Many people work during some part of Christmas Eve but finish work early. They spend the rest of the day with family members or close friends. People traditionally decorate their homes and prepare a celebratory meal. This meal consists of different dishes in different areas of France.
The traditional Christmas church service is held on Christmas Eve in France. It's known as the Midnight Mass and it usually begins at midnight or a few hours before. People come together in cathedrals and churches across the country to pray and sing carols (known as Chants de Noël).
Le Réveillon De Noël – christmas Eve
In France, they celebrate Le Réveillon… on the 24th December with family or close acquaintances in the form of a large meal. In Catholic traditions, there may also be a midnight mass. However, the meal is very important and is a rather festive occasion.
The Christmas meal in France is called “le réveillon de Noël” and usually takes place on December 24th. But, things change and now, many French families have their traditional Christmas meal on December 25th.
2. Christmas Eve. Christmas in France is very much a family affair and Christmas Eve is traditionally the most important date. This is because Le Réveillon de Noël (Christmas Eve), a celebratory dinner, is held on this day with family.
Huîtres, or oysters, are a classic French Christmas tradition (if you have the money to afford them), served with lemon and a shallot mignonette. In fact, seafood in general is pretty popular for the Christmas Eve meal, as it is in Italy where on Christmas Eve many celebrate the Feast of the Seven Fishes.
Le Réveillon de Noël
This is Christmas Eve dinner. At around midnight, French families eat a special meal to celebrate the very beginning of Christmas Day.
In Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden and Switzerland, presents are traditionally exchanged on the evening of 24 December. Children are commonly told that presents were brought either by the Christkind (German for Christ child), or by the Weihnachtsmann.
Santa Claus is called Père Noël in French or Father Christmas.
Yes, they are. For example, 'boxing day' (December 26) is a normal working day in France, unlike the Commonwealth countries.
In many countries, families gather and give gifts on Christmas Day. But French people tend to exchange gifts on the night of Christmas Eve (le réveillon (de Noël)), rather than on Christmas Day (Noël/le jour de Noël), although kids do often get their presents from le Pere Noël on Christmas morning.
It is in fact called “Le Réveillon” – which translates to the idea of staying up all night for the arrival of the “Père Noël” (Santa Claus). The Christmas Eve meal usually begins around 8pm and stretches until well after midnight. A French Christmas really is about the food – and less about decorations and gifts.
The feast, usually on the night of the 24th and lunch on the 25th, is a big one. The family gets together at both meals, and some have the leftovers from the dinner prior to the lunch the next day. The traditional offering for Christmas is sugar-coated almonds. Roast turkey is the most common choice of meal.
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It is commonly used to refer to Santa Claus specifically, or Christmas and the Christmas holiday season.
The presence of hymns for the feast in the Georgian Iadgari demonstrates that it was celebrated in Jerusalem by the 6th century at the latest. The first recorded Christmas celebration was in Rome on December 25, AD 336. In the 3rd century, the date of the nativity was the subject of great interest.
The festivities begin on December 24, evening, often known as Christmas Eve. But on this day, individuals greet each other with the greeting “Merry Christmas” and not “Happy Christmas”.
Australians often celebrate Christmas Day by enjoying a Christmas lunch or dinner with their closest family and friends. The meal usually consists of a selection of hot and cold dishes, including fresh seafood.
Christmas gifts are often exchanged on Christmas Eve (December 24), Christmas Day itself (December 25) or on the last day of the twelve-day Christmas season, Twelfth Night (January 5).
Things have changed since, but few French people send greetings cards in December; they send them throughout January until the 31st, which is the dateline! The popularity of greeting cards has never ceased growing since, but the Internet has brought a new dimension: virtual greeting cards.
Noel derives from the old French Noël "Christmas", a variant (and later a replacement) of nael, which itself derives from the Latin natalis "birth". The term natalis dies (birth day) was long used in Church Latin in reference to the birthday of Christ—or in other words: Christmas.
In Japan, Christmas is the time for friends and couples to have parties, make plans to meet up for dinner and celebrate as much as they can. And New Year is the time of the year when all members of the family come together, visit the temple, and usher-in January 1st, with food and drinks.
In France, it is the tradition to eat a special dinner late at night on Christmas Eve. This meal is called le réveillon de Noël. However, in the region of Provence, it is referred to as le gros souper - the big supper. It is eaten before going to midnight mass - la messe de minuit.