Day 1667 (Friday) 31st December 2021

It was lovely first thing this morning and the sunrise was great, especially the crescent moon and plane trails. These were taken at 7am

by 9am it had clouded over. We had planned to go to Monaco to see the Christmas market but it got pretty cold so we decided to have a day pottering around the flat and then go to Le Phare this evening. Huw did some shopping in Super U and I did some chores. After lunch Huw decided to tackle the new issue with our fridge. For some strange reason our fridge/freezer has been very wobbly; we have no idea how this happened but it needed to be dealt with. We have a 6ft high narrow cupboard next to the fridge and only the front is exposed. We had to slide that out first and you can imagine the three other sides were quite grubby. 

With us both in there the kitchen felt even smaller than usual

When I checked my bank account today I got a wonderful surprise – I had been paid a good whack by Ipag. Do you remember there was a lot of confusion at the beginning and I had to wait a long time to get paid as they had made a mistake? I eventually got the bulk of it but I was never convinced that I’d received it all and I was right – I got it today – hooray!  

This article is quite long but it’s the only day it’s suitable to post it…

15 Fabulous French New Year’s Eve Traditions in France 

There isn’t a right or wrong way to ring in the New Year in France however there are certain traditions and customs the French tend to follow when it comes to celebrating this end of year celebration. Here are 15 French traditions and customs to help you kick off the New Year à la Française “like the French”.

New Year’s Eve Celebration in France

In France, the New Year’s Eve celebration is called “Le Réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre”.

“La Saint-Sylvestre” (pronounced “la sain-sil ve-str”) is the patron saint of the New year.

“Le Réveillon” (pronounced “luh rei-vaY-on”) which literally means “the awakening”, idiomatically means a night-time celebration, especially a feast .

Other names you might hear that refer to New Year’s Eve are “réveillon de jour de l’an” and “Le Réveillon du Nouvel An”.

1- New Year’s Eve meal and party:

New Year’s Eve is almost always celebrated with a feast of rich foods.

Some people like to have their New Year’s feast in a quiet environment at home with family and close friends. Others like to go gang busters and party like it’s 1999 with extravagant parties, music and dancing. Costume parties are also popular at this time of year.

People often get dressed up for New Year’s Eve but it’s not a faux pas if you don’t, it just depends on the event you are attending. There’s even a French expression “se mettre sur son 31” which means “to dress up like it’s a New Year’s Eve party”. The closest equivalent in English is “to dress to the Nines”.

Whether you have a quiet family dinner or attend a loud costume party, there is inevitably going to be a feast of food and drink.

Although the food served at any New Year’s Eve feast will vary, there are some dishes which are more common than others and might be considered New Year’s Eve staple dishes in France such as foie gras, oysters, crustaceans, smoked salmon, escargot and maybe even caviar if you’re host has the budget for it.

All of this rich food will of course be accompanied by Champagne or Crémant “sparkling wine” to drink during your meal and at the stroke of midnight to ring in the new year.

2- New Year’s Eve soirée out on the town:

Dining, dancing, clubbing and shows

If you don’t plan on throwing a New Year’s Eve house party or you’re not invited to one, there is no shortage of restaurants, hotels, bars, clubs and other special offerings on New Year’s Eve.

Most events cost money and you may be expected to dress up so check the dress code. Restaurants may have a special New Year’s Eve meal which will be more expensive than their regular menu. Bars and clubs may have special events planned also so check the local area’s list of events to see all your options.

It’s a good idea to make reservations or buy tickets in advance to secure your spot.

3- Kissing under the mistletoe

“S’embrasser Sous le Gui” or “Le baiser sous le gui”

Thanks to the Druid Celts who believed mistletoe’s mystical powers brought good luck and warded off evil spirits, the French have a tradition which you probably already know about: kissing under the mistletoe “S’embrasser Sous le Gui”. Mistletoe in French, “Gui” is pronounced with a hard “G” like in the word Guide and rhymes with key.

Unlike many Anglo-Saxon cultures, kissing under the mistletoe is reserved for New Year’s and not Christmas.

