Christmas in France, traditions, photos. How Christmas is celebrated in France 2016
Christmas in France
Do you want to celebrate Christmas in an atmosphere of extraordinary romance and taste real culinary masterpieces at the same time? Or wander around the city of lovers and take part in the most grandiose sales of the outgoing year? Do you dream of tasting the best wines and hearing a real chanson on Boulevard des Capucines? Then you will definitely have to celebrate Christmas in France..
Three generations at one table
In France, Christmas is considered the main family holiday. That is why on Christmas Eve at least three generations of family members can be seen here at the festive table. The Christmas tree is dressed up in advance, for which the French are trying to buy the most beautiful decorations. The tradition - to preserve Christmas tree decorations and pass them on to children and grandchildren - is carefully preserved, and therefore on the tree you can see both modern balls and figurines of angels from the past and even the century before last.
It is also customary to give a lot of gifts at Christmas in France. Each family member finds several treasured boxes under the tree at once, in which there are inexpensive but very pleasant little things: chocolate and cosmetics, a favorite book or soft toy, perfume or a long-awaited music disc.
Gnaw ... a log?
Another French Christmas tradition is a log, which in ancient times served for «igniting the hearth». The ash from the burnt log was carefully preserved throughout the year and protected the house and economy from various adversities. For the Christmas log, a special wood was chosen - oak or beech, and, according to the French, it had magical properties. Over the centuries, the tradition has transformed into ... a culinary one, and today the hostesses prepare a Christmas log in the form of a sweet dessert and serve it on the table..
In general, Christmas in France is a real holiday for the belly. It is not complete without a sumptuously set table, where the main dish is the true masterpieces of local cuisine. Burgundy housewives prefer to surprise with homemade turkey with chestnuts, and Brittany ones - with buckwheat cakes with sour cream. The country's northeast feeds geese for Christmas, while glamorous Paris dines on fresh oysters and snails. The festive feast culminates in thirteen desserts - a tribute to the memory of the Last Supper, which brought together Jesus and the twelve apostles.
And Christmas in France is also a fun bustle of city fairs, the charm of walking along the Seine, fresh croissants in morning cafes and, of course, amazing photos that will certainly adorn the memorable albums of enchanted travelers..