I’m glad you ask it… for there is much to say about one of my favourite topics! I’m excited to read about everyone’s different experiences here. The Nativity crib is naturally one of the main Christmas symbols. Jocelyn gives us her good restaurants, recipes, street food addresses she finds along the way! Even if the Christmas meal in France usually takes place on Christmas Eve (called “ le réveillon de Noël “), today, many French families have their traditional Christmas meal on December … Santons are small nativity scene figurines. French Christmas Traditions. Most people in France celebrate in some way from 24th-26th. It is a mark of France’s civilisation that the nation has never embraced the Christmas pudding. France emergency numbers: Do you know them? The celebrations take place because, once upon a time there were three children who got lost in the countryside. Furnished vs unfurnished: Revealing France rental market secrets to make the best choice, My 10 tips to prepare a stress-free expatriation. Camden will also take you cycling in the South of France via her Youtube channel! Thank you for that Waseema! I’d be happy to know if you’d do the same as Chloe and bring this missing ingredient to your in-laws! Christmas is celebrated as a public holiday in France on December 25, concurring alongside the United States and other countries. In France, it is celebrated with all the grace and enthusiasm befitting the French. Sarah also shares her French Christmas experience as an adult woman and living the French life in Paris with her French husband. The tradition actually dates back to the 400s when Roman Catholics began to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Post offices, banks, stores, restaurants, cafes and other businesses are closed. She finally ended up teaching English in France. You could think Jocelyn is from Brazil from her blog’s name: Samba Through Life! Even the American holiday is overshadowed by the festivities the French culture imbues into its celebrations. But now wait a second. In 2021, it falls on a Saturday, and some businesses may choose to follow Saturday opening hours. And I fully I agree with her! Many people in France put up a Christmas tree, visit a special church service, eat an elaborate meal and open Christmas presents on Christmas Eve. © Time and Date AS 1995–2021. Une publication partagée par Chloe | An English Girl Abroad (@mylifelivingabroad). When does the Christmas season start in France? This religion has played an important role in the France's history. There are also plenty of Christmas markets – very much a European tradition – with people mingling in the cold air drinking hot wine, eating chestnuts and buying foods and trinkets for their Christmas tree. From the end of November, the cities of France transform into a magical wonderland with all the Christmas lights. 3. She shares her personal experiences as an American expat, teaching English and living in the South-West of France. Which means time to travel to your family, time to cook, time to… take your time to enjoy your meal without having to watch the time so you don’t miss mass etc… First, the kids open their gifts, and then, you are just all happy and ready for a good meal. Une publication partagée par Sarah Latrille (@abuckeyeinparis). They include: Today, santons are still an important symbol of Christmas, particularly in the Provence, a region of southeastern France. My crazy 30-day expat blog challenge completed!!! The traditional Christmas church service is held on Christmas Eve in France. So happy to hear that you got to spend the holidays back home in Lyon–and wishing you a happy new year! We really enjoy eating! She shares her tips on her French life and French red tape to help her fellow expat friends. Now living in Alsace with her family, the magic of the Alsatian Christmas conquered her children. In the first edition, the first expats shared about what they have learnt from being an expat in France. It is also called Lenten Moon, Crow Moon, Crust Moon, Chaste Moon, Sugar Moon, and Sap Moon. Une publication partagée par Waseema Petersen (@fromsatofrance). No other country in Europe celebrates Christmas in such a fashion. A letter from Santa Writing to Santa is a tradition across the world but in France he writes back! Far from the Northern hemisphere reality of a white Christmas, Waseema reveals the Cape Town traditions over the holiday season. I’m not sure there is a correct way to mix culture Jocelyn is a Californian melting pot that lived in Brazil, moved to Paris, married a French man and in search of good food from Asia and the world! St Stephen's Day is an occasion for Christians to honor St Stephen's life and is a public holiday in France's Alsace-Moselle region. However, Alsace is the epicenter of French Christmas magic all along December! She is a francophile and studied to become a French teacher. To start, and this is not going to be a big surprise, in France, Christmas is centered around food. The evening of December 24th is when French families sit down together to celebrate Christmas and enjoy festive French foods and wines. The Christmas meal in France is called “Le Réveillon de Noël” and traditionally used to be held late in the night on December 24th, as people