1. Christmas in France

2. Joyeux Noël

3. Le six décembre
La Fête de St. Nicolas is celebrated in northern and eastern France. In some towns there is a carnival procession where children are thrown sweets or gingerbread.
Children leave a shoe outside their door the night before and St.Nicolas rewards good children by leaving sweets and nuts in their shoes.
Legend has it that Père Fouettard watches out for naughty children!

4. Le 24 décembre La Veille de Noël.
Traditionally this is when ‘Le Réveillon’ ‘christmas dinner’ is eaten.
Adults often exchange gifts.

5. Le 25 décembre Christmas day is often spent ‘en famille’.
Children open their presents.

6. Le 31 décembre La Sainte-Sylvestre
New years eve is a big celebration in France with fireworks and another huge family meal.

7. Le 1er janvier
Le jour de l’an. People wish each other ‘Bonne Année’ and it is customary to send cards to friends and family.

8. Le 6 janvier La fête des Rois
The festival of Kings or twelfth night. A special cake ‘La galette des rois’ is baked and a ‘fève’ or porcelain figure is hidden inside it. Whoever finds la fève in their cake becomes king ‘roi’ or queen ‘reine’ for the day and wears a cardboard crown.