christmas in france essay

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Christmas in France: Celebrations and Traditions

Last Updated:  18 November 2023

Ready for the most wonderful time of the year in France? Christmas is an enchanting time when the best attractions of Paris and France transform into the most festive winter wonderlands . During the holiday season, you’ll spot Christmas lights and trees in every city and town in the country. You’ll also find enchanting Christmas markets taking centre-stage in historic districts. The purpose of this article is to explain what makes Christmas in France the merriest time of year leading up to New Year’s Eve. This page includes a wide array of information about how Christmas is celebrated in true French style! Follow the links on this page to enter into a French winter wonderland…

The information on Christmas in France was last checked and/or updated on 27 October 2021.

Christmas in France: An Ever-changing Celebration

It may be tempting to believe that the Christmas traditions and customs we follow in our Western countries date back to ancient times.

However, this is not the case.

Most of them date back to the 19th century at the earliest.

This is the case with Santa Claus, Christmas presents, Advent calendars and Christmas glass baubles, tinsels and fairy lights on the tree.

A germanic influence

Moreover, it is clear that many Christmas traditions in France and in Europe have their origins in the German countries that were once part of the Holy Roman Empire (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Alsace, etc.).

For example, the tradition of the fir tree cut down in the forest to decorate the inside of houses comes to us from Alsace in the 16th century.

This is also the case for Christmas markets , the oldest of which are in Dresden, Nuremberg, Strasbourg and Vienna.

An American influence

From the 19th century onwards, the United States participated in the evolution of Christmas traditions in our Western societies. Thus, the character of Santa Claus (derived from St. Nicholas) began to make a place for himself in post-war Europe.

Christmas presents are also associated with the Christmas shopping frenzy. For it was in the United States that, slowly but surely, Christmas became a child-centred holiday .

Ancient traditions still survived

However, the French continue to follow a number of ancient traditions , some of which date back to pre-Christian times, particularly Celtic and Roman times. For example, people still decorate their houses with holly and celebrate Christmas on 25 December (the date replacing the Roman celebrations of Saturnalia during the winter solstice).

But above all, since the second half of the 20th century, we have witnessed the desecration of Christmas , whose central character, Jesus Christ, seems to be fading away in front of Father Christmas…

Thus, the fascinating history of Christmas traditions and customs continues to evolve in France and in our Western world.

What is Christmas in France like?

Christmas in France is made special with the multitude of Christmas illuminations and traditions found throughout the country.

From the end of November, the cities and towns of France transform into a magical wonderland with all the Christmas lights. 

In Paris or in Alsace, this is time for “ooh” and “ahh” at the Christmas light displays and festive markets.

People travel near and far to see the Eiffel Tower sparkling at night . They make sure not to miss the dazzling Christmas lights in the prestigious Avenue des Champs-Elysées .

Some of the festive attractions we can’t wait to see in Paris are the animated window displays of department stores Printemps and Galeries Lafayette.

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My eBook Christmas in Alsace – a Photographic Journey  contains 340+ photos, 256 pages and covers 16 destinations.

Illuminations, decorations, fir trees and delicious treats: this is a compilation of things I loved and experienced while visiting Alsace in December. 

These are photos shot during freezing nights in December… but also in the warm atmosphere of an authentic Christmas market.

It is a book especially dedicated to the discovery of the Christmas traditions that make Alsace such a unique holiday destination.

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Why is Christmas important in France?

Christmas is a big event for the nation which is diversely celebrated whether you are in Paris, in Normandy or in Provence.

• People in the Alsace region festoon their homes with elaborate Christmas decorations.
• In Provence, it is tradition to serve 13 desserts on Christmas’ Eve.
• In the Alps of Savoie, you may taste a delicious cheese-based dish such as fondue or raclette.

First of all, Christmas is a religious celebration that remembers the birth of Jesus-Christ in Bethlehem.

Then a great number of traditions have emerged such as the Advent wreaths and calendars, a great dinner on Christmas’ Eve, presents and gifts, without forgetting Christmas trees!

There are many stunning Christmas trees throughout France, but the ones of Strasbourg and Nancy are among the prettiest I’ve ever seen. Adorned in glowing lights, the twinkling Christmas trees are highlights that stand out during the festive season. 

I may be a bit biased, but nothing quite compares to Christmas time in Alsace . This is why you’ll find a lot of information and photos on this blog dedicated to this region in northeast France.

If you enjoy Christmas and everything that comes with it, Alsace is the place to be. There are Christmas decorations all over the cities and villages, and countless Christmas markets which attracts masses of visitors daily.

The characters of Christmas

Finally, a number of characters have been created in the imagination of our forefathers…

The list is rather long if you take account of the regional characters: Saint-Nicolas , Père Fouettard, Christkindle, Hans Trapp, Tante Airie, Père Chalande… The recent addition to the list is Santa Claus, known as Père Noël in France.

How do you say ‘Christmas in France’ in French?

► CHRISTMAS is NOËL in French [pronounced no-well]

► CHRISTMAS IN FRANCE is NOËL EN FRANCE in French

In French, Noël is a proper noun and is therefore capitalised in both the singular and plural.

This masculine word ( je vous souhaite un beau Noël – I wish you a merry Christmas) becomes feminine when used with the definite singular article ( je vous verrai à la Noël – I will see you at Christmas) because the ellipsis of “fête de” is used.

However, when it comes to the Nativity songs, the term used is masculine with a lower case ( nous avons chanté des noëls – we sang Christmas carols).

Noël is also a common surname (actress Annie Noël, Vosges MP Jean-Baptiste Noël, comedian Matthieu Noël, etc.), as well as a male (Noël) and female (Noëlle) first name, celebrated unsurprisingly on 25 December. This name is often given to children born on Christmas Day.

Download our  English-French and French-English glossary  about Christmas.

15 Fun Facts about Christmas in France

Noël and the nativity scenes.

• The first mention of the word Noël is attested in France in the early 12th century.
• According to legend, in 1223 Saint-Francis of Assisi created the first Christmas crib before midnight mass. The scenes were performed by actors (villagers from Grecchio, Italy) and real animals were part of the event. The first cribs were therefore Nativity plays.
• In Alsace, the oldest mention of the existence of a crib set in a church (1420) is kept in Haguenau.

Christmas Trees

• The first mention of a Christmas tree cut down in the forest to be raised inside houses is kept in the municipal archives of Sélestat. It occurred on Christmas 1521.
• Strasbourg’s Christmas tree on the Place Kléber is considered to be the tallest in France and one of the tallest in Europe.

Christmas markets

• In France, Christmas market translates as Marché de Noël . In some cities, this name is replaced by Village de Noël . This is the case for the Christmas market in Colmar, which consists of 5 Christmas villages.
• The oldest Christmas market in France is the one in Strasbourg. The capital of Alsace, then part of the Holy Roman Empire, has been holding its Christkindelsmärik since 1570.
• Only a few French cities display a giant Christmas pyramid in their Christmas markets: Metz, Arras, Calais and Nice.

Towards the night of Christmas

• For many families in France, 24 December, Christmas Eve, is a two-part event: a hectic day of preparation and a festive evening around Christmas Eve dinner: le Réveillon de Noël.
• Before the appearance of Father Christmas, it was Little Jesus (le Petit-Jésus) who distributed presents in Paris and in France (except in Alsace-Lorraine and Flanders).
• In Alsace, there are several gift distributors: Father Christmas of course, but also Saint-Nicolas and Christkindel.
• Christmas has become the time to exchange gifts with your family. The French national statistics institute (INSEE) estimates that people spend 2.5% of their annual income on Christmas presents. This represents two-thirds of their presents budget.

Christmas Carols

• The oldest Christmas carol in Germany dates back to the 9th century. It was composed by the monk Otfried of Wissembourg (a town now in France), considered the first German-language poet.
• In France, the oldest surviving hymn dates from the early 16th century: “Entre le bœuf et l’âne gris”.
• In France, the song “Petit Papa Noël”, performed by Tino Rossi in 1946, was a popular hit when it was released: the song still holds the French record for sales of singles.

All our Articles on Christmas in France

Our blog contains a huge amount of resources on Christmas, from traditions to celebrations and gastronomy. Here is a selection of Christmas articles published on the blog.

Learn about the Christmas traditions in France

• The French Christmas Traditions Guide
• 15 French Traditions of Christmas You Should Know!
• How do we celebrate Advent in France?
• French Christmas Carols
• The True Message of Christmas
• The Christmas presents in France: origins and traditions

The Christmas tree:

• The Top Traditions of the French Christmas Tree
• Facts and Figures about Christmas Trees in France
• What are the Christmas Tree Types in France?
• What are the Christmas Tree Decorations in France?
• The Christmas Tree of Notre Dame Cathedral

The Nativity Scenes:

• Nativity Scenes in France
• Nativity Scenes in Paris
• Notre Dame de Paris Nativity Scene
• Sacré-Cœur, Montmartre Nativity Scene
• Saint-François Xavier Church, Nativity Scene

The Characters of Christmas:

• Who is Saint-Nicolas?
• The Legends of Saint-Nicolas
• Santa Claus and Père Noël

Discover the Christmas Markets in France

• The Tradition of the Christmas Market in France
• Top 10 Most Beautiful Christmas markets in France
• 2021 dates of the Christmas Markets in France
• Alsace Wine Route Christmas Markets
• Annecy Christmas Market
• Arras Christmas Market
• Basel Christmas Market (Switzerland)
• Béthune Christmas Market
• Colmar Christmas Market
• Dijon Christmas Market
• Eguisheim Christmas Market
• Gare de l’Est Alsatian Christmas Market
• Grenoble Christmas Market
• Guebwiller at Christmas
• Kaysersberg Christmas Market
• Lille Christmas Market
• Metz Christmas Market
• Montbéliard Christmas Market
• Mulhouse Christmas Market
• Nancy at Christmas
• Obernai Christmas Market
• Paris Christmas Markets
• Paris La Défense Christmas Market
• Provins Christmas Market
• Reims Christmas Market
• Ribeauvillé Christmas Market
• Riquewihr Christmas Market
• Rouen Christmas Market
• Sélestat Christmas Market
• Strasbourg Christmas Market
• Thann Christmas Market

Enjoy the Christmas Gastronomy of France

• Christmas Gastronomy of Alsace
• Bredeles/Bredalas (Alsatian Christmas Cookies)
• Bûche de Noël (Christmas log)
• Chocolate Mendiants
• Chocolate Truffles
• Galette des Rois
• Kugelhopf from Alsace
• Leckerlis from Basle
• Linzer Torte

Regional Christmas in France

• Top 20 Destinations to Visit in France at Christmas

Alsace-Lorraine:

• Christmas in Alsace: Traditions and Markets
• EBOOK Christmas in Alsace: A photographic Journey
• Christmas in Lorraine: What to see
• The Saint-Nicolas celebrations in Nancy
• 10 Destinations for a Christmas Trip in Alsace-Lorraine
• Christmas in Paris: What to see and where to go
• Top 10 Things to see in Paris at Christmas with Kids
• Christmas on the Champs-Elysées, Paris
• The Eiffel Tower at Christmas
• Christmas at the Grands-Magasins
• Paris Streets Lit Up For Christmas

Other places:

• Christmas in Provence: Traditions and Customs
• The Festival of Lights in Lyon
• Rêve de Couleurs in Reims

Christmas in other blogs and websites!

