Share your Holiday Traditions

Audrey · Post by **Audrey** » Sat Dec 04, 2004 7:14 pm

We celebrate Christmas with a mixture of both American and French traditions.

My children use stockings, but French children put their shoes near the fireplace in hopes that Pere Noel (Papa Noel) will come in the night and fill them with gifts. They fear a visit from Pere Fouettard who dispenses spankings to naughty children! (I have never met him!)

In 1962, a law was passed in France decreeing that all letters written to Pere Noel would be responded to with a postcard. When a school class writes a letter, each student gets a postcard.

The French attend “la Messe de Minuit” (mass) on Christmas Eve. It is followed by a huge feast, called “le Réveillon” (from the verb réveiller, to wake up or revive). Le Réveillon is a symbolic awakening to the meaning of Christ's birth and is the culinary high point of the season! Of course, I preside over this feast in my home! We invite our dearest friends and family members. I have had over 50 people for this feast in my home and I always cry at some point during the meal. I serve things such as capon, goose, chicken, and boudin blanc (similar to white pudding).

After Réveillon, it is customary to leave a candle burning in case the Virgin Mary passes by.

I always, (ALWAYS) make (at least one) “La bûche de Noël” (Yule log) - A log-shaped cake made of chocolate and chestnuts. Representative of the special wood log burned from Christmas Eve to New Year's Day in the Périgord, which is a holdover from a pagan Gaul celebration.

(If you want a recipe--- PM me!)

The sapin de Noël (yes--- Christmas tree!) is the main decoration in homes, streets, shops, offices, etc. The sapin de Noël appeared in Alsace in the 14th century, decorated with apples, paper flowers, and ribbons and gained popularity in all of France in 1837.

While we decorate our tree, my children always sing “Mon Beau Sapin” (similar to “Oh Christmas Tree”)

The Crèche is VERY important in France and everyone has several in their homes.

Mistletoe is hung above the door during the Christmas season to bring good fortune throughout the year—we do not kiss under it—as if we need an excuse to kiss! O LA LA! We need excuses NOT to kiss!

The French sing “Sainte Nuit” while the English sing “Silent Night”. A beautiful (and my favorite) song in any language. I have a recording of my darling brother singing that song and I can not listen to it without crying.

I spend a great deal of time crying over the Holidays. I know I am truly blessed and I tend to get a bit emotional….

I sincerely hope you all find peace, love and joy this Holiday Season…. I have seldom met a group of people who deserve it more..

Joyeux Noel! Bonne Annee!

Nancie · Post by **Nancie** » Sat Dec 04, 2004 7:46 pm

Wow that's a harder act to follow than if my little
pooch Holly sang Christmas Carols on Letterman!
my idea of the perfect Christmas would be to take
a cruise somewhere in the south pacific. but instead it is the usual family dysfunctional nightmare, schleping from house to house putting up with all the in laws and outlaws and drunks, my brother in law does the traditional Italian 7 fish thing, my rich sister does fancy stuff, we all fight the whole month about who is going where etc, ugh, BAH Humbug from New Joiesey here. (I do enjoy decorating my home though, love the smell of the pine in the house). Thanks for the post Audrey, hope to hear how others view the holidays..

theebmonique · Post by **theebmonique** » Sun Dec 05, 2004 3:26 am

Audrey...what a BEAUTIFUL story ! Your family celebrates such a wonderful holiday so deep in tradition. I cannot imagine anything more beautiful. It was hard to read your post without getting teary. Thank you for sharing.

Our family has a few traditions too. We usually have a big family party on Christmas Eve. One of the things we do is called the "grab bag". This started WAY back before I was born. My great-grandmother started in back when my mother was a small child. You bring three wrapped gifts (usually gag gifts) for every person in your household and put them in the bag. Then the bag is passed around and everyone takes out a gift. Then we all open our gift at once...watching to see what others get...in case we want to 'trade'. Then the bag goes around two more times. Every once in a while we 'target' someone to get a 'special' gift. One year my Mom was the 'chosen' one. She LOVES little boxes of the Whitman's Samplers. So...I got one of the little boxes...opened it carefully...took out each chocolate...put a couple of good bite marks in them...and carefully put them back in the box and wrapped it up ! Well, eveyone knew about it...but Mom of course. When the bag came around to her, I reached in and got her 'gift' out of the bag and handed it to her...and then took out mine...as if all was well. Inside I was laughing to beat the band. When Mom opened her gift she was SO excited, afterall...she loves those chocolaes. THEN...she opened the box...and her reaction was SO funny ! She ried to smile...but she couldn't hide the fact that she knew something was not right with her chocolates ! She even started to pick one up to take a bite...we couldn't hold it back any longer and burst out laughing...she finally caught on and laughed with us.

