Christmas in France traditions and customs?

Question

Hi! I have to do a report for French class on Christmas in France. Anyone have any good websites or books or any info to help me? Thanks!

Answer 1

In Provence (France region), of Christmas begin from December 4th and end on February 2nd. It is the period "Calendale".

Everything thus begins with grains of the Holy Beard. Then we prepare the crib. 23 and 24 we capture the pétouze and the shepherds prepare the pastrage which takes place 24 in the evening. The hostess has at his expense the preparation of the big supper, 13 desserts and the Christmas dinner. The former takes charge of the cacho-fio.

We prepare then the New Year's Day, then from January 6th we put the rois-mages in the crib and we pull kings with our famous and delicious cakes. And all it ends on February 2nd for the Candlemas with pancakes and shuttles. We undo the crib.

With the hope that the nature will also make, we sow December 4th, feast of the famous boss, the wheat of the Holy Beard. We take three saucers, we put down, in each of her a cotton coat on the bottom and we sow grains of wheat, but also with lenses. We soak the cotton of water. We arrange the saucer in a sunny place. At the end of fortnight, if grains germinated, grains will have risen, we bind then shoots green  with a ribbon, crossed three times all around, before tying up him of a braid. Saucers will serve to decorate the table of Christmas. When grains went up well, to keep them until Christmas, I arrange them on the balcony, because in our houses and overheated apartments, they have difficulty in holding. When grains are crossed, it is necessary to bury them in the garden. They so protègeront the house of the lightning .

Quand lou blad vèn bèn, tout vèn bèn (When wheat comes well , everything comes well )

The day before Christmas I arrange small dishes in the day-nursery(crib) or I use it to decorate the table of the big supper.

La pétouze:The day before Christmas, the men left capturing the pétouze (kinglet, cave dweller). We offered him then to the priest during the midnight mass. The priest delivered during the service the pétouze, to symbolize the postage of the human ame delivered from his chaines by the coming of the Messiah. Then, the mass being ended, we applauded lou rei de la vaquète (king of the cave dweller) the one who had managed to capture the bird. He arrived several times, that the men returned empty-handed of their hunting. The women left trying then in turn their luck. And if fortunately they managed to capture the bird, then there my nice, they gave themselves to heart enjoyment and laughed cheerfully at their men.

the cacho fio: It is the ceremony which symbolizes the family. The ancients generations and the short story which will be the contuinité, the future. This rite allows to protect his and to assure to have a happy New Year.

For this ceremony, is needed the youngest and the oldest of the family. They take together a log of a fruit tree, which must have died in a natural way, by the lightning, the frost.and which has to burn during three days and three harms. They make then three times the tour of the table.

The oldest, the papé ( familial words in provence) , puts down the log in the hearth, blesses it with some fortified wine and pronounces:

Cacho-fiò

Bouto-fiò

Alègre, alègre

Dièu nous alègre

Calèndo vèn, tout bèn vèn

Dièu nous fague la gràci de veire l’an que vèn

E se noun sian pas mai, que noun fuguen pas mens

tranlation:

Christmas's log,

Gives the fire

Let us let us delight we

God gives us the enjoyment

Christmas comes, everything comes well

God made us the grace to see the year which comes

And if we are not more Whom we are not less.

The log need duration until the Epiphany. Thus we have him puts back to the fire little everything in daytime. The rest of the log is kept and we have him relight the days of thunderstorm to save the house of the lightning. The farmers put down fragments of coal resulting from the log in cowsheds to protect the betail of the diseases.

We make the big supper before going to the midnight mass. In certain family, it is after the mass that we pass at table. It consists of thin flats, with as basic ingredient the fish.

It is necessary to lay the table and it must be beautiful, with three white tablecloths who calls back three important events:

                      The birth

                     The circumcision

                     The Epiphany

A candlestick has three branches or three candlesticks for the trinity:

                The father

                The son

                The holy spirit

White candles complete the set(group) and finally the saucers with the wheat of the holy Beard.

The big souper

The big supper has to contain 7 thin flats(dishes), in memory of 7 pains of Marie.

We leave at the end of the table an empty place with the case or would come a down-and-out, it is the place of the poor because nobody has to stay only the evening of Noel, even animals make parties of the big supper. The legend says that during the night of Noel, the at full night of mystèry, an animal begin speaking.

On the other hand in the evening, it is necessary to verify that the pieces of the biggest of tablecloths, do not get the ground. We say that the rests of thirteen desserts are for the angels, which harms her come come to feast. But if the tablecloth gets the ground, then it is the devil who is going to take advantage to go up on the table and eat the rests there. The hostess will shake the tablecloth outside because the crumbs of the meal are considered as beneficial and to throw them in the garden is the sign of future fruitful harvests

The kings

From the Epiphany and during all January long, we pull kings.

Most young child of the family hides below the table. An adult, cuts the cake. The child announces to whom we have to give fragments. That or the one who finds the subject pays another cake and the one who falls on the bean, a bottle.

Candlemas

It marks the end of the period of Christmas. It is this day when we undo the crib.

On February 2nd, we take off the cribs..

In Marseille, It is of custom to eat shuttles, make for St Victor.

Shuttles represent the boat of the Saints Marie, who accosted on our bank and by them the gospel was passed on to us.