Here is a selection of websites to learn more about the festive season:

Mon Grand-Est

Our blog Mon Grand-Est contains a great number of Christmas articles in French, from traditions, markets, gastronomy and more!

Why?Christmas

At  whychristmas?com  we answer your Christmas questions!

My Merry Christmas

The Internet’s Longest Ongoing Celebration of Christmas

 https://mymerrychristmas.com

Christmas in Alsace

The official page of Christmas in Alsace:

https://noel.tourisme-alsace.com/

Noël à Strasbourg

The official page of Christmas in Strasbourg:

https://www.noel.strasbourg.eu

French Christmas on Facebook and Instagram

Join French Moments on Facebook and  Instagram for photos of Christmas in France:

https://www.facebook.com/AFrenchChristmas

https://www.instagram.com/frenchchristmas/

About the author

Pierre is a French/Australian who is passionate about France and its culture. He grew up in France and Germany and has also lived in Australia and England. He has a background teaching French, Economics and Current Affairs, and holds a Master of Translating and Interpreting English-French with the degree of Master of International Relations, and a degree of Economics and Management. Pierre is the author of Discovery Courses and books about France.

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Christmas in France: a Fun French-English Side-by-Side Story

Test your French with this half-French, half-English Christmas tale.

• Pronunciation & Conversation
• Resources For Teachers

Test your comprehension of French with this side-by-side  French-English translation about Christmas . It is an easy story to help you learn French in context .

Christmas Is 'Noël' in France 

Noël est une fête importante en France. C'est une fête religieuse bien sûr, puisque traditionnellement la France est un pays catholique, mais c'est aussi une fête familiale : Le 25 décembre est un jour férié quand tout est fermé.

Christmas in France is an important holiday. It’s a religious holiday of course, since traditionally France is a Catholic country, but it's also a family holiday: December 25 is a national holiday when everything is closed.

Comme dans le reste du monde, les Français se réunissent en famille autour du sapin de Noël, et souvent d'une petite crèche, et les enfants attendent que le Père Noël soit passé pour ouvrir les cadeaux le 25 au matin.

As in the rest of the world, the French gather around the Christmas tree , and often a little manger, and the children wait for Santa Claus to pass by so they can open presents on the morning of the 25th.

What Are the Traditions of Christmas in France?

Il y a beaucoup de traditions de Noël en France, qui sont plus ou moins respectées selon les régions et les préférences personnelles. La Provence en particulier a beaucoup de traditions comme les treize desserts, le gros souper, etcetera. En Alsace, beaucoup de maisons sont richement décorées pour Noël, et il y a beaucoup de marchés de Noël. Cependant, dans la plupart de la France, les traditions sont comparables à celles des Etats-Unis.

There are many Christmas traditions in France, which are more or less respected according to region and personal preference. Provence (the South of France), in particular, has many traditions like the 13 desserts, the fat super, etcetera. In Alsace (the northeast), many houses are richly decorated for Christmas, and there are many Christmas markets. But in most of France, traditions are similar to the ones in the United States.

'Un Dialogue' 

• Un dialogue pour utiliser le vocabulaire de Noël en contexte: A conversation using Christmas vocabulary in context:
• Camille et son amie Anne parlent de leurs projets pour Noël. Camille and her friend Anne are talking about their Christmas projects.
• Camille:  Et alors, vous faîtes quoi pour Noël cette année ? So, what are you doing for Christmas this year?
• Anne:  Comme d’habitude, on va à Paris pour célébrer Noël avec la famille de Christian. Et vous? As usual, we’re going to Paris to celebrate Christmas with Christian’s family. And you?

Camille Nous, on reste ici avec la famille d’Olivier. C’est une fête familiale importante pour eux; ma belle-mère a toujours un joli sapin avec des guirlandes de Noël, des boules et des autres décorations de Noël. Il y a une belle couronne en sapin sur la porte, et l’année dernière, mon beau-père avait même accroché une guirlande lumineuse clignotante autour de la maison !

We stay here with Olivier’s family. It’s an important family holiday for them; my mother-in-law always has a beautiful Christmas tree with Christmas garlands, balls and other Christmas ornaments . There is a gorgeous pine wreath on the door, and last year, my father-in-law even put up a blinking garland around the house!

'Le Réveillon' Is Christmas Eve in France

Anne Oui, j’ai remarqué que de plus en plus de gens faisait ça. À côté de chez moi, il y a une maison toute illuminée... C’est amusant. Et qu’est-ce que vous faîtes pour le Réveillon?

Yes, I noticed that more and more people were doing this. Next to my house, there is a house that's all lit up. It’s fun. And what are you doing on Christmas Eve?

Camille En fait, nous faisons un Réveillon plus simple le 24 au soir : On fait plutôt un gros apéritif dînatoire, avec des toasts de foie-gras et de saumon fumé et du champagne, et  nous ouvrons les cadeaux  ce soir-là. Ce n’est pas très traditionnel, mais plus pratique avec les enfants.

In fact, we are having a simple Christmas Eve on the evening of the 24th; we have more like a large cocktail party which is abundant enough to be a meal, with foie-gras paté toasts, smoked salmon and champagne, and we open the presents that evening. It’s not very traditional, but it’s more practical with the kids.

Anne Ah bon ? Les enfants n’attendent pas que le Père-Noël soit passé ?

Really? The children don’t wait until Santa has passed by?

Camille Non, enfin je suppose que le Père-Noël passe plus tôt chez nous... comme il est magique, ce n’est pas difficile pour lui ! Et puis de toutes les façons, chez nous il n’y a pas de cheminée, alors il doit forcément faire preuve d’imagination.

No, well I suppose Santa comes early in our house. Since he's magic, it’s not difficult for him! Anyway, in our house there is no fireplace, so he has undoubtedly has to use his imagination.

Anne Et pas de messe de minuit non plus j’imagine.

And no midnight mass I suppose.

Camille Non, notre famille n’est pas très pratiquante. Le 25, on fait un gros repas de Noël. Là, on cuisine quelque chose de plus traditionnel : une dinde ou un jambon, ou bien un repas hautement gastronomique. Et bien sûr, en dessert, on déguste une traditionnelle  bûche de Noël . Et chez vous ?

No, our family is not very religious. On the 25th, we have a big Christmas meal. Then, we cook something more traditional: a turkey or a ham, or a fancy gastronomic meal. And of course, for dessert we enjoy a traditional Christmas yule log (dessert). What about at your house?

Anne Chez nous aussi bien sûr. Bon, et bien on a intérêt à se mettre au régime dès maintenant !

We do too, of course. Well, we better start dieting right away!

Camille Tu l’as dit ! Allez, joyeux Noël, Anne, et une excellente année 2015.

You said it! OK, Merry Christmas, Anne, and a wonderful 2015.

Anne Toi aussi Camille, un très joyeux Noël à toi et à ta famille, et tous mes meilleurs voeux pour 2015.

You too, Camille, a merry Christmas to you and your family, and my best wishes for 2015.

Joyeuses fêtes de fin d'année ! Happy Holidays!

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France, like the rest of Europe, has a long tradition of celebrating Christmas. Nevertheless, no similar festivity was observed by early Christians

One of the most important religious and familial festivals in France is Christmas (French: Noël). The cycle of Noël, which starts on December 25th and ends on January 6th (the Feast of Epiphany), consists of 12 days. On December 24th, there will be a church service and a dinner as part of the celebration. The French Christmas customs include nativity displays, exchanging presents and greeting cards, and a Christmas tree . There are Christmas markets in a lot of French cities as well. A large percentage of people who don’t identify as religious also celebrate Christmas, even though it is a religious festival. Family values, not Christian ideas, are what most French people connect with this tradition.

-> See also: 48 Countries That Celebrate Christmas Widely

History of Christmas in France

France, like the rest of Europe, has a long tradition of celebrating Christmas. Nevertheless, no similar festivity was observed by early Christians. It was not until the Church began to doubt the date of Christ’s birth—a topic that is absent from the Gospels—in the second century AD. The considered dates ranged from January 6th to April 10th, among others. Emperor Constantine did not decide to celebrate Christmas on December 25 until the fourth century, between the years 330 and 354, and Pope Liberius finally formalized the tradition in 354. It was recorded in the year 354 that Christ was born on December 25th.

This was clearly not an accident of fate; on this very day, Christians were vying for adherents away from Pagan worship. December 25 was a significant occasion in the Roman Empire (of which France was a long-term member) celebrated as the “Birthday of the Invincible Sun” (Dies Natalis Solis Invicti). By syncing the conclusion of the Saturnalia with the birthday of the god Mithras, whose worship was prevalent in Rome at that era, Emperor Aurelian selected and instituted this date. To counter this religion, Christians pointed to Jesus Christ as the “Light of Justice.” As the practice of celebrating Christmas on December 25th became more common, it eventually made its way to Gaul in the 5th century. The date has been entirely identified with Christian tradition since Emperor Theodosius established an edict in 425 mandating the global commemoration of Christ’s birth.

Christmas Traditions in France

Christmas tree.

Just as in the rest of Europe, the Christmas tree is a major part of the French holiday season. Christmas tree decoration with evergreen branches is a practice that originated in ancient times and was embraced by Christians in the seventh century. A fir tree decorated with red apples later on, in the 11th century, came to represent the tree of knowledge in Christmas puzzles centered on the idea of paradise. But it was probably in the 16th century in Alsace when the current idea of a Christmas tree first emerged, and it quickly spread throughout Europe. It wasn’t until 1738 that the first Christmas tree was set up at Versailles, France. The ordinary people followed the bourgeoisie and royal court in adopting the custom. Handmade ornaments (such as garlands and gilded nuts) adorned the trees until the mid-nineteenth century, when glass Christmas ornaments—which are still popular today—emerged. Artificial trees were manufactured in the twentieth century.

The current yearly sales in France for real Christmas trees are close to five million. France, namely the Morvan area in Burgundy, grows over one million of them.

