Every day for the New Year there is less and less time and it is time to think about celebrating it. If you still do not know how to celebrate New Year, we suggest borrowing a few ideas from the French, who love this holiday very much.
New Year in France is one of the brightest events of the year for the inhabitants of this country. Unusual decorations, vibrant performances and unforgettable holiday atmosphere reign on the streets of French cities.
In many areas of France, winter holidays begin on the day of St. Nicholas (December 6). It was on this day that the French Santa Claus – Per Noel – with his assistant delivers gifts. It is believed that only good children receive gifts, while bad children receive rods from Noel’s assistant, Peer Fuetar.
Though very busy at this time of the year, only an hour ride from the city, the market is just calling its visitors.
Per Noel does not put gifts for children under the Christmas tree, but, as a rule, in stockings or shoes hanging over the fireplace. A small reference: today, not every Frenchman has fireplaces in his house, but shoes and stockings that used to be hung over the fireplace to dry, now almost never hang there for that purpose.
However, adults, and even the children themselves, are sure to hang these wardrobe items in the right places on the eve of the upcoming holiday, so as not to be left without a gift. By the way, according to French beliefs and traditions, a child receives a gift for the New Year only if he behaved well during it. Otherwise, in his shoe he will not find a gift, but a symbolic rod.
Like the rest of the world, New Year is celebrated in France on December 31. The French prefer celebrating this holiday at home with relatives and friends or in entertainment places. All restaurants and cozy cafes are decorated in the spirit of the New Year and Christmas. The windows are painted with snowflakes, you can see bright illumination and feel cheerful atmosphere.
The French also love to go out in beautiful fancy clothes, and have fun on the streets. Salutes, confetti and other holiday attributes make the streets of France unforgettably enchanting on this night.
In Holidays season at Versailles hosts Christmas perfomances․
Tourists can have Private Guided Tour in Versailles and enjoy musicians, dancers, singers, actors, who are performing and prepare an amazing visit in the magnificence of the Grand Apartments.
New Year's treats
The French, who love to eat and drink, enjoy fine wines, fruits, a large selection of poultry, smoked meats, salads and a large amount of sweets. And it is not the whole list of dishes on the table.
Some areas of France have their own traditions in treats – a special kind of game or homemade cakes will always be present in Burgundy and Provence.
One of the favorite dishes is Christmas log. It is in the form of it that often in France goose, cakes and other dishes are laid out on the table. Also, one of the favorite delicacies of the French people are legumes – lentils, peas, beans are often stuffed for baked ducks or turkeys.
A mandatory decoration of the New Year’s table is a baked goose. There are many recipes for such a dish; in different regions of France, different recipes for holiday geese have been adopted. In addition to the goose, baked whole, which can be served with apples or various spices, different goose dishes are popular in France.
Goose liver can be safely put in the first place; the French like it from almost all parts of the country. Goose, if desired, can be replaced with a turkey or duck. Baked pork head is also a common attribute of the French New Year feast. Some people prefer to bake the whole piglet and eat it together with friends and relatives.
New Year's Eve Traditions
Decorate the table and the room with mistletoe. Mistletoe is an original plant that parasitizes on trees and grows in a large bush. In France, mistletoe is more common than in other countries, for this reason there is a branch of mistletoe for the New Year in every house.
It is believed that mistletoe not only brings good luck, but also drives away evil spirits, provides prosperity and well-being, protects the house from fire and thunder. As you can see, there are a lot of useful properties, and it is enough to believe in them!
Clinking glasses with a wine barrel and congratulating it is also common among the French! It is believed that this will make the next year fertile and happy, and your future wine will become even better.
This ritual is accompanied by the utterance of a long and lush toast to the wine barrel, moreover, only with the best wine! All this is funny, regardless of whether you believe in the effectiveness of such a ritual or not.
Decorating your home with flowers is another indispensable New Year and Christmas tradition, which is very characteristic of the French, who appreciate everything elegant and sophisticated, including flowers.
If you want to come to France on New Year’s Eve, then it is better to think in advance about how to do it in the best way, pre-purchased tickets and so on. Of course, on the eve of the holidays tickets become more expensive, as is the cost of housing in France.
But if you decide to book everything in advance, then do not doubt that on New Year’s Day you can come to France and celebrate this wonderful holiday at the highes.
Parismatic Tour will help you to have unforgetable Christmas and New yera holidays.