The Candlemas corresponds has the presentation of the child in the temple, 40 days after Christmas and Marie's relevailles.

In provencal, we say "la candelour"

In families, it was very important as a feast. It brought a candle al'office for a blessing. Then we returned home, while maintaining the lighted candle. If she died en route, it presaged the misfortune on the family. Arriving at home, it was the sign of the cross with candles for every door and window.

We light up again  in the year to protect the house from lightning or to facilitate childbirth.

Then we made the pancakes. For the first, in his left hand taking a piece of gold or silver and the other blew up on the pancake. Then we rolled into the room pancake and depositing it on the top of the cabinet. The remnants of the previous year are thrown up and the room has a poor.

In doing so we hope to make money in the family.

http://www.theworldwidegourmet.com/?acti...

http://www.avignon-et-provence.com/photo...

http://www.avignon-et-provence.com/photo...

for santoun (crib)

http://www.santons-fouque.com/Vanglais/f...

http://www.santons-campana-provence.com/...

http://www.santons.org/html/village3.htm

Bon bout d'an, et à l'an que ven

translation:

Good year end, and in the year which comes

Answer 2

Christmas in France is celebrated mainly in a religious manner, though some secular ways of celebrating the holiday also exist. Children put their shoes by the fireplace so Père Noël (Father Christmas) can give them gifts. Many French families also decorate their homes with Nativity Scenes depicting the birth of Jesus. Many families attend midnight mass. Some people put additional Santons (little saints) in their nativity scenes, which are bought at special Christmas fairs before the holidays.

Although Southern Basque Country is part of Spain and Northen Basque Country is part of France, the Basque people have their own traditions at Christmas. The Three Wise Men are popular in the South and Père Noël in the North, but there is also another character which is well known in both sides of the Pirineess, called Olentzero. Olentzero was a pagan coal worker who went to adore Jesus to Bethleem. Nowadays, it is said that he brings presents to all good people at Christmas Eve.

There you go.

Answer 3

these sites have great info!!! It explains alot>helped me for a report once!

http://www.californiamall.com/holidaytra...

http://french.about.com/cs/culture/a/chr...

http://www.santas.net/frenchchristmas.ht...

http://www.the-north-pole.com/around/fra...

http://gofrance.about.com/cs/festivals/a...

http://www.everythingesl.net/lessons/fre...

In France, Christmas is a time for family and for generosity, marked by family reunions, gifts and candy for children, gifts for the poor, Midnight Mass, and le Réveillon.

The celebration of Christmas in France varies by region. Most provinces celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December, which is a bank holiday. However, in eastern and northern France, the Christmas season begins on 6 December, la fête de Saint Nicolas, and in some provinces la fête des Rois* is one the most important holidays of the Christmas season. In Lyon, 8 December is la Fête de lumières, when Lyonnais pay hommage to the virgin Mary by putting candles in their windows which light up the village.

*In most countries, Epiphany (la fête des Rois) is the 6th of January, whereas in some places in France it is celebrated the first Sunday after 1st January.

French Christmas Traditions

French children put their shoes in front of the fireplace, in the hopes that Père Noël (aka Papa Noël) will fill them with gifts. Candy, fruit, nuts, and small toys will also be hung on the tree overnight. There's also Père Fouettard who gives out spankings to bad children (sort of the equivalent of Santa Claus giving coal to the naughty).

In 1962, a law was passed decreeing that all letters written to Santa would responded to with a postcard. When a class writes a letter, each student gets a response.

Le Réveillon

Although fewer and fewer French attend la Messe de Minuit on Christmas Eve, it is still an important part of Christmas for many families. It is followed by a huge feast, called le Réveillon (from the verb réveiller, to wake up or revive). Le Réveillon is a symbolic awakening to the meaning of Christ's birth and is the culinary high point of the season, which may be enjoyed at home or in a restaurant or café that is open all night. Each region in France has its own traditional Christmas menu, with dishes like turkey, capon, goose, chicken, and boudin blanc (similar to white pudding).

Throughout the French Christmas season, there are special traditional desserts:

La bûche de Noël (Yule log) - A log-shaped cake made of chocolate and chestnuts. Representative of the special wood log burned from Christmas Eve to New Year's Day in the Périgord, which is a holdover from a pagan Gaul celebration.

Le pain calendeau (in southern France) - Christmas loaf, part of which is given to a poor person.

La Galette des Rois (on Epiphany) - round cake which is cut into pieces and distributed by a child, known as le petit roi or l'enfant soleil, hiding under the table. Whoever finds la fève - the charm hidden inside - is King or Queen and can choose a partner - learn more.

French Christmas Decorations

The sapin de Noël is the main decoration in homes, streets, shops, offices, and factories. The sapin de Noël appeared in Alsace in the 14th century at a time, decorated with apples, paper flowers, and ribbons, and was introduced in France in 1837.

Another important aspect of French Christmas celebrations is the crèche filled with santons, which is displayed in churches and many homes. Living crèches in the form of plays and puppet shows based on the Nativity are commonly performed to teach the important ideas of Christianity and the Christmas celebration.

Mistletoe is hung above the door during the Christmas season to bring good fortune throughout the year.

After Réveillon, it's customary to leave a candle burning in case the Virgin Mary passes by.