Père Noël and Gifts

Presents for the new year shifted from being given at New Year’s to being given around Christmas, especially to children, by the 19th century. Even though he didn’t exist until the 19th century, the figure known as “Père Noël” (“Father Christmas”) has become inseparably linked with Christmas presents. Saint Nicholas, whose feast is observed on December 6th and who is revered as the patron saint of children, served as an inspiration to him. Tradition has it that during the nights of December 5 and 6, he visits every country, stopping to fill the shoes left by children by the fireplace with presents. But only the nice and obedient children get presents; the bad kids get coal and a visit from Saint Nicholas’s “dark” sidekick, Père Fouettard . This custom is still alive in several parts of northeastern France, especially in Lorraine.

The French did not hold Père Noël in high esteem until the 20th century. But in the 1950s, Père Noël became the main representation of Christmas, impacted by the rising stardom of the American Santa Claus (whose ancestor was actually Saint Nicholas ). Père Noël was branded as a Pagan and heretic by the Catholic Church, which vehemently opposed his arrival, accusing him of leading people astray from the holiday’s genuine essence. Even Père Noël was publicly burned in front of the municipal church in Dijon in 1951. Some Catholic households still teach their children that the Baby Jesus, not Père Noël, gives presents on Christmas Day.

Although most people wait until Christmas Eve to exchange presents, some adults do so the night before the holiday meal. The Christmas tree is a common hiding place for children’s presents. Père Noël wasn’t the only Christmas figure in France until he became famous nationwide. There was Père Chalande in the east, especially in Savoy; Barbassionné in Normandy; and Père Janvier in Burgundy. Aunt Ari, a kind fairy, was believed to be the one who bestowed Christmas presents in Franche-Comté.

French Christmas Meals: Réveillon

• Roasted turkey with chestnuts
• Foie gras (liver of a duck or goose)
• Yule Log cake (“Bûche de Noël”, a tender chocolate sponge cake)
• Brédele (biscuits or small cakes, famous in Alsace)
• Thirteen desserts (common in Provence)
• Cougnou (bread baked during Christmas, popular in the north and east of France)
• Shellfish (common in Brittany)
• Locally made snails accompanied by the Burgundian wines

On the evening of December 24th or 25th, upon the family’s return from midnight Christmas Mass, a sumptuous celebratory feast, called a “réveillon,” was traditionally held. Even though hardly everyone goes to Mass anymore, the habit of having a big family meal has not altered. Most French people place a much higher value on the Christmas feast than the equivalent New Year’s feast, often known as “réveillon.” Oysters, smoked salmon, roasted turkey with chestnuts, and foie gras are usual table fare. Chocolate and the classic “Yule log” are the two most beloved sweets.

The menu changes depending on the location of France since each region has its own culinary customs. Various shaped and flavorful cookies called “brédele” are famous sweet desserts in Alsace. Commonly served in Provence Christmas feasts are the so-called “thirteen desserts,” which represent the twelve apostles around Jesus. A sweet bread with chocolate pieces or raisins called “cougnou” is popular in the north and east of France. Its form is like a swaddled baby Jesus. Meals using a variety of shellfish are commonplace on Brittany Christmas menus. It is traditional to accompany the best Burgundian wines with a dish of locally made snails cooked in a particular manner while visiting Burgundy.

See also: All 15 Countries That Don’t Celebrate Christmas

Christmas Markets

Just as in many other European nations, the so-called Christmas markets (French: Marché de Noël) are organized in France during the latter months of the year (November to December). The practice had a renaissance in the early 20th and early 21st centuries, while its origins are in the 14th and 15th centuries.

Typical vendors at these markets offer handcrafted goods, regional specialties, holiday decorations, and souvenirs from their quaint wooden chalets. There are usually a lot of lights and music to set the mood for Christmas, and you may even discover a temporary ice rink or Ferris wheel at these markets. As a common feature of Christmas markets, street concerts and entertainment are often arranged.

The Strasbourg Christkindelsmärik, France’s most famous and oldest Christmas market, dates all the way back to the 16th century. From 1992 onwards, Strasbourg has been home to a multitude of Christmas festivities, including the historical market, all unified under the banner of “Strasbourg— Capital of Christmas.” The Alsace area, and Provence in particular, is known for its many Christmas markets. Paris has a number of Christmas markets every year. Some of these venues include the Tuileries Garden, the plaza in front of La Défense, the area around Notre Dame Cathedral and City Hall, and others. In 2017, the Champs-Élysées Christmas market was definitively dissolved by the municipal council.

Christmas Crèche: Nativity Scenes

The Christmas Nativity scene, also known as the crèche de Noël in French, is another long-standing French custom. According to legend, the Italian mystic and friar Francis of Assisi (1181–1226) was the one who initially had the villagers act out the Nativity scene in the church at Greccio, portraying the roles of Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus, the magi , and other figures from the Gospel. The practice of constructing Nativity scenes, which originally had live performers but later included clay, wax, and wooden figurines, eventually made its way to southern France and Italy.

Naples was the birthplace of the tradition of making Nativity scenes in private residences as well as public churches in the 17th century. Despite the prohibition of Christmas Mass and Nativity displays by the anticlerical laws of the French Revolution , this practice eventually became widespread in France. For the purpose of simple concealment, believers started crafting miniature versions of the Nativity scenes they saw in churches out of bread dough or papier-mâché and began replicating them at home.

Production of such figurines became commonplace in Provence, where this new ritual became especially popular. Their name evolved into “santons” which means “little saints.” Over time, new representations of biblical figures appeared alongside the old, with santons increasingly representing common Provencal people who came to honor the baby Jesus. The French continue to adore these artisanal, colorful figurines. You may find special santon festivals in several places in Provence, and even outside of the area, at almost every Christmas market.

These days, most people choose to display Nativity scenes at churches, whereas “home” Nativity displays are becoming more rare. Even French cities used to display Nativity displays on their streets until quite recently. But this practice has recently become the subject of debate, with some arguing that religious symbols like Nativity displays violate secular state ideals. Those in favor of seeing Nativity scenes as cultural customs that celebrate France’s history rather than religious symbols make a compelling case for this approach.

Christmas in France: Facts About French Christmas Traditions

Here are some facts about Christmas in France.

• In some parts of the North and Northeast of France, Christmas is celebrated on December 6th. This is the feast-day of Saint-Nicholas, and le Pere Noel (Father Christmas) brings the children sweets and small presents.
• On Christmas Eve (December 24th), French children traditionally placed their shoes by the fire and awoke on Christmas Day to find them stuffed with small gifts, and the branches of the family’s Christmas tree full of fruits and nuts and small gifts.
• Most French children open their Christmas presents on Christmas Day, but many French adults don’t. They wait until New Year’s Eve.
• In the past, many French people attended Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, and many still do in the present day. After the service, they would have a feast at home or in a local restaurant. This meal is called le réveillon , and it is made up of a starter of snails, oysters, seafood or smoked salmon, a main course of roast goose or turkey, and served with lots of wine.
• Even in households who don’t attend church,  the main Christmas meal is usually eaten on Christmas Eve. Great care is taken to make the table look festive, and special ornaments are often used as decorations.
• In French custom, Saint-Nicolas is assisted by Father Spanker or the Whipping Father (Père Fouettard). Dressed in black, Father Spanker decides which children have been good and deserve their Christmas presents, and which have been bad and deserve a spanking.
• Many French families give money to public servants such as binmen and postmen as a way of saying thank-you for the work they have done during the year.
• French Christmas markets are very popular and usually take place in late November and during the month of December. Two of the most famous are the Strasbourg Christmas Market (which has been running since the 16th century) and the Lille Christmas Market
• Christmas crackers aren’t pulled at French Christmas meals.
• Many French people visit a circus during the Christmas period.
• The Christmas tree is the main form of Christmas decoration in most houses. Traditionally, they were decorated with apples, ribbons and paper flowers. Although the custom of decorating trees in France at Christmas time can be dated to the 1300s, the tradition really took off in the late 1830s.
• The French often hang mistletoe above the doors in their homes to bring good fortune for the coming year.
• A Yule log is a traditional Christmas dessert in France, usually made from chocolate sponge cake with chestnuts.
• Some French families exchange their gifts on January 6th, the Feast of Kings, or the Feast of Epiphany, the twelfth day of Christmas. Traditionally, a pastry (the gallette des rois – cake of kings) is eaten on this day, with a charm hidden inside. The person who finds the charm is named King or Queen and must wear a paper crown and must provide the cake for the next party.
• A nativity scene is a common Christmas decoration in French houses. Characters include the Baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and other more unusual figures (or santons), such as bakers, fruit and vegetable sellers, local noblemen, a blind man, a woman selling fish, a scissors grinder and a roast chestnut seller. The scenes are often displayed until February 2.
• Mainly in the south of France, traditionally families burnt a wine-soaked log on their fire from Christmas Eve until New Year’s Day. This was meant to bring good luck. Nowadays, most people eat a chocolate Yule log instead.
• Merry Christmas in French is Joyeux Noël. Father Christmas is le Père Noël and Christmas tree is le sapin de Noël.
• In Lyon a Festival of Lights takes place in early December. The buildings of the city are lit up and the streets are decorated with Christmas lights.

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Noël en France - Christmas in France

How is Christmas celebrated in France? How are Christmas Eve and Christmas Day different in France than in the US or UK? Our bilingual article - with audio! - has everything you need to know - just click any phrase to see the English translation as well as links to lessons on the relevant French grammar.

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French Culture – Christmas Traditions Posted by Tim Hildreth on Dec 26, 2017 in Culture , Vocabulary

I’m a little late, but before we get started, I’d like to wish all those who celebrate around the world, un très Joyeux Noël! ( a very Merry Christmas!) . And speaking of Noël , did you ever wonder (like I did recently) where that word comes from or just what it means? If so, read on to find out more … and to learn about one of my very favorite traditions de Noël ( Christmas traditions).

L’arbre de Noël / The Christmas Tree

Noël / Christmas

I’ve always found the word Noël a bit of an enigma. Compared to it’s nearby European neighbors, Noël doesn’t say much at all. The English word Christmas is pretty self-explanatory (as are the Spanish  Feliz Navidad / Joyous ( or Happy) birth and German  Frohe ( or  Fröhliche) Weihnachten / Merry ( or Joyful) Holy Night).

To answer my question I started where I often do, on the internet . . . which as is often the case, was both less than helpful, and full of fun surprises. In the end though, with a little sleuthing (and the help once again of my trusty Petit Larousse ), I was able to confirm that the most likely origins* of the word Noël (and of its meaning) is a transformation of the Latin phrase natalis dies / day of birth with the dies dropped and the natalis losing some consonants and ‘softening up’ so to speak as words do over time.

