French Christmas in 24 words and traditions

Calendrier de l’ Avent – Advent calendar

Boules de Noël – Christmas bauble

Carte de Voeux – Christmas card

Crèche de Noël – Christmas crib

Décorations de Noël – Christmas decorations

Etrennes de Noël - Christmas money – It is a custom in France to give some money during Christmas time to your postman, your caretaker or to your local fire brigade. It is called “étrennes de Noel”.

Fêtes de fin d’année - Holiday season

Guirlande de Noël – Tinsel garland

Gui – Mistletoe

Houx - Holly

Hôtte du Père Noel – Santa's sack /Father Christmas’ bag

Illuminations de Noël - Christmas lights

Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas

Lutin – Christmas elf

Manala - This pastry that can be found in all the bakeries during the Saint Nicolas period right up until Christmas. It is called "Manala" or "Mannala" in the Haut-Rhin (68), "Mannele" or "Manele" in the Bas-Rhin (67), "Jean Bonhomme" in the regions of Franche-Comté and Lorraine or simply "petit bonhomme brioché" in the rest of France

Préparatifs de Noël - Christmas preparations

Réveillon de Noël - Christmas eve dinner/party. French people tend to celebrate on Christmas eve with a dinner with close family, followed by a Christmas day lunch with extended family and friends

Réveillon de la Saint Sylvestre – New Year’s Eve dinner/party

Se mettre sur son Trente et un (31) – Get dressed up in reference to the 31st of December

Les Treize desserts – a typically Provençal tradition in reference to the twelve apostles and Christ that goes back several centuries. Here is a list of these desserts (there are many variants): nuts, dried figs, raisins, dates, quince paste, various candied fruits, fougasse, white nougat, black nougat (with caramelized honey and roasted almonds), red nougat (with rose and pistachios), calissons of Aix-en-Provence, oranges, clementines or tangerines, a watermelon (which has the particular property of keeping well)

Traditional French Christmas food includes: smoked salmon and oysters, foie gras (goose or duck liver paté), goose, capon or turkey stuffed with chestnuts

Vin chaud – Glühwein, mulled wine

Voeux – Wishes

Veillée de Noël - Christmas Eve