Like many Americans, I’m pretty much a mutt when it comes to national heritage, but I’ve always been fascinated with French Christmas traditions. After all, my folks decided to name me “Noel”, which is French for Christmas! And somewhere in there, I surely have a French ancestor or two.
Now, some of you may already be familiar with the odd French Christmas tradition, like Papa Noël or le Réveillon, if you’re from certain parts of the country…but most of you are in for a treat!
Pre-Holidays
One of the things I love about European Christmases is that they have so many associated holidays. The French are no different. In some French provinces, the traditional Christmas season begins on December 6, with la fête de Saint Nicolas (the Feast of St. Nicolas).
That’s the night when kids leave out their shoes, hoping Père Noël will fill them with candy. St. Nick is the patron saint of children, you see. Hopefully, he won’t be irritated with a particular kid, because if he is, a guy named Père Fouttard comes to visit instead.
Père Fouttard dresses in black, and spanks bad kids. It’s up to you to decide whether that makes him a bad guy or not!
In Lyon, they also have a special holiday dedicated to the Virgin Mary, where they put candles in their windows to light up the city. This is called la fête de lumieres, the Festival of Lights, and takes place on December 8.
Christmas itself…
…is often celebrated by Midnight Mass (la Messe de Minuit) on Christmas Eve, which is then followed by a big feast featuring a big meat pie called le Réveillon, a Yule Log cake, and (in southern France) le pain calendeau, a Christmas bread that’s shared with the poor. Then the kids open their presents.
Christmas Day is reserved as a time for rest, recreation, and family reunions.
Epiphany
On January 6 (or the first Sunday after New Year’s), many French families celebrate la fête de rois, the Feast of Kings (since January 6 was when the Magi arrived at the manger). This involves sharing the gallete de rois, a round cake that’s sliced up and handed out by a little kid hiding under a table.
Hidden inside the cake is a charm, or fève. If you get it, you’re King or Queen for the day, and get to wear a cardboard crown.
While it’s a bit different, this sounds suspiciously like the New Orleans tradition of the King Cake, which is celebrated during Mardi Gras season. Leave it to the people of the “Big Easy” to adapt and celebrate one of the more unique French Christmas traditions.
