Christmas in France

Christmas in France is a family time. Taking your family to France can be a wonderful experience. In Paris, the Champs Elysee is lighted from the Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe. Imagine Midnight Mass at Notre Dame, St. Gervais or any of the other churches of Paris. After Mass, comes Reveillon, the celebratory meal of spiritual awakening at Christ's birth. Sidewalk cafes all over France are open all night. In Paris the customary feast includes oysters and a cake shaped like a Yule log. In southern France a Christmas loaf (pain calendeau) is cut crosswise and eaten only after the first part has been given to a poor person. Alsace features roast goose, in Brittany there are buckwheat cakes and sour cream, and Burgundy prefers turkey and chestnuts. Don't forget to leave a candle burning in your window (protected for safety) in case the Virgin Mary passes by.

On Christmas Eve, French children put their shoes (sabots) in front of the fireplace. They hope Pere Noel (Father Christmas) will fill them with presents. Le Pere Fouettard (Father Spanker) travels with Pere Noel and reminds him of how children have behaved during the year. In Normandy, children receive small gifts on St. Nicholas Eve, Dec 6th, then gifts on Christmas Day. Adults exchange gifts on New Year's Day.

Nearly every French home has a creche or Nativity scene. In southern France, especially in the Provencal town of Aubagne (midway between Marseilles and Aix-en-Provence) Santons or unbaked clay figures are popular. In addition to the Holy Family, shepherds, and Magi, the Santons include figures familiar in the town: a poacher (honored for enterprise), a gendarme, a miller, a fishwife, a woman musician, and the village simpleton, as well as other figures. The Santons are sold year round in Provence, but especially at Christmas Fairs in Marseille and Aix. In Paris, the Samaritaine department store always has wonderful windows for children. Article courtesy of Constance Montague.