On New Year's Eve, all family members fast, and at

midnight they go to attend a religious service called La

Messe de Minuit (or Midnight Mass). The places of
worship are very bright and brightly decorated, and the
bells ring almost all the time to draw people's attention
to the need to come to work. After the Mass, people go
home, where they will celebrate, through a hearty meal,
"Le Reveillon" (New Year's Eve). The meal consists of
unusual dishes for the rest of the year, such as turkey
with chestnuts or foie gras. The traditional dessert is
"buche de Noel", a chocolate and chestnut roll in the
shape of logs. In the old days, the French used to cut a
log, put it on the Christmas fire and let it burn until the
New Year, and with the passage of time this custom
turned into a delicious cake. After dinner, the family
prepares for bed, not before leaving a few dishes on the
table, lighting a candle at the window and putting wood
on the fire, in case the Mother of God decides to cross
their threshold.

Christmas traditions in France are very simple on the

actual day of the Nativity: the family gathers around the
Christmas tree and opens the presents left by Pere Noel,

Christmas
and will spend the whole day together, telling and
singing carols. In some parts of the country, the gifts
were brought on December 6, but the ways of spending
time remain the same - mandatory with loved ones.
traditions in
France
After the French began to get used to the idea of celebrating Christmas every year, the Christmas traditions in France began to take shape. Each family did a general cleaning and
prepared selected dishes, which were placed on a beautifully decorated table, located in the most spacious room in the house, and around the table all the family members gathered
and after eating, began to sing carols. In some parts of the country, the children "dressed" a lamb with colored ribbons and went from door to door, singing to those who opened the
door and waiting in return for money, fruit or sweets.

BROSCATEANU BOGDAN-ALEXANDRU
CLASA A 6-A E
PROIECT ENGLEZA: “THE CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS IN FRANCE”