desserts of Christmas in France?

What do French call New Year's Eve?

December 31st - New Year's Eve is called la Saint-Sylvestre and is celebrated with a feast by most people, called le Réveillon de Saint-Sylvestre unsurprisingly (31 December is his saint's day).

What do French children traditionally do on the night of December 5th?

On the night of the 5th of December, kids will leave a shoe or stocking in front of the fireplace and awaken to find it filled with presents or candies (If they have been good and kind of course!). Learn more about this tradition.

What do they eat at Le Réveillon?

Le Réveillon is a traditional late-night feast or party held when families return from la Messe de Minuit (Midnight Mass) on Christmas Eve. While the food tradition varies from region to region, the meal is full of lavish delicacies including oysters, foie gras, escargot, and roasted fowl.

Do the French have Christmas crackers?

Though cracker-pioneer Tom Smith found his 19th-century inspiration in Paris (with bonbons in paper twists), crackers themselves remain virtually unknown in France.