Slide 2 How French People Celebrate Christmas BY: SHIVANI PATEL
Slide 3 French Christmas Desserts Throughout the French Christmas
season, there are special traditional desserts that include: La
bche de Nol - A log shaped cake made of chocolate and chestnuts. Le
pain calendal Christmas loaf, part of which is traditionally given
to a poor person. La Galette des Rois Round cake which is cut into
pieces and is distributed by a child. Slide 4 French Christmas
Decorations The sapin de Nol is the main decoration displayed in
homes, streets, shops, offices, and factories. The sapin de Nol is
decorated with apples, paper flowers, and ribbons, and was
introduced in France in 1837. Mistletoe is hung above the door
during the Christmas season to bring good fortune throughout the
year. Slide 5 Le Rveillon- The Special Feast Every year, in France,
Christmas is famous for le Rveillon a well known tradition for
people all around the world. Rveillon is a French custom of
breaking fast and eating a night- time meal after the Midnight Mass
on Christmas Eve. This nineteenth century tradition is still
celebrated within France and in many French Quarters around the
world, including Canada and New Orleans in America. Slide 6 Yule
Logs Yule Logs, made out of Cherry Wood are often burned in French
homes. The log is carried into the home on Christmas Eve and is
sprinkled with red wine to make the log smell nice when it is
burning. Slide 7 Live Entertainment Christmas plays and puppet
shows are popular entertainments at Christmas, especially in Paris
and Lyons. The shop windows of large department stores have
wonderful displays of animated figures that families like to visit.
Slide 8 Shoes in place of Stockings Instead of stockings, sometimes
French children set a shoe outside their door on Christmas Eve to
be filled with candy, fruit, nuts, and small gifts. Although
Christmas trees are not wildly popular, for those families that
erect them, Pere Noel also decorates the tree on Christmas Eve when
he comes to leave gifts. Slide 9 French Christmas Markets Similar
to other countries in Northern Europe (Belgium, Holland, Germany,
Denmark, Sweden, Finland), most towns and cities in France host a
Marche de Noel (French Christmas Market) at some point between late
November and the end of December. They exude a fantastic atmosphere
and offer great shopping opportunities. Slide 10 French Christmas
Foods Each region in France has its own traditional Christmas menu.
A traditional French Christmas will usually include: smoked salmon
and oysters with bran bread and (real) butter, foie grass (goose of
duck liver pate), goose, capon, or turkey stuffed with chestnuts
and served with vegetables like green beans cooked with garlic and
butter and provincial herbs sauted potatoes. Slide 11 Thats All
Folks. Joyeux Noel!!!!!! Slide 12 Helpful Links
http://french.about.com/cs/culture/a/christmas.htm
http://french.about.com/cs/culture/a/christmas.htm
http://french.lovetoknow.com/French_Christmas_Traditions
http://french.lovetoknow.com/French_Christmas_Traditions
http://www.quora.com/How-do-French-people-celebrate- Christmas
http://www.quora.com/How-do-French-people-celebrate- Christmas
http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/france/christmas-day
http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/france/christmas-day
