For the French, the winter holiday (known as Noel) is especially important for children. The season is a time to bask in the innocence and wonder of youth, while remembering and honoring the Holy Child who started it all.
Noel, from an expression meaning "day of birth", begins for most French on December 6, Saint Nicholas's Day. Saint Nicholas's Day is celebrated most heartily in the provinces, particularly in Lorraine, as it is believed that the Virgin Mary gave Lorraine to Nicholas as a gift; he is their patron saint. He is also of course the patron saint of children; little ones leave out their shoes in hopes that Saint Nicholas will leave gifts of nuts and candy during the night visit. In Lorraine there is a procession honoring the saint in which the figures of three boys in salt barrels are carted through the streets. These figures stand as a reminder of one of the saints more lurid miracles; bringing three murdered boys back to life.
Festive Fact: In some provinces of France, Saint Nicholas or Pere Noel can be seen walking in a long red robe with a basket of goodies on his back, accompanied by Pere Fouettard (Father Whipper), who dresses in an ugly black robe and takes care of the bad children.
The signs of the season begin to appear rapidly after Saint Nicholas day. Homes, streets, shopping malls, cafes, and shops are decorated with lights, colorful decorations, and the image of Per Noel. While not as popular as in America, sapins (trees) are sold in outdoor markets; most who take trees home pot them so they will last longer and may be replanted later. The tree is decorated with glass, paper, or crocheted ornaments; a star, angel, or Pere Noel is placed on top. While most French families use electric lights, some still use candles.
More important than a tree to the French home is the creches, which are meant to look as realistic and beautiful as possible. To contribute to the realism, the children of Provence collect moss, pine, and rocks for the backround. Some creches contain santons (little saints) representing people in the Nativity. Santons came to France in the 1800's from Italy by way of Italian merchants; the figures are made of clay and in most cases are clothed with fabric.
The French creche often depicts a French rather than Judean landscape. This could simply be a case of strong local influence on religious imagery, or it could have something to do with an obscure tradition hearkening back to the time when some areas of France claimed to be the birthplace of Christ. The regions of Provence, Auvergne, and Brittany have all made this claim in past eras. The climate and geography of these areas are considered to be similar to that of the Holy Land, and this coincidence may have something to do with the old claims.
Along with decorating, the preparations for the revillon (awakening) must be completed by Christmas Eve day. Revillon is the grand Christmas Eve feast that takes place after midnight Mass. the feast may have a s many as fifteen courses, ranging from soups, fruits, salads, meats, fish, and chicken to cheese, breads, nuts, pastry, candy...all with plenty of wine. (This is after all France)
The arrival of Christmas Eve sees the infant Jesus finally taking his place in the family creche after a small family ceremony. Little children are put to bed to dream of the gifts that Pere Noel may bring them. Previously, Petit Jesus, or little Jesus, was the one who came to children on Christmas Eve. Later the visitor was the spirit of Christmas, Pere Noel. In present day France, most children believe Jesus sends Pere Noel in his place.
Unlike the American Santa, Pere Noel is tall, dresses in a long red robe, and travels with a sack and a donkey. Though Pere Noel is not seen in department stores as often as Santa is in the United States, he too can be contacted through a letter sent to the North Pole.
After the children are in bed, the older members of the family head off to midnight Mass. Along the way there are often processions reenacting the Nativity, some of which end in living creches (where people play out the manger scene) The midnight Mass itself is very important in France, and almost everyone attends. At the Mass's conclusion, all head home to begin the Revillon.
Looking Back: The French feast following Christmas Eve midnight Mass often extends until dawn.
The Revillon often lasts the entire night, with no time for the adults to sleep before the children wander down to open their gifts. The adults wait until New Years Day to exchange their gifts; some villagers near the Spanish border mix Spanish and French traditions and open gifts on January 6.
The remainder of the vacation time surrounding this holiday is ofetn spent either skiing in the French Alps or visiting the Riviera.
About the Author...
Born and raised in the state of New York, R.M. Villoria began his writing career as a prolific songwriter. After two back-to-back tours as a Marine in Vietnam, Villoria spent the next few years owning and operating a myriad of businesses and in 1992 returned to writing, this time appeasing his appetite for suspense and horror fiction.
Born and raised in the state of New York, R.M. Villoria began his writing career as a prolific songwriter. After two back-to-back tours as a Marine in Vietnam, Villoria spent the next few years owning and operating a myriad of businesses and in 1992 returned to writing, this time appeasing his appetite for suspense and horror fiction.
Years in the making, his ghostly tales touching on the underpinnings of quantum physics and the paranormal are now ready for the public. As his first published work, Villoria presents readers with Volume One of his series “Tales From the Mind Field.”
Villoria has a son and daughter and lives in Las Vegas with his Wife.
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