return from the midnight mass. However, for some, the celebrations begin on St Nicholas’ Day on 6th December and do not finish until January 6th (the Kings’ Day). Her blog is great inspiration and way to travel, also when we stay at home! How do the French celebrate Christmas? what they have learnt from being an expat in France, Making memories in Perpignan with Camden from Baguettes & Bicyclettes, Chloe’s 4 Reasons to Spend Christmas in France from My Life Living Abroad, Holidays in Paris with Sarah from Sucre Blue, How does France celebrate Christmas versus South Africa with Waseema from Our French Adventure, Jocelyn’s 3 favourite Parisian holiday traditions from Samba through life, How does France celebrate Christmas wrap-up, wander around the Perpignan Christmas market, Four reasons to spend Christmas in France, Cape Town traditions over the holiday season, Everything you need to know about the tradition of the King cake in France. Her story will give you a sneak peek on how France celebrates Christmas. Is Jocelyn’s favourite French winter food your favourite too? However, some stores at airports, railway stations and major highways, may be open. I think I found her blog researching about Brazil, my dream country! Christmas Day celebrates the birth of Jesus (figurine pictured above). 5 – When Do the French Celebrate Christmas? Let us know in the comments. Chloe settled in Paris a few years back. Une publication partagée par ☽ 何思倫 (@sambathroughlife). Christianity was introduced to the area that is now France at the time of the Roman Empire, around 300 CE. Most of what Chloe describes about Christmas with her in-laws is quite similar to how my family spends Christmas. The Jewish community does celebrate Hanukkah, la Hanoucca, and it exists in France, but it’s not mainstream in terms of knowledge or visibility like it is in many areas of the USA. In France, Christmas day is officially on the 25th of December too, but in some traditional households celebrations start with a "Réveillon", a very late meal on the 24th, before going to church for midnight mass, or on returning home after the service. How does France celebrate Christmas: Expats share their, How does France celebrate Christmas: Expats share their experience. The expat nostalgia and the homesick feeling mixed with the gratitude of living an exceptional life of constant discovery. Thank you so much for the feature Guiga! Christmas is celebrated traditionally on Christmas Eve when the big meal is normally served, although Christmas Day is always a holiday too. What do the French do at Christmas. Their blog posts will give you a good overview of how does France celebrate Christmas. Although many people celebrate Christmas on the 25th December, in France the festive season officially begins on the 6th December, St Nicholas Day. The French tend to celebrate with a family gathering on Christmas Eve which continues into the following day. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in France are on 24 and 25 December and are also widely celebrated French holidays, although in parts of northern and eastern France some children receive presents on the morning of St Nicholas’ Day on 6 December. If you’ve heard about French people eating long and slowly, this dinner is the greatest example of this French custom. I’m sure this rule is broken every year in France! What differences did you notice between Christmas in France … Nativity crib. Commemorate the life and times of scientist Isaac Newton and celebrate science and reason. There's more information about Christmas in France on the French Moments website Epiphany, called Fête des Rois in French, is also celebrated in France on January 6th. Beijos / bisous!. If your local Christmas market has been cancelled this year, it will give you a pretty good idea of what to expect for next year. While we diligently research and update our holiday dates, some of the information in the table above may be preliminary. Photos from Waseema – Our French Adventures. What all expats have in common during the holiday season away from home is the nostalgia, or saudade as the Brazilian would say. In many areas of France, Christmas really gets started on December 6th, with la fête de Saint Nicolas (St Nicholas’ Day). I wish Happy Holidays to all expats living in France and beyond! Santa Claus in France They celebrate Christmas in France with one of the most iconic Christmas symbols. And the simplicity and authenticity of the French towns will win you over! Happiness lies in little moments like this and warm memories! The origins of the celebration date from ancient times, but over the centuries many French regions have created their own traditions to ward … Thank you Chloe! Traditions, meals, markets, and music... Camille from French Today explains how the French celebrate Christmas. Luckily, Saint Nicolas rescued the children and returned them to their parents. bring this missing ingredient to your in-laws, sneak peek on how France celebrates Christmas. Jocelyn tells us more about her family multicultural Holiday celebrations and her favourite Holidays traditions in Paris. The meal can go for up to six hours. People come together in cathedrals and churches across the country to pray and sing carols (known as