French Bilingual Association 

Let’s celebrate the festive season with some French Christmas traditions! 

Joyeux Noël (“Merry Christmas”)

Le Réveillon de Noël ( « Christmas Eve »)

French people tend to exchange gifts that night rather than on Christmas Day (“jour de Noël”)

The biggest meal of the holiday is also usually eaten on Christmas Eve, instead of on Christmas Day. Dishes might include roast turkey with chestnuts, oysters, foie gras and even lobster! For dessert, a chocolate sponge cake log called a bûche de Noël is normally eaten. Another celebration, in some parts of France, is that 13 different desserts are eaten!

La fêtes des Rois & La Galette des Rois (« kings’ day »)

On January 6th, on “Kings’ Day” or Epiphany, there is a tradition to make or buy a ‘Galette des Rois’ which is a special tart that includes a small porcelain object/ trinket called a ‘fève’ hidden inside. The person who gets this in their portion is proclaimed the king (or queen) for the day and wears a pretend crown and can choose his king/queen. The cakes are usually sold with a paper crown for the one who finds the fève. Traditionally, the youngest in the family distributes the pieces of cake hiding below the table and saying the name of the person who should get each piece.

Bonnes vacances !!