At midnight after the countdown, everyone cries “Bonne Année”! (happy new year) and everyone, and I mean everyone. kisses one another 

4- Fireworks

Certain cities in France like Paris and Strasbourg are renowned for fireworks however for security reasons after the terrorist attacks, many planned New Year’s Eve fireworks and festivities were cancelled including the famous Paris fireworks show.

That is until the end of 2017 New Year’s festivities and maybe this year they’ll be cancelled due to Covid. So double check just in case.

6- The Champs-Elysées

The epicentre of France’s New Year’s Party

If you happen to be in Paris for New Year’s Eve and want to be at the centre of the party, the champs-Elysées is the place to be.

People start gathering to this famous avenue at around 9 pm on New Year’s Eve where you can get a great view of the Eiffel tower which displays a sparkling light show at the stroke of midnight.

There is also a sound and light show projected on to The Arc de Triumphe at Place Charles de Gaulle off the Champs-Elysée which starts around 11 pm on New Year’s Eve.

It can get pretty rowdy and crowded on the famous avenue so if you are claustrophobic or don’t like crowds, this may not be the place for you. And be wary of pickpockets.

7- French Villages and Towns Celebrations

You don’t need to be in Paris to celebrate new year’s. All across France in French villages and towns, New Year’s Eve is celebrated in a variety of ways from parades and fireworks to dances and light shows.

8- Watch the New Year’s Greetings from the President of France on T.V.

Every year at 8 pm, the president of the French republic addresses the people of France on TV with a presidential greeting “Les vœux présidentiels”.

This speech is broadcast from the Élysée Palace-the official residence of the French President and the French equivalent of the White House.

During this presidential greeting, the president takes stock of the past year and expresses his political vision and his wishes for the future of France.

9- Kissing at midnight like a French person:

Faire la bise

In most Anglo Saxon and Western cultures, it’s customary for people to give a New Year’s kiss at the stroke of midnight. There’s even a superstition that says failing to kiss someone will lead to a year of loneliness.

In France the tradition is a little more complicated because you don’t just kiss one person, it’s tradition to “faire la bise” (cheek kiss ) with everyone at midnight.

For example, if you are at a house gathering, at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, everyone will run around saying Bonne Année while giving you a French cheek kiss “la bise”.

Depending on the region of France, you should give anywhere from 2 to 4 alternating cheek kisses. In Provence it’s 2, in Montpellier, it’s 3 and in some parts of France, it’s 4. I know it’s complicated.

You could say that La Bise is kind of the French version of a hug but not really.

The exception for “La Bise” is if you are at a street gathering, club or bar where everyone is strangers. In this case you could shake hands and wish people standing near you a Happy New Year and only kiss the friends and family whom you are with.

10- You can start wishing people “Happy New Year”:

but only after midnight on Decembre 31st-not before

In most English-speaking countries, you can utter the words “Happy New Year” well before the actual new year begins. In France, this isn’t so.

Instead, you will hear friends, family and shopkeepers say ”Bonnes fêtes de fin d‘année” which literally means “Happy end of year celebrations” but idiomatically it means Happy Holidays. 

Only after the stroke of midnight on December 31st will French people actually wish you a Happy New Year (Bonne Année) followed by “best wishes”(meilleurs Voeux).

The exception is the president who wishes his people a happy new year in his presidential new year’s greetings before the New Year begins at 8 pm on the 31st of December.

11- New Year’s resolutions

The ancient Babylonians are believed to have been the first people to make New Year’s resolutions some 4,000 years ago. Today, the custom of making a New Year’s resolution is an unavoidable part of the New Year’s tradition mainly in the western Hemisphere, including in France.

12- New Year’s greeting cards

The French haven’t really caught on to the whole idea of sending Christmas cards. Instead, they send New Year’s greeting cards called “les cartes de voeux du nouvel an” which are usually sent on or after the first of January.

Thanks to the evolution of the internet, instead of sending a physical card, it’s not uncommon for friends to wish you a Happy New Year via text or social media sites like Facebook. Some say it’s ok while others think it’s better to send a card. The choice is yours.

