1. Les Fêtes en France

2. What is the first month of the year? janvier!

3. janvier Le Jour de l’An: le 1 er janvier On New Year’s Eve, French people gather with their friends and family to celebrate the new year. In Paris, people go to Les Champs-Elysées to watch fireworks, les feux d’artifice.

4. janvier Le Jour de l’An: le 1 er janvier

5. janvier Le Jour de l’An: le 1 er janvier Adults usually exchange New Year’s gifts today. The French call New Year’s gifts “les étrennes” Les étrennes usually consist of money or small gifts. They extend wishes of “Bonne Année” (Happy New Year) and “Bonne Santé” (Good Health) to family, friends and neighbors. The French usually eat a meal with family Throughout the month of January, the French send cards of good wishes to those people that they didn’t see during the holidays.

6. La vielle du Nouvel An( “La Saint-Sylvestre”): Le 31 decembre decembre/ janvier

7. is usually celebrated with a feast (le Réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre) The feast is shared with family and friends or it is eaten at une soirée dansante, a much fancier ball. This feast customarily includes special dishes including foie gras, seafood such as oysters, and champagne.foie graschampagne

8. Le Jour des Rois / Epiphanie Day of the Kings / Epiphany) This holiday takes place on the 1 st Sunday after New Year’s Day or on January 6 th The French eat a cake with a “fève,” which is a bean or small figurine, baked into it. These cakes are called une couronne des rois (crown of kings) or a galette (buckwheat pancake). The person who finds the fève becomes king or queen for the day. He or she wears a paper crown and often takes responsibility for buying a new cake for the others to enjoy.

9. What month is after janvier? février!

10. Février La Chandeleur: le 2 février In the past, this Catholic holiday was known as La Fête des Chandelles, or the Feast of the Candles in which people used to light candles to commemorate the purification of the Virgin Mary and the presentation of baby Jesus. *La Fête de la Lumière *Jour des crêpes. *Candlemas (en anglais)

11. Février La Chandeleur: le 2 février Today, people eat crêpes which are like thin, soft pancakes.

12. Février La Chandeleur: le 2 février

13. février La Saint Valentin: le 14 février La Saint-Valentin is the holiday for those in love, la Fête des Amoreux. On this day, the French give chocolates and Valentine cards.

14. What month is after février? mars!

15. mars Le Carnival The date of Carnival can fall anywhere between February 3 and March 9, depending on the lunar calendar.

16. mars Le Carnival

17. mars Le Carnival L’Or (doré) Mardi Gras is celebrated in many countries throughout the world. Generally, it is accepted that the colors of Mardi Gras are Le Violet, Le Vert, and L’Or (doré). Le Violet = La Justice Le Vert = La Foi (Faith) L’Or L’Or = Le Pouvoir

18. What month is after mars? avril!

19. Avril Le Poisson d’Avril: le 1 er avril There are many stories describing the history of Le Poisson d’Avril. It is a day for jokes, much like the American holiday for April Fool’s Day. Do you know what poisson means? Fish! Why fish? April is when fish reproduce.

20. Avril Le Poisson d’Avril: le 1 er avril

21. Avril Le Poisson d’Avril: le 1 er avril *Tchoupi et Doudou cartoon

22. Do you know what other holiday is celebrated in April? Pâques!

23. Avril Can you guess what Pâques means? Pâques = Easter! Les Pâques: le 3 e dimanche d’avril

24. Avril For Christians, Pâques is a holiday celebrated to remember the resurrection of Jesus.

25. Avril In France, some of the traditions for Pâques are the same as the traditions for Easter in the United States.

26. Avril A typical traditional holiday activity, like in the U.S. is to paint eggs.

27. Avril In the U.S., Americans often use vinegar and dye to color hard-boiled eggs.

28. Avril In France, however, people often empty the eggs by using a needle to put a hole in the egg, without breaking it. Once it is emptied and cleaned, they decorate the egg using paint.

29. Mai La Fête des Mères: le dernier dimanche de mai What do you think La Fête des Mères means? La Fête des Mères = Mother’s Day!

30. Mai La Fête des Mères: le dernier dimanche de mai On La Fête des Mères, people give presents to their mothers, and perhaps even their grandmothers. It is a day devoted to spending time with the family.

31. Juin La Fête des Pères: le 3 e dimanche de juin If La Fête des Mères is Mother’s Day, what do you think La Fête des Pères means? That’s Right! La Fête des Pères = Father’s Day?

32. Juin In June, students begin studying for the Baccalauréat. The Baccalauréat is a very difficult exam that seniors in high school must pass in order to graduate.

33. What month is after juin? Juillet!

34. juillet La Fête Nationale du Canada: le 1er juillet C’est l’anniversaire du Canada! In 1867, the Constitution Act united three colonies into a single country called Canada within the British Empire.

35. juillet La Fête Nationale du Canada: le 1er juillet celebrations for Canada Day usually consist of outdoor public events: parades, carnivals, festivals, barbecues, air and maritime shows, fireworks, and free musical concerts Snowbirds in Ottowa, Canada

36. Juillet La Fête Nationale: le 14 Juillet (1789) Le 14 juillet commemorates the storming of la Bastille in 1789. La Fête Nationale is often called Bastille Day in English.

37. Juillet La Fête Nationale: le 14 Juillet (1789) Bastille Day is the French symbol of the end of the Monarchy and the beginning of the Republic.

38. Juillet La Fête Nationale: le 14 Juillet (1789) La Bastille was a prison which held political prisoners such as Rousseau.

39. Juillet La Fête Nationale: le 14 Juillet (1789) The storming of La Bastille became the symbol of liberty and democracy in the struggle against oppression.