One other thing about Noël that often confused me was that, despite the fact that Noël is a masculine noun (as attested to by the Joyeux**), I would sometimes hear people talk about la Noël. The reason it turns out is actually quite simple: while Noël is masculine, the word for holiday in French ( fête ) is feminine, and when someone says la Noël, what they’re really saying is la (fête de) Noël . . . and leaving out the fête!

Le Réveillon / Christmas eve dinner

Like anyone, I like les cadeaux ( pressents). And I have to admit that I get a little carried away with les décorations et l’arbre de Noël ( the decorations and the Christmas tree). But my very favorite Christmas tradition has to be the Christmas Eve (or sometimes as the case may be, very, very early Christmas morning!) dinner. Traditionally held after la messe de minuit ( midnight church service) , le Réveillon reunites family and friends around a wonderful meal, wines, and festive desserts . A few years ago, fellow blogger Josh D. wrote a great post all about le Réveillon here where you can read all about the traditions. For this year, I thought I’d share some photos of my own from some of my favorite Christmas Eve meals through the years.

Noël 1985 during my first trip to France. Check out that bottle of wine!

1992 found me back in France for my second Réveillon.

Since marrying into my French Canadian in-laws, le Réveillon has once again become part of our family Christmas traditions. There are more people around the table than in those early Réveillons but it just makes the holiday brighter!

* Other theories on the origins of the world Noël include older pre-Christian Gaelic and Celtic pagan celebrations to the returning sun god (the winter solstice – December 21 – being the shortest day in the northern hemisphere). ** If Noël were a feminine noun, we would say Joyeuse Noël . . . But of course we don’t. That would be wrong.

Image Credits: All images courtesy of / copyright Tim Hildreth 1985 – 2017.

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About the Author: Tim Hildreth

Since my first trip to France at 16, I have been a passionate francophile. I love the language, food, music, art, people, and more that make France and la Francophonie in general such an amazing part of our global community. Having lived in France and studied the language and culture for over 35 years, it is my great pleasure to be able to share a little bit of my deep love with you through this blog.

How do the French celebrate Christmas?

If you love celebrating Christmas, France should be at the top of your festive bucket list. With the scrumptious feasts, magical markets, charming traditions and beautiful decorations, Christmas really is the most wonderful time of year in France. From the gift-giving Père Noël to the magnificent Réveillon and the Fête des Rois traditions, here is how to celebrate a real French Christmas. Joyeux Noël!

The festive cheer begins in France before December even arrives with the wildly popular tradition of Advent calendars.  Children are given the calendars before December so they can eagerly await the 1st of December when they open their first door or window.  

The Advent calendars have a chocolate treat hiding behind the door for each day until Christmas Eve on December 24th, and it’s a wonderful way to get excited in the countdown to Christmas. You can even get Advent calendars for adults, with everything from candles to wine filling the boxes for your December countdown.

EXPERIENCE IT FOR YOURSELF: Best of France

Marchés de Noel

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The Marchés de Noel, or Christmas Markets, are one of the very best parts of a French Christmas. They’re found all over the country from Paris to Nice and Provence to Normandy. The biggest Christmas market is held in Strasbourg in the Alsace region and the very first French Christmas market actually originated in Alsace in 1570. They’ve been bringing the Christmas magic ever since.

You’ll discover charming wooden chalets decorated with lights and ornaments, all selling local handicrafts, artisanal products, and traditional French foods. So what are you waiting for? Grab a vin chaud rouge (French mulled wine) and rub shoulders with the locals at the best French Christmas markets.

RELATED CONTENT: Your questions answered: Where are the best Christmas markets in France?

Santa Claus is ‘Père Noël’ in France, and on Christmas Eve, he travels around the world handing out presents. The tradition used to be for French children to fill their shoes with carrots for Père Noël’s donkey and put them by the fireplace, but today that has been replaced with the Christmas tree. 

Père Noël climbs down the chimney to leave gifts for good children, and on Christmas morning, the kids run to the tree to see what Father Christmas has brought them. Sometimes, families open gifts on the evening of Christmas Eve, after Midnight Mass or the Réveillon.

For some families, the gift-giving season starts on December 6th, St. Nicholas Day. On the eve of St. Nicholas Day, French children put their shoes near the Christmas tree and sing songs or hear stories about Saint Nick. In the morning, all the good children will wake to find their shoes filled with treats. If they’re on Saint Nick’s naughty list, they get a bundle of twigs with a ribbon!

RELATED CONTENT: Who was St. Nicholas, and why is he celebrated on December 6th?

A letter from Père Noël

It’s a Christmas tradition around the world to write to Santa – but in France, he writes back. The country passed a law in 1962 that said children who wrote a letter to Père Noël must receive a postcard back. The postal services have kept this up for four decades, replying to thousands of children on behalf of Father Christmas.

Traditional Christmas decorations

The French love Christmas decorations just as much as any country, but they tend to be more elegant here. These are a few of the most popular French Christmas decorations:

Christmas trees

Christmas trees have been popular ever since the first Christmas tree was decorated in Alsace in the 16th century. The trees are traditionally decked out with ribbons, apples and paper flowers, and today you’ll see them with fairy lights, glittering baubles and a star on top. 

Advent wreaths

You’ll spot Advent wreaths dotted around the country. The wreath is made of fir and pine tree branches, all decorated with red bows and pine cones. They also have four candles at the top of the wreath to symbolise the four Sundays in the lead up to Christmas Day. It’s tradition to light a candle each Sunday. If you want to check out the largest Advent wreath in France, head to the stunning Strasbourg Cathedral!

EXPERIENCE IT FOR YOURSELF: Wonderful France

Another French Christmas tradition is to make yule logs from cherry wood and display them in the home on Christmas Eve. Some people even pour red wine on the log so it smells wonderful when it burns. It was once tradition to leave the yule log and candles burning through the night with some food beside it, in case Mary and baby Jesus arrived in the night.

Festive dining table

For the Christmas dinner, it’s important to have the dining table looking beautiful and festive. You’ll often see three candlesticks on the table to symbolise the Holy Trinity. You may also see the French knot at the ends of the tablecloth to stop the Devil getting under the table.

RELATED CONTENT: France: a timeless destination that will never go out of style

Crèche de Noël

Of all the Christmas decorations, the Crèche de Noël, or the Nativity scene, is one of the most important. These are no ordinary Nativity scenes – you can find entire villages and many different figures like the butcher, baker or police officer, all built around the classic manger scene which tells the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. 

The locals buy the figurines at Christmas markets and display their Nativity scene in their home until February 2nd. You can even find life-sized crèches in cities across France, or reproductions of the birth of Jesus with live actors. 

The Réveillon is one of the very best (and most delicious!) French Christmas traditions. It’s the biggest meal of the holiday season, eaten on Christmas Eve, instead of Christmas Day. The meal is usually served before or after Midnight Mass, and it’s a luxurious banquet. Imagine all the best French delicacies like foie gras, escargot, oysters, turkey, goose and capon… Yum! 

If you’ve ever heard about the French custom of eating slowly and indulgently, the Réveillon is the best example. The dinner can go on for hours, with friends and family enjoying each other’s company over good food and superb wine.

And don’t forget dessert! There are all kinds of chocolates, nougat and fruits, but the sweet star of the meal is the bûche de Noël , or the Yule log. It’s a log-shaped chocolate sponge cake that dates back to the 19th century and it’s totally delicious.

RELATED CONTENT: Christmas Desserts from Around the World

Midnight Mass

The traditional Christmas church service is held on Christmas Eve in France. It’s known as the Midnight Mass and it usually begins at midnight or a few hours before. People come together in cathedrals and churches across the country to pray and sing carols (known as Chants de Noël). They celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, believed to have happened on that night. After the service, people return home to either sleep, eat, or open presents (for those with excited little ones).

Fête des Rois

Christmas doesn’t end on December 25th in France. The official end is the Fête des Rois, or Three Kings’ Day (also known as Epiphany to Orthodox Christians). In France, this day is celebrated with the famous galette des rois, or king cake.

It’s made with almond cream-filled pastry and a fève (tiny baby figurine) is hidden inside the cake. Whoever gets the slice with the fève is crowned the king or queen for the day. Most bakeries even sell the cake with a paper crown. It brings a very sweet two weeks of festivities to an even sweeter end, and it’s a wonderful tradition to end the Christmas season.

Are you dreaming of experiencing a real French Christmas? Let us know in the comments below!

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FRENCH CHRISTMAS CULTURE

A special way to fully enjoy christmas.

Christmas is the most important event in France. Cities will be filled with a festive Christmas mood starting mid-October and lasting until January. As France is known for its “Art de Vivre” culture, there are plenty of tips to enjoy life through the Christmas tradition. In this article, we introduce how French people spend Christmas and New Year, from typical tradition to the little things you can try easily. Whether you are in France during this Christmas or not, why not enjoy the festival in a beautiful French way?

Until Christmas - from mid-October until 24th December

 In France, Christmas is traditionally a special occasion on which families gather. On the other hand, the New year is an event typically spent with friends. So there will be a two week winter holiday at school, and employees take a week off to visit their parents.

Advent Calendar

One of the most exciting ways to wait for Christmas day is the Advent Calendar. It is a special calendar used to countdown to 25th December; the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Usually, it has 24 or 25 small doors to open each day, and small gifts are hidden in it. This tradition first began in Germany in the 19th century, then it spread all over the world. In France, the Advent Calendar is sold from mid-October in supermarkets or department stores, and it tells people the arrival of the fabulous Christmas season. It comes in many shapes and forms and can contain various goods such as chocolate, candy, cosmetics, tea, wine, beer, cheese, or even French gourmet like foie gras! About the sweets calendar, famous pastries or chocolate shops sell Advent Calendar which is changed every year; definitely a must-check for sweets lovers. Pierre Hermé, Lenôtre, Sébastien Gaudard all offer beautiful pieces to chose from. Find your favorite one!

Christmas tree

Home decoration is essential for Christmas. In France, Christmas trees are not fake but real! Many French people buy a real fir tree at flower shops, markets, or supermarkets, so these shops will be filled with plenty of fir trees of various sizes from late-November. The reason why we use fir trees is that it’s always green even during winter, and it represents eternal life. When the fresh green scent of Christmas trees smells everywhere in town, it makes people happy and relaxed. 

Once the tree comes into a house, it is decoration time. In France, classical and cute ornaments are preferred over modern design. If you want to get a unique ornament, you should go to Christmas markets. There are decorations of traditional motifs like angels, bells, stars, Shepherd's canes, socks, which are made by artisans. Let’s decorate an “immortal” tree with saint motifs while wishing peace upon your loved ones. They are perfect for a merry French Christmas.

