Joyeux Noel!

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.


French children put their shoes in front of the fireplace, in the hopes that Père 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. In 1962, a law was passed decreeing that all letters written to Santa would be responded to with a postcard. When a class writes a letter, each student gets a response.


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. 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.



Minuit chrétiens, also known as Cantique de Noël, is a traditional French Christmas carol. It is equivalent to the English carol O Holy Night, though the lyrics are quite different:

Minuit, chrétiens, c'est l'heure solennelle,Où l'Homme-Dieu descendit jusqu'à nousPour effacer la tache originelle Et de Son Père arrêter le courroux. Le monde entier tressaille d'espérance En cette nuit qui lui donne un Sauveur.

Peuple à genoux, attends ta délivrance. Noël, Noël, voici le Rédempteur,Noël, Noël, voici le Rédempteur !

Le Rédempteur a brisé toute entrave :La terre est libre, et le ciel est ouvert.Il voit un frère où n'était qu'un esclave,L'amour unit ceux qu'enchaînait le fer.Qui Lui dira notre reconnaissance,C'est pour nous tous qu'Il naît,Qu'Il souffre et meurt.

Peuple debout ! Chante ta délivrance,Noël, Noël, chantons
le Rédempteur,Noël, Noël, chantons le Rédempteur !