... provinces celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December

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Christmas in France

• A guide to celebrating Christmas in France

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Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

• Joyeux Noël! Bonne Année! The celebration
  of Christmas in France varies by region. Most
  provinces celebrate Christmas on the 25th of
  December, which is a bank holiday. However, in
  eastern and northern France, the Christmas season
  begins on 6 December, la fête de Saint Nicolas,
  and in some provinces la fête des Rois is one
  the most important holidays of the Christmas
  season. In Lyon, 8 December is la Fête de
  lumières, when Lyonnais pay hommage to the virgin
  Mary by putting candles in their windows which
  light up the village.

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Traditions and Customs

• French children put their shoes in front of
  the fireplace, in the hopes that Père Noël (aka
  Papa Noël) will fill them with gifts. Candy,
  fruit, nuts, and small toys will also be hung on
  the tree overnight. There's also Père Fouettard
  who gives out spankings to bad children (sort of
  the equivalent of Santa Claus giving coal to the
  naughty).
• There is also a law in France that Father
  Christmas must respond to each letter he receives!

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A Letter to Father Christmas in French
Cher Papa Noël, Comment vas-tu ? Et ta femme ?
Est-ce qu'il fait froid chez vous ? Je m'appelle
Laura et j'ai 10 ans. Ma famille et moi avons
déjà décoré le sapin de Noël, mais il n'y a pas
de cadeaux en dessous, donc je t'écris. Je veux
un bon cadeau cette année ! L'année dernière, tu
m'as donné des livres, merci beaucoup, mais je
voulais une bicyclette. S'il te plaît, peux-tu
me la donner cette année ? Merci beaucoup Papa
Noël et joyeux Noël et bonne Année !Laura
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Write your own letter in French
Cher Papa Noël, Comment vas-tu ? Est-ce qu'il
fait froid chez vous ? Ici, le temps est
. Je m'appelle et j'ai .
ans. Ma famille et moi avons déjà décoré le
sapin de Noël, Je voudrais . Mer
ci beaucoup Papa Noël et joyeux Noël et bonne
Année !
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French VocabularyMatch the words to the pictures
un larbre de noel
Papa Noel
la neige
un cadeau de Noël
une chandelle
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Jingle Bells
Tintez Cloches, Tintez Cloches (Jingle Bells,
Jingle Bells) Tintez dans la nuit (Ring in the
night) Pere Noel et ses grand daims (Santa
Claus and his big reindeer) Arrivent toute de
suite..ite (Are coming soon)
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Bûche de Noël
INGREDIENTS ¾ cup self raising flour ½
teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 5 eggs,
separated 1 cup granulated sugar, divided 1
teaspoon vanilla ½ cup icing sugar
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips ¾ cup whipping
cream Cocoa Frosting (recipe follows) White
Chocolate Curls (recipe follows) 2 teaspoons
unsweetened cocoa powder
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PREPARATION 1. Preheat oven to 375F. Grease
15-1/2X10-1/2-inch swiss roll pan line pan with
waxed paper. Grease waxed paper set tin aside.
Place flour, baking powder and salt in small
bowl stir to combine. Beat egg yolks and 2/3 cup
granulated sugar in small bowl with electric
mixer at high speed about 5 minutes or until
thick and lemon-colored, scraping down side of
bowl once. Beat in vanilla set aside. 2. Beat
egg whites in clean large bowl using clean
beaters with electric mixer at high speed until
foamy. Gradually beat in remaining 1/3 cup
granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until
stiff peaks form. 3. Fold flour mixture into egg
yolk mixture fold into egg white mixture until
evenly incorporated. Spread mixture into prepared
pan. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until cake springs
back when lightly touched with finger. 4. Lightly
sift icing sugar over clean dish towel. Loosen
warm cake from edges of pan invert onto prepared
towel. Remove pan carefully peel off waxed
paper. Gently roll up cake in towel from short
end, swiss roll style. Let rolled cake cool
completely on wire rack. 5. For chocolate
filling, place chocolate chips and cream in heavy
1-quart saucepan. Heat over low heat until
chocolate is melted, stirring frequently. Pour
into small bowl stir in rum. Cover and
refrigerate about 1-1/2 hours or until filling is
of spreading consistency, stirring
occasionally. 6. Prepare Cocoa Frosting and
White Chocolate Curls refrigerate until ready to
use. 7. Unroll cake remove towel. Spread cake
with chilled chocolate filling to within 1/2 inch
of edge re-roll cake. Spread Cocoa Frosting over
cake roll. Garnish with White Chocolate Curls.
Sprinkle with cocoa.
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Chocolate Frosting INGREDIENTS 1 cup whipping
cream 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder,
sifted ½ cup icing sugar, sifted 1 teaspoon
vanilla essence PREPARATION 1. Beat cream,
cocoa, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer at
medium speed until soft peaks form. Do not
overbeat. Refrigerate until ready to use.
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1 It has lights, tinsel, and a star on top.a)
un bonhomme de neigeb) le guic) l'arbre de
Noëld) une peluche
Christmas Vocabulary Quiz You may want to use a
dictionary to find the correct answer. Find out
what the other words mean too!
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2 Rudolph is one.a) un santonb) un rubanc) un
renned) un ange
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3 Stand under this so that I can kiss you.a) la
veille de Noëlb) un rubanc) le guid) la bûche
de Noël
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4 He lives at the North Pole.a) Père
Fouettardb) Papa Noëlc) la Saint-Sylvestred)
la Messe de Minuit
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5 une carte de Noëla) Christmas carolb)
Christmas presentc) Christmas cardd) Christmas
tree
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6 Snowballa) le pain calendeaub) une boule
de neigec) un bonhomme de neiged) un santon
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Photographs
Champs Elysees in Lights                        
                                                  
                                                  
          
Bûche de Noël
French Christmas Markets