Besides Christmas trees, French people sometimes decorate a green holy with red berries on a table or in a house. However, the wreath is not very popular in France.

Santon crib

During Christmas time, it’s frequent to display “Nativity Scenes”, a.k.a "Crèche", in Churches, made of big statues representing the birth of Jesus (celebrated on Christmas day, December 25th). In December, French people display the "crèche" in miniature size at their own home. Santons are figurines that decorate it. This tradition was born in the south of France at the end of the 18th century. Initially, it was just in Provence, but it has grown throughout France. The real scene of Jesus’s advent was in Palestine, but Santons wear Provence’s traditional costume. Small santon figurines in colorful costumes are all cute! In the "crèche", the santon representing baby Jesus is added on 24th at midnight: it symbolizes his birth. On the 6th January, 3 figurines of Magis are added for Epiphany day. Usually, the crèche is displayed in the houses until mid-January. If you want to know more about Santons, check the dedicated article from here .

Christmas market

The Christmas market (Marché de Noël) is the best spot to stop by during the season. Drinking spiced hot wine or hot chocolate, eating melting raclette or freshly fried churros, everything in the Christmas market is magical and must-try. The most popular Christmas market in France is the one in Strasbourg. As the city is called the “capital of Christmas”, it is just like a wonderland. It is a place where you should visit once in a lifetime! Besides the Alsace region, Lyon’s market is also charming, and Tuileries Garden or La Défence are the ones we recommend in Paris. Have a stroll in a warm festive mood with your family and find original artisanal Christmas gifts that you cannot find anywhere else.

Christmas illumination

Do not forget about the dazzling view of the town! The gorgeous lights, animated show windows, huge delightful Christmas trees in department stores are all the main events of Christmas. From mid-November, the town starts sparkling in France, and it lasts until the beginning of January (The ending date varies by the location). Every year French people are willing to go watch stunning illumination in town and take some pictures. Paris’ main Christmas tree is in Galeries Lafayette. Its concept changes every year, and it surprises us every time!

Speaking of illumination, the most popular one in Paris is on the Avenue des Champs Elysées. In 2020, it’s complicated to travel to Paris from Asia. However, there is good news for you! Champs Elysées Avenue will hold an online virtual light show, which means everyone can participate in Parisian Christmas from everywhere without a border. It starts from 22nd November, and it will lighten up every day from 17:00 until 02:00 France time. Check it out from here . Have fun this Christmas with the magical charm of special Paris!

Christmas day - 24th and 25th December

Until Christmas Day, the French town was in a magnificent festive mood, but it changes a lot on the day. On the 24th, all shops close earlier than usual, and French people go back home. Then the next day, the town becomes completely calm as if it is enchanted or a silent movie. Let’s see what happens in these 2 days below!

Christmas present

One of the most characteristic points of French Christmas is a big mountain of Christmas presents! In France, people offer gifts to all members of their family from kids to grandparents. French people put their gifts under the Christmas tree. First, they put slippers or shoes of all family members under the tree. After children fall asleep on the night of the 24th, adults leave presents next to the receiver’s shoes, so that they can see which gift is whose. Then, the next morning everyone starts to open their gift. It is heartful that all of them exchange presents as a sign of appreciation. Why not offer presents to every single family member to thank them for this Christmas? It would be the most heartwarming Christmas.

Special meal 

French Christmas habit is changing over time, but there are traditionally 2 special meals for Christmas. The first one is called “Réveillon (eve in French)” which is the diner of the 24th. It is a “simple” dinner without meat. They generally have vegetarian food or seafood such as oyster, gambas, lobster, and so on. In Provence, people have the ritual of 13 desserts which symbolizes 12 apostles and Jesus. There is the traditional bread in olive oil flavored with citrus zest called "oil pump", local confectionery and pastries (such as the famous calissons of Aix), nougat, candied fruits, fresh and dried fruits (raisins, almonds, figs, hazelnuts). on the evening of the 24th people eat a small piece of 13 different desserts, to get good luck.

 The second one is the gorgeous full course menu on the 25th. It starts, of course, from a long apéritif time, then foie gras for starter, Turkey with maroon for the main course. For sure, there is a special dessert as the finale of the French Christmas meal. Check it below!

Bûche de Noël

Voilà! French Christmas cake is bûche de Noël (Christmas log in French). As its name implies, the cake represents a log. It’s basically a roll cake covered with cream, but the design and ingredients vary by each pastry. The history of bûche de Noël is much longer than the Christmas tree or crèche (Nativity scene display at home), it dates back to the Middle Age. Perhaps, it was originally a real piece of wood! In some French-speaking countries in Europe, there were various customs featuring a piece of wood. One of the origins was a big fruit log to burn in the fireplace. People chose a large stump so that it continues to warm the house from 24th December to 1st January. Some say it was a homage to the sun during the dark winter days.

Today, the dessert is very creative and various such as made of mousse, ice cream, and so on. They are all too beautiful to eat! The bûche de Noël will make a place where families gather and smile just like a warm modern fireplace.

Mass and concert in churches

The most monumental moment of French Christmas is special masses and concerts held in churches on the night of 24th December and. French people who want to celebrate Christmas traditionally,  go to church on the night of the 24th. The schedule is different in each church. Find the schedule of Parisian churches from here . The atmosphere of the midnight Mass is very solemn and purely impressive. It is a perfect occasion to appreciate the year and would be an unforgettable experience.

If you are in France this Christmas and plan to go participate in the Christmas Mass, there is a point to be careful about. Because the Mass lasts 1 - 2 hours in a church that the temperature is cold, be sure to wear very warm clothes with gloves, boots, and so on. 

Furthermore, in some churches, there will be a live Nativity scene play. It’s good to know the story. On the internet, you can watch the French people’s play. If you are interested, you can find it on youtube by typing "crèche vivant".

New Year's eve to January - 31st December until 6th January

After the calm Christmas days, the New Year comes. In contrast to Christmas, New Year’s day is a lively festival! Christmas illuminations are still shining in the town and the tradition still continues until the 6th January. Basically, shops close earlier on 31st December, and they are closed on 1st January. But French people celebrate the new year in a different way.

New Year’s eve home party

New year’s eve is called “réveillon du Nouvel An (New Years’ eve)” or “réveillon de la Saint Sylvestre”, and it is also an important event in France. But the atmosphere is completely different from Christmas. For New Year’s eve, French people usually hold a home party again with friends. It’s not a solemn event but an exciting one. French people usually invite friends, have a gorgeous meal from aperitif to dessert. The menu is quite similar to the one for Christmas. Then, they dance all night long while drinking champagne. At midnight, people say “Bonne année (Happy new year)”, and kiss each other, call their family, or send messages to wish a happy new year.

The interesting culture is mistletoe. You may have seen it in films. In France, people attach a mistletoe to the chandelier, and they kiss their loved ones under the mistletoe at midnight. It is a very ancient tradition of Celtic origin. The mistletoe symbolizes immortality for the same reason as the Christmas tree(it is always green). So it is said it has virtues, cure diseases, bring fertility and happiness. Today, it is customary that we kiss under the mistletoe at the stroke of midnight in order to bring good luck and be happy in love.

Countdown at Avenue des Champs Elysées

Throughout France, there are many countdown events. The most famous one is at the Champs Elysées. The street will be reserved for pedestrians, and people count down while watching beautiful projection mapping on the Arc de Triomphe. The event starts at about 40min before midnight with a dynamic light-up show, but to get a good place, you should arrive there 2 hours in advance. 

Since a lot of people gather there, it’s hard to find a good spot, go to the restroom, and go home. Be aware of your security, especially pickpockets! 

Epiphany on 6th January

The Epiphany commemorates the visit of the three wise men who came to Bethlehem by following the shining star seen in the sky on the day of Jesus' birth. Their journey lasted 12 days before they saw the baby Jesus and offered him gifts (that’s why Epiphany is 12 days after Christmas). In order to represent this scene, there is a tradition to add 3 Santon figurines of wise men in the crèche (Nativity scene display) on 6th January in their house. 

Another tradition for the Epiphany is to share “galette des Rois (Kings’ cake in French)” with your friends or family. It is composed of a puff pastry cake with frangipane paste (made of almond, butter, egg, and sugar) inside, and a small charm, called “fève” in French, is hidden in it. The one who finds the charm wears a paper crown as the King/Queen. However, the origin of this tradition is not related to Christianity. Its history dates back to the Romain era. The Romans celebrated the Saturnalia, feasts of the winter solstice, which consisted of designating the king or queen for a day, by using a bean hidden in a cake. Every year, the French pastry shops offer exclusive creations for the tradition. The taste, shape, design of charm are very varied by each shop. The tradition is spread in Asian countries as well, so it's easy to try this joyful experience in your country.

O'bon Paris' tip

Even if we cannot travel abroad for this Christmas, these traditions could make you feel the real French Christmas spirit. Let's have an imaginary trip to France from your country. O'bon Paris team wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy new year. Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année!

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The French Traveler

Guided Tours of France - Immersion Tours

French Christmas: Noel in France

December 7, 2012 by Valerie Sutter, Director, The French Traveler 1 Comment

Now that Christmas is finally upon us, do you know about these Christmas traditions in France?

• In some regions of France the Christmas season starts on December 6 th , St. Nicholas Day, and is celebrated by exchanging gifts in memory of the historical 4 th century saint renowned for his generosity.
• Most French people celebrate Christmas on December 24 th with a huge meal eaten after midnight mass called le réveillon , which may include: goose, turkey, chestnuts, paté de foie gras (goose liver pâté), boudin rouge (blood sausage), or boudin blanc , oysters, and of course for dessert the bûche de Noël , a rich, creamy sponge-like cake in the shape of a Yule log.
• Tradition has it that on Christmas Eve in France, children would leave their shoes out (not stockings!) in front of the fireplace for le Père Noël to fill with treats and toys. In some regions, especially eastern France, le Père Fouettard (the “Whipping Father”) would come if children had been naughty, not nice.
• In the south of France, people in the countryside may leave a Yule log burning in their fireplaces during the Christmas season to ensure a good harvest.
• In Provence, the traditional meal ends with a parade of les treize desserts —the 13 desserts!
• Most people in France do not decorate the outside of their homes; municipalities, on the other hand, adorn the public spaces with holiday lights and organize reenactments of the nativity story in town squares.
• French families may set out a crèche , or nativity scene; in the south of France this includes santons (little saints) which are clay figurines depicting not only the holy family, shepherds and wise men, but the townspeople as well.
• Christmas markets are another holiday tradition in France, especially in the Alsace region, where you can buy all sorts of special foods as well as arts and crafts typical for the season.
• At Christmastime you will hear traditional carols, both religious and non-religious, such as: Il est né le divin enfant , Un flambleau Jeannette Isabelle , Vive le vent (Jingle Bells) and Mon beau sapin (Oh Christmas Tree). They even have a version of Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Le petit renne au nez rouge…). And of course Petit papa noël sung by Tino Rossi is a Christmas favorite.
• The Christmas season ends in early January with the feast of the Epiphany and the Fête des Rois (Feast of the Magi).