40. Juillet La Fête Nationale: le 14 Juillet (1789) Le 14 juillet 1789 is the date of the French Revolution, La Révolution Française. Today, le 14 juillet is Independence Day.

41. Juillet La Fête Nationale: le 14 Juillet (1789) On this day, there is a procession in Les Champs- Elysées and fireworks.

42. Juillet La Tour de France Juillet is also the month in which La Tour de France begins! What do you already know about La Tour de France?

43. Juillet La Tour de France is a cycle race that tours all of France. La Tour de France

44. What month is after juillet? Août!

45. Août In Août, many people go on vacation. Les Vacances La Voiture Le Train L’Avion

46. Août Les Vacances

47. Août Les Vacances Travelers beware…août is also a time of strikes. strike = la grève

48. What month is after août? Séptembre!

49. Séptembre La Rentrée Scolaire What do you think la rentrée means? In English, la rentrée refers to “back to school”?

50. Séptembre La Rentrée Scolaire During la rentrée, students in France get ready for a new school year. At this time, young people are often concerned with la mode.

51. Séptembre La Rentrée Scolaire La mode simply means fashion. When have you seen la mode in the past?

52. Séptembre La Rentrée Scolaire Let’s take a look at a high school in France. To visit Lycée Robert Schuman in Metz, France, click on the following link: http://www.ac-nancy-metz.fr/pres-etab/schuman/ http://www.ac-nancy-metz.fr/pres-etab/schuman/

53. What month is after Séptembre? Octobre!

54. octobre L’Action de grâce au Canada- Le 2 e lundi en octobre L’origine de cette fête est identique aux États-Unis et au Canada. Comme aux États-Unis et au Canada, ils organisent également de grandes fêtes pour rendre à Dieu la grâce, des prières, et des réjouissances pour les bonheurs que l’on avait pu recevoir pendant l’année..Dieuprières

55. Octobre Halloween is not a traditional French holiday, but it is becoming more popular due to outside influences. Joyeuse Halloween!: le 31 octobre

56. Octobre Today children sometimes dress in costumes and go to Halloween parties. Restaurants often decorate to lure customers. Halloween: le 31 octobre

57. What month is after octobre? Novembre!

58. Novembre La Toussaint: le 1 er novembre La Toussaint is known as All Saints’ Day in English. On this day, French people honor the saints. Notice how it translates: La Toussaint. La Tous-saint = All Saints

59. Novembre La Toussaint: le 1 er novembre Traditionally, French people place chrysanthemums on the graves of their loved ones in the cemetery.

60. Novembre La Toussaint: le 1 er novembre Christians also go to church on the day of La Toussaint.

61. Novembre L’Armistice/ Le Jour de Souvenir: le 11 novembre Many people visit the Arc de Triomphe daily, leaving flowers and wreaths to remember the soldiers who have battled in war. On le 11 novembre 1920, an unknown soldier was buried below the Arc de Triomphe.

62. Novembre L’Armistice: le 11 novembre

63. Novembre L’Armistice/ Le Jour de Souvenir: “Poppy Day” The flower used to represent past and present war heroes.

64. What month is after novembre? Décembre!

65. Décembre 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 town. Le 8 décembre à Lyon: la fête de lumières

66. Décembre Hanoucca: le 21 décembre For Jews, Hanoucca is an 8 day celebration that commemorates the miracle of the supply of oil that was only enough to light the Temple in Jerusalem for one day.

67. Décembre Hanoucca: le 21 décembre Jewish families all around the world spend the fête cooking andj4 eating foods fried or baked in oil.

68. Décembre Noël: le 25 décembre Noël is what English speakers call Christmas. For Christians, it is a celebration of the birth Jesus.

69. Décembre Noël: le 25 décembre On Christmas Eve, French people go to Christmas mass, la messe.

70. Décembre Noël: le 25 décembre Le Réveillon is on the evening of the 24 th after la messe. During this time, families gather for a traditional meal. A traditional meal for le Réveillon may include oysters, turkey, and a bûche de Noël.

71. Le 24 décembre: la veille de Noël - le Réveillon Although fewer and fewer French visit l’eglise for 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.

72. Each region of France has traditional Réveillon Foods Alsace = goose Bourgogne (Burgundy) = Turkey with chestnuts Paris = Oysters and paté de foie gras. South of France = Le pain calendeau. Christmas loaf of which, part is given to a poor person. Throughout France = Boudin Blanc. A white pudding.

73. Décembre Noël: le 25 décembre A bûche de Noël is a special cake that is rolled up and shaped like a log. Sometimes there are even sugar mushrooms and moss!

74. Décembre Noël: le 25 décembre

75. Décembre Noël: le 25 décembre Is Santa Claus in France? Yes, he is. He is called Père Noël, Father Christmas.

76. Décembre Noël: le 25 décembre If children behave well all year long, Père Noël brings presents! Children place their shoes by the fireplace to be filled by Père Noël.

77. Décembre Noël: le 25 décembre Traditionally, these shoes are wooden shoes called les sabots.

78. Décembre Noël: le 25 décembre If children behave badly, however, they may get a visit from Père Fouettard who may bring sticks for the parents!

79. Décembre Noël: le 25 décembre Today, many French people decorate a Christmas tree called an arbre de Noël.

80. Décembre Noël: le 25 décembre They also decorate with a crèche, or a nativity scene.

81. Décembre La vielle du Nouvel An: le 31 décembre They also decorate with a crèche, or a nativity scene.

82. FIN

83. Write in your vocab book Bonne Saint-Valentin - Happy Valentine’s Day Bonnes vacances - have a good holiday Joyeuses Pâques - Happy Easter Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas Bonne année - Happy New Year