Chants de Noël). If you're new here, never miss an update and be the first to receive new articles and information about life in France and insider tips! Also strolling around the Christmas markets. This is 40 days after Christmas Day . If you like traveling to Europe, Asia, California and Brazil, Jocelyn shares her anecdotes and personal tips while she “samba” through life! If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. He acts in much the same way as Santa Claus does in other worldwide Christmas traditions. Stay tuned for her next episodes. Here in France they do things very, very differently. This is the second edition of the Expat in France link-up to gather expats living in France experiences. The cake has a toy crown inside and is decorated on top with a gold paper crown. On the evening of December 24th, French families sit down together to celebrate Christmas and enjoy a variety of the most delicious dishes and wines. At around midnight, French families eat a special meal to celebrate the very beginning of Christmas Day. Christmas is one of the most widely celebrated holidays in the world. Jocelyn will understand the special meaning the Brazilian give to this emotion. Traveling and cultural discovery couldn’t be complete without tasting it! Santa Claus started his tradition as St. Nicholas, but he is more commonly known as Père Noël, French for 'Father Christmas'. Christianity was introduced to the area that is now France at the time of the Roman Empire, around 300 CE. Christmas in France is a major annual celebration, as in most countries of the Christian world. Sarah remembers her first Christmas abroad in France as a teenager and shares her thoughts on how she felt as he was spending for the first time this traditional holiday in a foreign country in the French Alps! There are more than 50 different santons representing the holy family and traditional village characters. Quite a nice fortune, don’t you think? How to get your EU Blue Card and work in France? However, Alsace is the epicenter of French Christmas magic all along December! Christmas Day is a public holiday. Chloe describes her French family authentic Christmas meal and traditions with her British view on the French cuisine! Bastille Day is one of the biggest French holidays celebrated around the country. Special fairs are held in December to enable people to buy more figures for their displays. If you find an error, please let us know. It’s known as the Midnight Mass and it usually begins at midnight or a few hours before. If you don’t remember the feeling of seeing a snowfall for the first time, Waseema will remind you with her story! Christians celebrate Christmas Day by remembering the Jesus Christ's birth in Bethlehem around the year 3 BCE (the date varies depending on different sources). If you are also a francophile, want some tips to learn French from a language teacher and discover the South of France, you will like her YouTube Channel. Don’t you think? You will find a very detailed and accurate explanation of the French administrative process she went through but also personal recipes. Five expat bloggers from different countries reveal their personal experience of a French Christmas. All these 5 testimonials and personal thoughts all share this same feeling in their own way. <> I assumed, being just across the water, that a French Christmas would be just the same, but I was wrong. Read her post the Four reasons to spend Christmas in France, you will understand why! We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. As it is not your first visit, never miss an update and be the first to receive new articles and information about life in France and insider tips! Welcome to my blog Expat in France! Such a lovely compilation of diverse expat stories here in France And you got it right–eu tenho muitooo saudades during the holiday season, especially this year! Christmas in France: The parties themselves begin on December 24. Paris excels in department store decoration and the magic of the City of Lights. They discovered not only the cold but the Alsatian winter! Having never been to the USA during the holiday season, I didn’t know about an unspoken rule between Thanksgiving and Christmas time in the USA. The French spouse visa: Everything you need to know! Public transport service schedules vary depending on where one is and hopes to travel. I’m thankful to be at home in Lyon for the holidays, but I also feel nostalgia and saudade as one part of my family couldn’t travel back to France from Taiwan for Christmas. La Chandeleur (Candlemas or Crêpe Day) is celebrated in France on February 2nd, 40 days after Christmas Day. Traditional French Christmas celebrations include letters from Santa, feasts on Christmas Eve and presents at the beginning of December! France should get some inspiration from British cuisine. France is still a largely Catholic country, which means that Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve is still a fairly popular tradition. And I give a special thank you and wishes to Camden, Sarah, Chloe, Waseema and Jocelyn! Did you know that the French traditions of Christmas play an integral part of celebrating the birth of Jesus in France? Christmas day, December 25th is an official public