Joyeuses fêtes à tous!

About Valerie Sutter, Director, The French Traveler

As Director of The French Traveler, Valerie Sutter has been organizing tours to France for francophiles and francophones alike since 1998. Passionate about language acquisition and cultural enlightenment, she spends half her year in France either organizing trips or guiding them, and blogs about her perceptions of France’s rich culture, traditions, and sites in her spare time. www.frenchtraveler.com

November 2, 2023 at 11:32 am

Greetings! Very helpful advice in this particular post! we provide.Sleigh Bells and Cheer Shop Our Christmas Selection. Gift hampers in gurgaon

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French Christmas Conversation (Translation & Audio Pronunciation)

Listen to my audio recordings of a French Christmas conversation: listen to my enunciated and modern spoken pronunciation and learn about Christmas in France.

This Christmas conversation in French and English comes with audio recordings. Please press on the audio players to listen to my slower enunciated French recording and then to the more natural, modern spoken French pronunciation .

Authentic French Christmas Conversation

Use the floating blue icon in the bottom right to hide/reveal the English translations below or just click here .

Slower Enunciated French

Modern Spoken French

Camille et Pierre, un de ses étudiants, parlent de leurs projets pour les fêtes de fin d’années.

Camille and Peter, one of her students, are speaking about their plans for the holidays.

Pierre Qu’est-ce que vous faites cette année, pour les fêtes de fin d’années ?

What are you doing this year for the holidays?

Camille Et bien comme d’habitude, on va fêter Noël avec la famille d’Olivier.

Well, as usual, we’re spending Christmas with Olivier’s family.

Pierre Et ta famille ?

What about your family?

Camille Ma famille n’est pas religieuse, et pour éviter les conflits entre belles-familles, ma mère a décidé il y a longtemps qu’on ne célébrerait jamais Noël le 24 ni le 25, mais un autre jour.

My family is not religious, and in order to avoid in-laws conflicts, my mother decided a long time ago that we would never celebrate Christmas on the 24th nor the 25th , but another day.

Pierre En juin ?

Camille Pourquoi pas :-) Généralement, on fête la Saint Nicolas, le 6 décembre. Ma famille est d’origine alsacienne, et c’est la tradition là-bas d’échanger les cadeaux le jour de la Saint Nicolas, et de préserver ainsi le côté purement religieux du jour de Noël.

Why not :-) Usually, we celebrate St Nicholas’ day, on the 6th of December (St Nick is the French Santa ). My family originates from Alsace, and it’s the tradition to exchange gifts on St Nicholas’ day over there and to save Christmas day for strictly religious matters.

Pierre J’aime bien cette idée.

I like that idea.

Camille Oui, ça arrange tout le monde. Dans ma belle famille, c’est tout le contraire. Noël est LA fête familiale, et on respecte les traditions.

Yes, it makes everybody happy. For my in-laws, it’s exactly the opposite. Christmas is the quintessential family holiday, and they respect traditions.

Pierre C’est à dire ?

What do you mean?

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Christmas French Conversation – Midnight Mass

Camille Et bien, traditionnellement en France, on fait un grand repas après la messe de minuit, tard dans la nuit, qu’on appelle “le Réveillon”. Mais maintenant, de moins en moins de gens vont à la messe. Alors pour des raisons pratiques, on fête souvent Noël le lendemain : les enfants ouvrent les cadeaux le matin, et toute la famille se réunit pour un déjeuner de fête. Dans la famille d’Olivier, on fait les deux.

Well, traditionally in France, we have a big meal after the midnight mass, late into the night, that is called “the awakening”. But nowadays, fewer and fewer people attend the mass. Therefore, for practical reasons, we often celebrate Christmas the day after: Children open the presents in the morning, and the whole family gets together for the holiday luncheon. In Olivier’s family, they celebrate both.

Pierre Les deux?

Camille Ben oui. On se réunit le 24 au soir, on fait un dîner simple mais sympa, et puis quelques fois on va tous ensemble à la messe de Noël. Moi, je ne suis pas pratiquante, mais c’est plus pour la tradition que j’y vais. Je me souviens de messes de minuit vraiment magiques, avec des crèches humaines, des défilés d’enfants déguisés en anges, de la musique et plein de chants et de bougies partout…

Yes. We get together on the 24th in the evening, we have a simple but nice dinner, and sometimes we all attend Christmas mass . I don’t practice religion, but it’s more for the traditional aspect that I go. I remember really magical midnight mass, with live nativity scenes, parades of children costumed as angels, music and many songs and candles everywhere.

Christmas Conversation in French – The French Christmas Meal

Camille Et puis c’est le 25 qu’on fait notre réveillon: on se met sur son 31, on mange du foie gras, des huîtres, du saumon fumé, une dinde aux marrons ou un jambon cuit, et en dessert, une bûche de Noël. Et bien sûr, on boit du bon vin et du champagne.

Then, it’s on the 25th that we do the traditional French Christmas meal : we all dress to the nines, we eat foie gras, oysters, smoked salmon, a turkey with chestnuts or a roasted ham, and for dessert, a yule log. And of course, we drink good wines and champagne .

Pierre C’est quoi “une bûche” ?

What’s a yule log?

Camille C’est un gâteau en forme de bûche, qui fait référence à la vieille tradition de faire brûler une bûche chargée de symboles pendant 3 jours autour de Noël. Il y a plein de traditions comme ça, souvent régionales, mais qu’on ne respecte plus vraiment aujourd’hui.

It’s a cake shaped like a log (traditional French Christmas cake ), which refers to the antique tradition to burn a symbolic log for 3 days around Christmas. There are many traditions like this one, often regional, but that we don’t quite follow any longer nowadays.

Pierre Et les cadeaux ? Est-ce que Leyla croit au Père-Noël ?

What about the presents? Does Leyla believe in Santa?

Camille Oui, Leyla a 5 ans et c’est une petite fille très moderne: elle nous a dit l’autre jour qu’elle voulait écrire un email au Père Noël… Je peux te dire qu’on a bien rigolé !!

Yes, Leyla is 5 and is a very modern little girl: the other day, she told us she wanted to write Santa an email… I can assure you we had quite a laugh!

Pierre J’imagine !

Yes, I imagine!

French Conversation About Christmas – Presents 🎁

Camille Enfin, pour les cadeaux, traditionnellement c’est le 25 au matin. Le Père Noël passe pendant la nuit, et dépose les cadeaux dans les souliers posés autour de l’âtre. Bon, mais maintenant qu’il n’y a souvent plus de cheminée dans les maisons ou appartements, on place généralement les cadeaux sous le sapin. On laisse les enfants ouvrir un ou deux cadeaux le matin, et on attend que la famille arrive pour ouvrir tous les cadeaux… ou quelque chose comme ça… enfin quoi, on s’arrange pour faire plaisir à tout le monde et laisser une place au Père Noël. Et toi Pierre, tu fais quoi cette année pour les fêtes ?

Then, for the presents, traditionally it’s in the morning of the 25th. Santa comes during the night and leaves the presents in shoes displayed around the hearth. Well, but nowadays since there are no more fireplaces in houses or apartments, presents are usually placed under the Christmas tree. We let the children open one or two presents in the morning, and we wait for the whole family to get here to open all the presents… or something along those lines… in other words, we do our best to please everybody and leave a small place for Santa. What about you Pierre, what are you doing this year for the holidays?

Pierre Moi, je ne suis pas du tout religieux, alors je pars en vacances pour faire du ski. Et Leyla, elle a des vacances ?

I am not religious at all, so I’m going on a ski trip. What about Leyla? Is she going to be on vacation?

Camille Oui, comme tous les écoliers, elle a deux semaines de vacances. En général, en France, le 25 décembre et le 1er janvier sont fériés. Mais si ça tombe un jeudi ou un mardi, les Français font le pont.

Yes, like all students, she has a 2 weeks vacation. In general, in France, December 25th and January 1st are official holidays. But if it happens to fall on a Thursday or a Tuesday, then the French take the in-between days off.

Pierre Qu’est-ce que ça veut dire ?

What does it mean?

Camille Ça signifie qu’on ne travaille pas le vendredi ou le lundi, et on relie le jour férié au week-end.

It means we don’t work on Friday or Monday, and ‘bridge’ the holiday to the weekend.

French Christmas Dialogue – Merry Christmas!

Pierre Ah, d’accord. C’est cool ! Bon, Camille, je vois que c’est bientôt la fin de la leçon, alors je voulais te souhaiter à toi et ta famille un joyeux Noël et une bonne année.

All right. Sweet! OK, Camille, I can see it’s almost the end of the lesson, so I wanted to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and happy new year .

Camille Merci Pierre. Je te souhaite également de passer d’excellentes fêtes de fin d’années, et que tous tes voeux se réalisent en 2024.

Thank you, Pierre. I too wish you great holidays as well, and may all your wishes come true in 2024.

If you enjoy this kind of bilingual story, check out French Today’s downloadable French audiobooks : French Today’s bilingual novels are recorded at different speeds and enunciation, and focused on today’s modern glided pronunciation. 

Camille Chevalier-Karfis

Born and raised in Paris, I have been teaching today's French to adults for 25+ years in the US and France. Based on my students' goals and needs, I've created unique downloadable French audiobooks focussing on French like it's spoken today, for all levels. Come to Paimpol and enjoy an exclusive French immersion homestay with me in Brittany .

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What Happens on Christmas in France

• December 23, 2014

If only you could see me write this post… I’m in my pajamas, at my parents’ place near Paris, with a delicious coffee smell coming from the kitchen. All presents wrapped, Christmas tree ready, only looking forward to a day of chocolates and a visit of Paris. That’s happiness isn’t it?

Christmas in France is a very important time of the year and it’s family time. Today, I’ve prepared a special video just for you in the Christmassy set of Comme une Française TV.

And to make your life easier, you’ll find extra Christmas resources below the video. ???? (Including « How to survive a French Christmas with your in-laws »)

Movie: Le Père Noël est une ordure Christmas in France and abroad How to survive Christmas in France: French phrases for dinner What to eat at a traditional French Christmas dinner 3 ways to wish a merry Christmas in French Best French Christmas gifts to take back home

Et toi? Have you ever spent a Christmas in France? How did it go? Do you have nice story to share or a funny one?

