- Preparation for the holiday
- Festive table
- Traditions and customs
- French Santa Claus
- Where can you celebrate a holiday
The tradition of celebrating the New Year in France originated many centuries ago. Along with Christmas, the celebration of the celebration on the night of December 31 to January 1 is considered one of the most important events of the year. The last day of the outgoing year is named Saint Sylvester in honor of the Pope, who, according to legend, saved the world from the ominous serpent Leviathan.
Preparation for the holiday
France is the country where the first Christmas tree appeared. Folk legends say that the first forest beauty was presented to the public in Alsace about 450 years ago. Later, other Europeans adopted this custom from the French, and the tree became a New Year's symbol in many countries.
As for modern times, France begins to transform even during the celebration of Christmas. Shop windows and galleries are decorated with original drawings depicting scenes from the life of Christ, as well as illuminated with colorful illumination. Whimsical hand-drawn winter patterns appear on the window panes.
Of course, the focus of the festive atmosphere these days is Paris, where you can see shining compositions, hanging Christmas balls and miniature fir trees at every step. Every year, a splendid fir tree is planted in front of the famous Notre Dame Cathedral.
In the homes of the French, preparations for the holiday are also in full swing. At the same time, spruce is an integral part of home decoration. Each family has their own secrets of decorating a tree. The mistletoe flower plays a significant role for the French, bringing happiness, health and well-being in the next year. Wreaths or bouquets are made from mistletoe branches with the addition of other plants.
Festive table
The French are noble gourmets, so on New Year's Eve their table is plentiful and necessarily includes dishes of national cuisine. The standard menu for the New Year is as follows: goose or turkey baked in the oven with vegetables and chestnuts; buckwheat tortillas with sour cream sauce; foie gras; seafood (lobster, lobster, shrimp, snails, mussels); quiche (traditional French pie); Kasule (a dish based on smoked meat products and beans); potato gratin; salad "Nicoise"; log-shaped chocolate cake; various desserts.
As alcoholic drinks, the inhabitants of France prefer wine of all sorts and the favorite champagne, produced in the Champagne province. The family usually sits at the table at nine o'clock in the evening with the aim of spending the old year and meeting the new one.
Traditions and customs
In France, many Christmas and New Year rites have been preserved since ancient times, which are still observed during the holidays. Among the most popular are:
- Festivities in the squares and streets of cities. The French are trying to surprise each other, so they often dress in fancy dress and cone-shaped caps. At that moment, when the New Year comes, the locals begin to loudly shout, whistle, applaud and shower everything around with confetti or streamers. Such a ritual drives away evil spirits and brings happiness the next year.
- On December 31, a festive lottery is held everywhere, the winning of which can be a comic present or a large sum of money. The lottery is organized at the state level, so every citizen of France takes an active part in it.
- On New Year's Eve, the hostesses prepare a special cake and put a grain of bean in it. Anyone who gets a piece of pie with a grain inside is proclaimed the "Bean King" and everyone must obey him during all the New Year holidays.
- Winemakers also pass on from generation to generation a kind of ritual that helps to get a rich grape harvest next year. To do this, the owner of the house goes down to the cellar and presents a glass of wine to a wooden barrel where the drink is kept.
- On the evening of December 31, each family goes out into the street to perform a custom, special for the French, called "burning logs." A log of wood is harvested in advance, then poured with oil and brandy, and then burned in the yard. The remaining ashes are neatly folded into a linen bag and stored until the next holiday. The meaning of the ritual is that it is with the burning of the log that all troubles and resentments go away.
French Santa Claus
The main New Year's wizard in the country is Per Noel, who looks like Santa Claus and Russian Santa Claus. Initially, the elder was dressed in a long robe and wide-brimmed hat. In his hands he held a staff and a basket with presents for children. However, at present, his appearance has changed and consists of a cap and a red suit.
Per Noel arrives at the French children on a donkey, and enters the house through the fireplace. Gifts are placed in children's shoes, placed by the fireplace or near the New Year's tree. French children leave hay and slices of fresh carrots in their shoes so that the old man can feed his donkey.
If the child was very guilty last year, then Peer Fuetar comes to him - Per Noel's assistant and at the same time his antagonist. An old man with a dirty long beard, an evil face, greasy hair and a black cloak are the main external characteristics of this negative hero. In the hands of Peer Fuetar holds an instrument for punishing disobedient pranksters. It can be a stick, a rod, or a cane.
Where can you mark
Tourists from all over the world are starting to flock to France on New Year's Eve. The country is famous for its long-standing culture of celebration and boasts an excellent organization of the celebration.
Lovers of a noisy and cheerful atmosphere should visit magnificent Paris. A walk along the Champs Elysees, an excursion to the Eiffel Tower observation deck, a New Year's cruise on the Seine, numerous parties in restaurants and bars - all this is included in the excursion program.
Those who prefer active sports are advised to go to one of the French resorts specializing in winter activities. Here you will find a developed infrastructure, a high level of service, and also get an energy boost for the whole year.