holiday now in France. They Christmas in France is made special with the multitude of Christmas illuminations and traditions found throughout the country. Your email address will not be published. We all know the English, but what do we know about the French Christmas Traditions? Camden makes us wander around the Perpignan Christmas market, a South-West of France middle size town! How they feel about being far from home for this special occasion (and in these extraordinary times). The French prefer a fancy log – of ice cream or sponge and chocolate. Welcome back to my blog Expat in France! Many people work during some part of Christmas Eve but finish work early. How convenient… So more and more, French people celebrate Christmas on the 25th, with a late lunch (kind of like Thanksgivingin the US). Required fields are marked *. As in most countries where people from other cultures and religions live, many non-Christians also like certain aspects of Christmas and take part in some festivities or celebrate it in certain ways. Historically in my area of France, Christmas Trees weren’t as popular as they were in the UK and people preferred to have a nativity scene in their homes instead, however nowadays they often have both. You will find good tips to discover this region on Camden’s blog Baguettes and Bicyclettes. I have been expatriated for studies, for work and also for love for a total of approximately 7 years so far. The best part of Christmas isn’t the delicious food or the presents… it’s spending time with people you care about. A wicked butcher kidnapped them. More. Many Christians in France celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day (Noël). It makes it a great hub to discover the French Catalan region! Paris excels in department store decoration and the magic of the City of Lights. How do French people celebrate Christmas? Click here and you won't miss out on good tips! Christmas Eve; The fun of Christmas in France happens mostly in the build to Christmas Day, the highlight of the festive season being le Réveillon (Christmas Eve). She has been blogging at My Life Living Abroad for quite a few years now. Jocelyn is Americano-Taiwanese or maybe Taiwanese-American. December in South Africa is the start of the summer holidays! Christmas Eve is the day before Christmas Day and is an important occasion for many French families. Camden describes herself as “a twenty-something American living in France teaching English“. She became a Parisian and will soon become French I believe according to the start of her French nationality application series on her blog! Also, Chloe also shares her top secret tip as an annual passholder when visiting Disneyland Paris over Christmas. Sarah moved for love to Paris from Ohio, USA and now shares her love and her discoveries in this emblematic city on her blog Sucre Blue. I hope you have a wonderful rest of the holiday season! Photos from Waseema – Our French Adventures Even so, already at the end of November (a month before Christmas, approximately), the gun goes off for Christmas shopping and Christmas decorations. Churches may be closed for visitors who do not wish to take part in the services and guided tours are often not available. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed. However, many churches were closed and nativity scenes prohibited during the French revolution. What kind of activities do you enjoy doing at Christmas time? If you are wondering how does France celebrate Christmas, add a trip to Alsace in December in your 2021 bucket list. (I don’t think many French people will agree with me, especially the one that doesn’t really know the good English food!). A flat Almond cake is eaten called 'Galette des Rois'. France minimum wage versus average salary. So, the most important component of the holiday is the Christmas dinner. Many people spend the day quietly with family members or close friends. Privacy & Terms. The Full Moon in March is the Worm Moon. Just like in Monaco, France starts to celebrate its Christmas on 4 December, St. Barbara’s Day, and continues as far as Candlemas (2 February). The holiday season is a special time of the year in many countries around the world and it is even more special as an expat! You already know there will be some food involved and of course the magic of Paris! Your email address will not be published. This religion has played an important role in the France's history. My name is Guillemette RONY but I go by Mademoiselle Guiga. The Vernal (Spring) Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere is the Autumnal (Fall) Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere. Some churches even include actors and live animals. This is why most people in France celebrate Christmas. Dishes may include: Many people spend Christmas Day quietly and some attend a special church service. Perpignan is close to the Mediterranean and the Pyrenees. Verbs for Christmas. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Christians celebrate Christmas Day by remembering the Jesus Christ's birth in Bethlehem around the year 3 BCE (the date varies depending on different sources). This is Christmas Eve dinner. *** Have you celebrated Christmas in France? Click here and you won't miss out on good tips!