Midnight Mass was always THE thing to do when we were children. I always loved going. It was very special. We always did an Advent Wreath too.

I think one of my fondest Christmas memories was the morning I woke up to find that Santa had left me a Jane West doll. She was a western gal. Her horse was a beautiful Palamino named Flame. I was NOT a doll girl..but this one was different. More like a Barbie (I didn't get my first Barbie until I was 34 !). I wish I could get another 'Jane', but I don't think they (Matel ?) make her anymore

My grandparents started giving us Lifesaver storybooks when we were kids...now I am passing on that tradition by giving them to my nieces and nephews, along with their other gifts from Aunt T.

Ahhh...Christmas...such a great feeling !

Tracy...

doug65oh · Post by **doug65oh** » Sun Dec 05, 2004 1:28 pm

"..I wish I could get another 'Jane', but I don't think they (Matel ?) make her anymore."

Hey Tracy... those dolls were made by Marx. "Jane West" still survives - just search for Jane West doll on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... eName=WDVW

... is Jane without Flame...sealed, mint in the box it says.

Oh good grief!! There was a Johnny West doll too. (The last time I saw one of those, it was under the Christmas tree; I wasn't very old...maybe three or four.)

theebmonique · Post by **theebmonique** » Sun Dec 05, 2004 1:44 pm

Thanks Doug !

Tracy...

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 1:54 am

Decorating last night

please click on pic

Audrey · Post by **Audrey** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 2:15 am

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 2:18 am

Decorating during football

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 2:20 am

OOPS! Audrey we passed each other in the mail! That's beautiful! Very classy! Thanks!

theebmonique · Post by **theebmonique** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 2:22 am

Thanks for sharing the pictures Kat and Auds ! This is great !

Tracy...

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 4:41 am

Thanks for sharing your beautiful pics, Kat and Audrey! I really won't be able to decorate this year as I have to pack my stuff in preparation of moving, yuck!

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 11:48 pm

The people across the street are expecting the roofer anytime- which might be Christmas week or it might be the week after. They decided not to put their lights up because of that but are missing that tradition! Ah, the hurricanes still affect us!

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Sun Dec 12, 2004 12:59 pm

My family loves Christmas. Well, except my husband who I think the character of the Grinch was modeled after. I'm not quite sure where some of my Christmas tradtions were started, all I know is I follow the ones I grew up with as a child in my own family.We have a Christmas Eve dinner with Turkey, stuffing, and all the trimmings, and for dessert our christmas cake which is a cinnamon flavored cake which we eat with our hot cocoa. Or sometimes I'll get lazy and we'll just have cinnamon rolls bought from the bakery.We attend Christmas Eve Mass, and leave the Luminares burning at the edge of our sidewalk, one for each member of the house.My children enjoy decorating them, or cutting out designs.We each choose one present from under the tree to open on Christmas Eve before the kids go to bed. Both of my children are too old to believe in Santa now, but when they still did we set out cookies for santa.Then on Christmas day, my whole family gathers at my grandmothers house for Christmas dinner and exchanging gifts.Christmas music is always playing on Christmas Eve night while I set out the gifts and play santa, and sometimes while we open gifts on Christmas morning. My husband hates the Christmas music too, can you imagine?

But I make him suffer through it

Going to my grandmothers house for Christmas has become such a staple of our Christmas tradition, I dont know what we are going to do when she passes. Christmas will never be the same.Our family is usually so busy with their daily lives that it's hard to get together alot, but at Christmas we are all gathered together for a whole day of eating, sharing stories and reminiscing, and celebrating the holiday.

Some of my favorite Christmas songs are:
Carol of the Bells- Boston Pops
Santa Baby _ Marilyn Monroe
Jingle Bells - Bing Crosby and the Andrew Sisters

and my favorite Christmas movies are "It's A Wonderful Life", and
well....."Scrooged" with Bill Murray