Je te souhaite un très très très joyeux Noël ainsi qu’à toute ta famille.

Join the conversation!

We all love Christmas, and this is such an interesting lesson, And the five hour Christmas dinner ..! What a wonderful tradition, but I wonder if anyone can actually stand up at the end of it ? Merci Géraldine, et salut 🙂

You just roll to your bed.

So I told you I have a project abour christmas in france your video helped but I need to know what christmas songs do they sing

P.S. You look very cute, Geraldine, in your Christmas outfit.

Merci Brian!

Joyeux Noel, Geraldine. Christmas in France sounds very similar to Christmas here in the United States.

Je te remercie pour toutes les émissions. Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année à toi et ta famille!

What time does the Reveillon de Noel start? Is it before or after la messe de Noel? Thank you!

Bonjour Patsy, Il commence quand tu veux. 🙂

Mon amie francaise m’a donne des papillottes cette annee! Je les ai partages avec mon frere qui apprend le francais aussi. Joyeux Noel!

Je te souhaite un joyeux Noël at une très bonne et heureuse année 2015! Et je ne m’oublie pas de tes gentils et gentilles lecteurs et lectrices: le même à vous tous!

Joyeux Noël et Bonne année! Geraldine. Merci pour les leçons! Richard

Bonjour Geraldine, merci pour les videos! J’ai une question: Les adultes Francais – comment s’appelle La Mere et Le Pere? Est-il Maman et Papa comme les enfants? ‘Mere’? ou quelque autrechose? Merci. En Angleterre, les enfants ditent ‘Maman et Papa’, est les adultes dit ‘Mum and Dad’…??

Les enfants enfants ou adultes utilisent “Maman” et “Papa”. Mais quand ils parlent d’eux à quelqu’un d’autres, ils disent “Ma mère” et “Mon père” (ex : Ma mère a préparé une quiche lorraine).

quand nous avons déménagé en France, la maison de mon partenaire était près d’un petit bar tenu par une veuve et nous l’habitude d’aller boire un verre régulièrement pour essayer de rencontrer les habitants, d’intégrer et d’améliorer notre français. Le premier Noël nous y décidé d’acheter certains fromages anglais et faire un beau cadeau pour le propriétaire afin de mettre sur nos chapeaux de Père Noël et se sentir très festive, nous sommes allés à la barre ne doit être rencontré par un propriétaire de pierre face qui regardait à peine nous , a eu le don sans un mot de remerciement et exploité avec son travail nous ignorant totalement. Nous ne voulions pas de gratitude, mais au Royaume-Uni il est normal d’au moins dire merci quand quelqu’un vous donne quelque chose de si nous avons été très choqué et sentis très stupide. Plus tard, quelqu’un nous a dit que ce est normal de ne pas dire merci lorsque vous ne demandez pas pour quelque chose, est-ce vrai? Nous nous sommes arrêtés aller au bar après cela et finalement transférés dans une petite ville qui est beaucoup plus conviviale.

I have just been looking through the posts and saw your’s. Sorry I am not writing in French. What an awful experience, how upsetting for you. After putting yourself to such trouble and meeting with that response. I don’t agree that French people don’t acknowledge unasked for gifts. I just think this person is exceptionally rude, nothing to do with nationality. Hope you enjoyed your Christmas and I am glad he has lost your custom !

Joeux Noel, Geraldine. Mes meilleurs voeux pour la nouvelle annee, et merci tant pour tout ce que vous donnez a nous — les francophiles!

Merci Beaucoup geraldine,

Joyeux noël et Bonne anneé, mes premiére Noel dans france.

It is my first Christma sin France, we now have a holiday home and have come from the UK, also visting Paris for two night between christmas and new year, any suggestions what to do and eat as a family with teenagers.

Joyeux Noël et Bonne année. Merci mille fois pour toutes les leçons excellentes pendant 2014.

La fête Noël au Brésil est riche et traditionnelle, juste comme en France. Toutes les galeries et magasins ont une décoration de Noël, dans les maisons le sapin est installé dès le 1er décembre. On a la crèche, la messe de Noël la nuit du 24 décembre, le réveillon e le déjeneur le 25, on échange des cadeaux. La table du réveillon a beaucoup de choses – poulet, jambon cuit, dinde, riz aus raisins secs e aux amandes, etc. Ici c’est l’été… e la chose qui nous manque est la neige! Le Père Noël habillé dans son manteau rouge et ses bottes a quelque chose d’irréel, mais ces’t la magie de Noël !

Meilleurs voeux à toi aussi et ta famille! Santé, Joie et prospérité ! Que nous ayons encore beaucoup de plaisirs avec “Comme une Française”…

Merci bien, Geraldine, et bonnes fêtes de fin d’année. A bientôt….

Joyeux Noël, Geraldine, et une très bonne année! Merci pour tout ce que vous avez partagé avec nous. J’ai beaucoup appris.

Bonnes fêtes de Noël Géraldine. Merci beaucoup pour la gentillesse et les leçons formidables.

Chère Geraldine , merci mille fois pour le petit cadeau, je l’adore! J’aime bien tes vidéos, et j’ai appris pas mal de choses. C’est la culture, les coutumes qui m’intéressent. Alors, je te souhaite un joyeux Noël et une bonne année 2015, et à bientôt ! Erika

Je ne visite France jamais pour Noel, mais je veux partir un jour si je ne pourrai avec ma famille pour Noel.

Joyeux Noël et Bonne année!!! J’espère que le nouvel apportera plein de joie et de merveilleuses surprises pout toi. Merci pour les charmantes leçons!

I bring France home each year. My better half is a Frenchman. Christmas is extreme family time! Les enfants arrivent demain from NYC–all get out early for work and Christmas Eve is an homage to our “American/French/Acadian/Creole/Cajuns” with a Gumbo, etouffee, pralines and other goodies. Christmas Day is a bit of amuse buche with our aperitifs. Entrée of Avacado with a nice tart dressing. A huge beef tenderloin, with fresh veg, cheese plate..and for dessert the annual Buche de noel with nougatine on the side. Wine–Chateau Margeaux! The best part is just hanging around and today’s big surprise is….drum roll please….arrangements have just been finalized for a trip to Nice. Very nice!

Great video by a great teacher. Joyeux Noël!

Bonjour Géraldine Merci beaucoup pour ta leçon aujourd’hui et toutes les leçons excellentes pendant 2014. Mon premier Noël en france était exactement ce que tu as raconté. Le déjeuner était entre midi et 17h00 et après nous avons joué pour 2 heures. A 19h00 ma future belle-mere a demandé si quelqu’un aimerait de la soupe. J’ai dit ‘oui, merci’ – une grande erreur – parce que, après la soupe, les restes sont arrivés – les huitres; les crevettes; le saumon; la dinde; le fromage et la bûche! Le dîner a fini à minuit ce qui signifie que nous avons passe 10 heures sur 12 à table!! Bonnes fêtes de fin d’année

We celebrated New Year’s Eve in a restaurant in Amboise a couple of years ago and we had 16 courses, including the Trou Normand. We started at 8pm and finished at midnight. It was delicious and we had a wonderful time.

c’est charmante. joyeaux noel a vous!! et bonne fetes des fin d’anne 🙂

Merci Geraldine pour tout! Joyeuse Noel à toi aussi (et à les votres!) J’ai hate de continuer recoive tes mails et les lecons formidable!

Merci bien Geraldine! This could not have come at a better time as I have been invited to my French friends’ home for Christmas. I am a bit nervous on what to expect and of course my French is going to get a workout! But I’m looking forward to it and really appreciate you putting together this video! Joyeux Noel!!!

Un très joyeux Nöel Géraldine et tous mes meilleurs voeux pour 2015. sheila

Many thanks for great description of Christmas in France. Oops – doesn’t “Papillote” have only one “T” ??

Les mineurs ont émigré au Wisconsin de Cornwall. Leur épouses firent Cornish pasties à manger pour le déjeuner dans les mines. Je ai l’intention de faire Cornish pasties pour mes amis. Merci pour tous vos merveilleux messages e-mail. Joyeux Noël. Ney

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How to talk about Christmas in French – 100 useful Christmas words in French – Christmas celebrations in France

• French for teenagers , Podcast , Video

Welcome to my blog ! May I invite you to download the FREE sensational COLOR-CODED guide to conjugating 24 of the most common verbs in French ! Click here to download 😀

Welcome back to my site ! May I invite you if you have not done so yet to download the FREE sensational COLOR-CODED guide to conjugating 24 of the most common verbs in French ! Click here to download 😀

Oh oh oh ! Here is the joyous and festive season of Christmas coming soon. Learn all about the vocabulary of Christmas in French as well as about Christmas traditions in France and other countries

How to say ‘Merry Christmas’ and ‘Happy New Year’ in French?

First of all we say,

• Joyeux Nöel – Merry Christmas
• Bonne année – Happy New Year

At Christmas we can,

• souhaiter un joyeux Noël – wish a merry Christmas
• souhaiter une bonne année – wish a happy New Year

You can also,

• envoyer une carte de Noël – send a Christmas card
• acheter ses cadeaux de Noël – buy your Christmas present

But the most important thing is to 

• passer Noël en famille – spend Christmas as a family
• ouvrir ou déballer les cadeaux de Noël – open or unwrap Christmas present

But when shall we open our Christmas presents ? on the 24th or on the 25th ?

• le 24 décembre – the 24th of December
• la veille de Noël – Christmas’ eve
• le réveillon de Noël – Christmas eve ‘s celebration
• le 25 décembre – the 35th of December
• le jour de Noël – Christmas day
• la fête de Noël – Christmas party

Well, since Christmas is the celebration of Jesus Birth and he was born on Christmas day, and the presents are a reminiscence of the presents brought from the wise men, it should be on Christmas day

• les trois rois mages – the three wise men
• les 3 cadeaux des rois mages; or, encens et myrrhe : the three wise men presents : gold, frankincense, and myrrh

Christmas decorations in French

Before we get to  the celebrations comes the important part of decorating your house for Christmas, and of course the king of the decorations is very famous …

• le sapin de Noël – Christmas tree
• les guirlandes – garlands
• les boules de Noël – Christmas bauble
• le sucre d’orge – candy cane
• la guirlande lumineuse – Christmas-tree lights
• une pomme de pin – pine cone
• une étoile – star
• un ange – an angel
• un bonhomme en pain d’épice – gingerbread man
• le calendrier de l’avent – Advent Calendar
• le pull de Noël – Christmas jumper
• le miracle de Noël – Christmas miracle
• la magie de Noël – Christmas magic
• les marchés de Noël – Christmas markets

Did you know that in the old days, Christmas trees were only decorated with apples ! However, in the middle of the 19th century, a severe drought deprived the Vosges region (in eastern France) of apples. A glassblower then had the idea of ​​reproducing the shape of apples, but in red glass. Very quickly, the tradition spread in France and went beyond its borders. 