13- New Year’s Gifts:

Les étrennes du Nouvel An

New Year’s gifts called “Les étrennes” are an old tradition that goes back to the Romans.

These days, giving a New Year’s gifts is about showing gratitude to the people who serve us all year long with a cash gift at New Years.

People like postal workers, fire-fighters, rubbish collectors, cleaners, caretakers, apartment concierge, janitors etc. How much you give depends on your generosity and ability to pay but according to Francetvinfo, you should give anywhere from 5 to 50 euros as a token of your gratitude.

Sometimes parents and grandparents will give children an “étrenne” as early as the New Year’s Eve meal.

And finally, don’t be surprised to get a knock on your door in the month of January from a Firefighter selling calendars in exchange for “les étrennes” donations.

14- New Year’s eve wafers- waffles:

Les Gaufrettes aka les étrennes

I just love this next French tradition which is mainly practiced in Northern France for the new year. It involves offering guests who stop by to wish you well for the new year a home-made gaufres-seches.

These cute little “gaufre seche de nouvel ans” which literally means dried new year’s waffles are sometimes called “les gaufrettes” or “les étrennes” and they have the same texture and taste as ice cream cones but with more of a vanilla taste to them.

15-Celebrations don’t end until the 6th of January:

(on the 12th day of Christmas  with La fête des Rois)

January 6th is an important day in France. It marks the last day of the holiday season and is known as épiphane and La fête des Rois.

The 12 days of Christmas is the period in Christian theology which marks the time between the birth of Christ and the coming of the Magi — the three wise men. It begins on Christmas day (December 25) through January 6 (Epiphany, sometimes called Three Kings’ Day)-the day when the three kings ”Three Wise Men” visited baby Jesus and presented their gifts to him. Remember that song “The 12 days of Christmas”? 

On this day and the days leading up to the 6th of January, friends, family, schools and offices across the country share a piece of king cake with each other called “La Galette Des Rois”.

A typical King cake consists of a puff pastry case filled with frangipane sold with a paper crown. Hidden inside the filling is a small little treasure called a fève which means bean. It’s called a bean because that is what used to be put in a king cake. These days you’re more likely to find a plastic or ceramic figurine. The person who finds the hidden fèvre in their piece of cake is ‘king’ for the day and wears the paper crown.

Les galettes des rois are easy to find at this time of year – bakeries and stores in France are filled with them.

Recap of French New Year’s Vocabulary

French New Year greetings (before the new year)

Happy holidays: Joyeuses fêtes!

Happy holidays: Bonnes fêtes de fin d’année

French New Year’s greetings (only on January 1st and throughout the month of January)

Happy New Year: Bonne Année! Joyeuse Année!

Happy New Year and good health: Bonne année et bonne santé

Happy New Year! Bonne année !

Season’s greetings: Meilleurs vœux!

Multiple ways to say New Year’s Eve

Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve: Le Réveillon

New Year’s Eve: La Saint-Sylvestre

New Year’s Eve: Le Réveillon de Saint-Sylvestre (also refers to the New Year’s Eve party and feast).

New Year’s Eve: Le Réveillon du Nouvel

December 31st: Le 31 décembre

Multiple ways to say New Year’s

New Year’s Day: Le Jour de l’An

New Year’s day: Le Nouvel An

January 1st : Le premier janvier

Misc Expressions associated with the new year in France

Midnight: Minuit

At the stroke of midnight: Sur le coup de minuit

Mistletoe: Le gui (hard g)

New Year’s resolution: une bonne résolution

Epiphany: épiphane and La fête des Rois

King cake: Gallette des rois

New Year’s Day Gifts / Tips: Les étrennes

Mistletoe: Le gui (pronounced with a hard G-ee rhymes with KEY)

New Year’s resolution: Une bonne résolution

The new year's meal: Le repas du Nouvel An

Fireworks: Les feux d’artifice

To propose a toast: Porter un toast / Porter un toast

Hangover: La gueule de bois

A good time: Bon enfant

I have a joke – yay. I love the chair and barrel on either side of the hole

Cats