Traditions & Feasts

CHRISTMAS

       

ORIGIN

Christmas is a Christian feast which celebrates Jesus’ birth on the night on the 24th December.

CHISTMAS TODAY 

Today, in France this feast symbol is Santa Claus. The children think he brings presents under the Christmas tree. Each family decorates the house with Christmas tree. Some people go to the midnight’s mass to celebrate Christmas together. And then, there is the famous dinner. We often eat  oysters, foie gras and Champagne in starter, the main course is composed of capon with stuffing and chestnut, the dessert is the Yule log. French people open presents in the evening or in the morning of the 25th of December. 

 EPIPHANY

ORIGIN

  Epiphany is a Christian feast that celebrates Jesus'appearance to the Three Wise Men. It’s celebrated on the 6th of January.

EPIPHANY TODAY

  In France, people eat the traditional Twelfth Night Cake. It can be almond paste flavour, apples flavour, or a simple crown bun, decorated with candied fruits and granulated sugar. In each Twelfth Night Cake a charm is hidden. The person who finds the charm is crowned king or queen.

Twelfth Cake Recipe

1-1/4 lb of flour, 1 lb 2 oz of butter, 1 lb of moist sugar, 4 lb of currants, 1-1/2 lb of mixed peel, 2 nutmegs grated, 1/2 oz ground cinnamon, 10 eggs, 1/2 lb blanched sweet almonds cut in halves, and a wineglassful of brandy.

London Way of mixing Cakes: Weigh down the flour and sugar on a clean smooth table, make a hole in it, and bank it well up; in this hole put your eggs; cream the butter in an earthenware pan; then add to the flour and sugar the eggs and butter; mix all together and beat up well with both hands. You may work it up this way as light as a feather; then add the currants, spices, etc.

In olden times, a bean and a pea were introduced into the cake to determine who should be the king and queen of the evening festivities.

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EASTER

 

ORIGIN

 Easter is the most important Christian feast. It celebrates Jesus’ resurrection.

EASTER TODAY

 In France, children love this feast because bells give out Easter eggs. In reality, they are chocolate eggs that parents hide in the garden if children have been wise. If yes, they have to find eggs to eat them! 

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MUSIC FESTIVAL

ORIGIN

 Music festival in France is on the 21th of June. It’s the first day of summer.

The first music festival in France dates back to 1989. It was created by Jack Lang (the culture minister in 1982).

MUSIC FESTIVAL TODAY

 Amateur and professional music bands can play music the all day long in the streets.

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14th JULY

 
       

ORIGIN

 The 14th of July is France’s national day since 1880 in honour of the French Revolution and storming of the Bastille.

14^th JULY  TODAY

 Today the French often go and look at a firework. On the T.V we can watch a military pass.