• une pomme – an apple

To decorate your door, you could have

• une couronne – wreath

Outside your house you could have, if lucky

• de la neige – snow
• un Noêl blanc – a white Christmas
• des illuminations de Noël – Christmas lights

Hanging from your fireplace, you could have

• un bas de Noël – Christmas stocking
• la cheminée – the fireplace
• la collation du père Noël – Father Christmas tea
• la hotte du père Noël – Father Christmas’ bag

To decorate your table, you could have 

• des bougies – candle
• des décorations de Noël – Christmas ornaments

‘La collation du père Noël’ is the snack offered to Father Christmas and his deer or donkey to thank him for coming all the way to bring us our Christmas present.

• le père Noël – Father christmas
• le renne du père Noël – Father Christmas’ reindeer

The Christmas crib in French ❅ The nativity scene

The all important Christmas crib or Christmas crèche needs to be ideally seated under the Christmas tree and it contains …

• la crèche de Noël – Christmas crib or crèche
• Joseph – Joseph
• le petit Jésus – Baby Jesus
• la vierge Marie – Virgin Mary
• le berceau de Jésus – Jésus crib
• l’âne – the donkey
• le boeuf – the ox
• la paille – the hay
• les bergers – the shepherds
• les moutons – sheep

Where do the Santons ‘little saints’ come from ?

The Santons or little Saints are these characters made out of clay coming from Provence. Their story is, in Provence, small colorful clay figurines called santoun (“little saints” in Provençal) appeared to recreate a crib in the private space of the homes. Inspired by an Italian tradition, this custom spread quickly in France. Today, the santon tradition is still very present in Provence and many santon fairs are organized there, the most famous being in Marseille.

• les santons –  Christmas characters

In my native village, it was the tradition to build the best crèche for Christmas outside our house and every Christmas villagers toured the village to have a look at the different crèches and would give a prize to the most beautiful. On their tour, they could rely on the hospitality of the villagers to offer them …

• du vin chaud – mulled wine
• pain d’épice – gingerbread
• du boudin de Noël -Christmas white sausage

Christmas traditions in French

Before you celebrate Christmas, it is a common tradition to attend the Christmas mass in your local church :

• l’église – the church
• la messe de minuit – midnight mass
• la chorale – the choir
• les chants de Noël – Christmas songs

In Belgium, on the 6th of December, we have the tradition of receiving the visit of Santa Claus who distributes presents to the well-behaved children and Père Fouettard to reprimand the bad ones.

• Saint Nicolas – Santa Claus
• le traineau de Saint Nicolas – Santa Claus’ sleigh
• des friandises – sweets
• des gâteaux – cakes
• le père fouettard – bogey man

It is also a tradition to eat a Yule log on Christmas day as well as drink a bit of bubbly

• la bûche de Noël – Yule log
• une bûche glacée – ice cream yule log
• des marrons glacés – candied chestnut
• des marrons chauds – roasted chestnut

In France, people do not usually eat turkey but a vast range of Christmas food, some include

• du saumon fumé – smoked salmon
• des huîtres – oysters
• des fruits de mer – seafood
• le homard – lobster
• le chapon – capon
• le faisan – pheasant
• la dinde – turkey
• du champagne – champagne
• des truffes au chocolat – chocolate truffles

The 13 Christmas desserts from Provence

In Provence, the tradition is to have 13 desserts for Christmas, there are …

• des noix – nuts
• des figues séchées – dried figs
• des raisins secs – sultanas
• des dattes – dates
• de la pâte de coing – quince paste
• divers fruits confits – candied fruits
• une fougasse ​ – the French equivalent of Italian focaccia bread
• du nougat blanc – white nougat
• du nougat noir (avec des amandes grillées et du miel caramélisé) – black nougat (with toasted almonds and caramelized honey)
• du nougat rouge (aux pistaches et à la rose) – red nougat (with pistachios and rose)
• des calissons d’Aix-en-Provence (confiserie de Provence composée de melon confit, pâte d’amande nappée de glace royale) – confectionery from Provence made from candied melon, almond paste topped with royal icing
• des oranges , clémentines ou mandarines – oranges, tangerines
• un melon d’eau – a watermelon

After Christmas, come of the course the New Year and its traditions 

• la nouvelle année – the New Year
• le gui – mistletoe
• s’embrasser sous le gui – kiss under the mistletoe
• la fête des rois – Epiphany
• la galette des rois – the Epiphany’s cake
• la Saint-Sylvestre – le Jour de l’An
• le jour de l’an – New Year’s day

Christmas expression in French

• Noël au balcon, Pâques au tison – if Christmas is mild, Easter will be cold

It means that if Christmas is mild enough that you can go outside and celebrate on your balcony (balcon), you will spend Easter by the fireplace.

What will you do for Chritsmas? Write in the comments what you will do in your country and what you will eat ! And I wish you all a Merry Christmas and happy New Year !

Jingle bells in French

Here is Jingle bells in French, ‘vive le vent’

‘Vive le vent’ fill in the gap exercise in French

Listen to the song and then fill in the gap with the words in French seen in this article 👍

Watch the video of this lesson : Christmas in French

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Lara is a  French and English teacher  with over 20 year experience in languages. She gives private lessons of French and English in Les Sables d’Olonne, France where she lives and in videoconferencing via zoom. Her style is relaxed and her sense of humor is legendary.  « I can help you take your French further and realize your full potential » 

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Happy learning ! 

Bonjour Lara, C’est sympa de lire Noël raconté aux non francophones 🙂 et en plus, c’est joliment fait et très clair ! Je ne connaissais pas la décoration du sapin avec des pommes… comme quoi, on a beau être français, il y a des manques parfois dans nos propres connaissances ;-p Quant au vin chaud, je crois qu’il dépasse cette période festive et que partout où il fait froid, on en consomme 😀

Bonjour Lara, Bravo pour ton article qui est très complet et interactif ! Nous sommes doublement collègues (prof de FLE et BP) alors je vais te suivre avec beaucoup d’intérêt (même si mon public est hispanophone). Longue vie à ton blog !

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Christmas Day in France

In France, Christmas Tree is not so popular but it is symbolic presence can be felt in the Christmas Cake . The traditional French Christmas Cake is prepared in the shape of Yule log and is called the buche de Nol, meaning "Christmas Log". This cake is a special feature of the Le rveillon - a grand feast of the season celebrated after midnight mass on Christmas Eve

On the eve of Christmas, French children leave their shoes or wooden clogs called sabots by the fireplace so that their favorite Christ Child or Pere Noel could fill it with gifts. Children believe that Pere Noel travels with his stern disciplinarian companion Pre Fouettard, who tells Pere Noel about the behavior of each child in the past year. In some parts of France Pere Noel brings gifts for children on St. Nicholas Eve (December 6) and visits again on Christmas. In other places it is le petit Jesus who brings the gifts. Adults usually wait until New Year's Day to exchange gifts.

• Making Paper X-mas Tree
• Jesus Christ
• Mary Mother Of Jesus
• About Santa Claus
• The Christmas Tree
• Christmas Wishes
• Christmas Download
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• Christmas Candy
• Christmas Cookies
• Christmas Cakes
• Christmas Articles
• Christmas Essays
• Christmas Messages
• Christmas Whatsapp Messages
• Christmas SMS
• Christmas Jokes
• Christmas Movies
• Christmas Plays
• Christmas Games
• Christmas Party
• Christmas Candle

Christmas Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on christmas essay.

Christmas is a well-known Christian holiday set in December, celebrated the world over and famed for its decorations and Santa Clause. The Christmas means  “Feast day of Christ”.It is a yearly celebration marking Jesus Christ’s birth; it is observed on the 25th of December as a cultural and religious celebration among a lot of people all over the world. Christmas is celebrated in all Christian countries but there are differences in the way each nation celebrates this date.

History Behind Christmas

The history of Christmas is one that dates back to a very long time; the first Christmas was celebrated in 336 A.D. in Rome. It played a very important role during the famed Arian controversy that took place in the 300s. During the early years of the middle age, epiphany overshadowed it.

Christmas was brought back to limelight around 800 A.D. when the emperor Charlemagne received the crown on Christmas day. During the 17th century, the Puritans had Christmas banned because it was associated with drunkenness and different other misbehavior.

It was made a proper holiday around 1660 but was still quite disreputable. Around the early 1900s, the Oxford movement of the Anglican Communion church started and this led to the revival of Christmas.

Preparations for Christmas

Christmas is a cultural festivity that entails a lot of preparations. It is a public holiday and so people get a Christmas break to celebrate it.

Preparations for Christmas start early for most people so that celebrations begin on the eve of Christmas. Preparations for Christmas involves a lot of activities. People usually buy decorations, food, and gifts mostly for children in the family and friends. Some families shop for matching Christmas outfits for everyone.

The common preparations include decorations of the place with Christmas trees, lighting. Before decorations begin, the house must be deep cleaned. The Christmas tree brings the Christmas spirit in homes.

Presents are placed under the Christmas tree in wrapped gift boxes and are not to be opened until Christmas day. The church is also decorated for the special event. Thorough cleaning of the churches is also done to usher in Christmas. Songs and skits to be performed on Christmas day.

People usually spend a lot on Christmas and so saving money for these plans should be the earliest preparation among all these. Families also plan to travel to stay together during this celebration period. Traditionally turkey is the common meal across the world in this day. Cards are also written to friends and family to wish them a happy holiday and to show love.

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Christmas Day Celebration

Christmas carols are played on radios and televisions to mark the day. Most families start by going to church where performances and songs are done. Then later, they join their families to exchange gifts and celebrate with food and music. Happiness during Christmas is like no other.

Homemade traditional plum cakes, cupcakes, and muffins are the special treats on Christmas. Kids are showered with lots of presents and new dresses. They also get to meet the ‘Santa Claus’, dressed in a fluffy red and white costume, who greets them with hugs and gifts.

Conclusion:

Christmas reminds us of the importance of giving and sharing with friends and family. Through Christmas, we know that Jesus birth is the beginning of great things in the world. It is generally an opportunity to think about nature and the reason for our existence. Christmas is such a festival which people from all religions and faith celebrate worldwide despite it being a Christian festival. It is the essence of this festival which unites the people so much.

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