Joyeux Noël! Bonne Année!
Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!

Christmas Presents - Les Cadeaux de Noël

In some parts of France, Christmas comes early when Father Christmas, Le Père Noël, brings small gifts and sweets for children on December 6th, the feast day of Saint-Nicolas (celebrated in the North and Northeast).

In other parts of the country, children place their shoes by the fire and wake up on Christmas Day to find them filled with presents from Le Père Noël and fruit, nuts and small toys hanging on the tree. Christmas Day is mainly a day of celebration for children.

While they all open their presents on this day, not all parents do - some are patient and wait until New Year's Eve, la Saint-Sylvestre, which is more of an adult celebration.

Food & Drink - Alimentation et Boissons

After Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve (which is attended by fewer and fewer nowadays) people gather at home or in a restaurant for a feast called le réveillon.

This usually consists of oysters, les huîtres, snails, les escargots, seafood, les fruits de mer, smoked salmon, saumon fumé or le caviar as a starter, followed by goose, l'oie, or some other roasted bird for the main course, all washed down with wine, le vin or le champagne.

The typical French dessert on this occasion is a rather rich and creamy yulelog called La Bûche de Noël.

Quirky Customs - Les Coutumes Bizarres