Whether you say "Merry Christmas!" or "Happy Holidays," both express the joy and excitement that comes with the magical season ahead. Whether you are going to France over the holidays or simply want to expand your French vocabulary, scroll down below the picture to find some useful expressions to help you get ready for the coming months en français! Keep checking back to the blog for more information regarding the traditions of Noël en France! Merci for reading!
Joyeux Noël! (- literally "Joyous Christmas" or, "Merry Christmas!"
Bonnes Fêtes de Noel! - Happy Holidays!
Heureuses Fêtes! - Happy Holidays!
Meilleurs Vœux! - Seasons Greetings!
Bonne Année! - Happy New Year!
Joyeux Fête des Rois! - Happy Three Kings Day! - (side story...This greeting is for the celebration on the Epiphany, January 6th, the presumed day the three wise kings brought gifts to the Christ child. During the party, a "Galette des Rois" is presented to the guests. Each guest then takes a slice of the cake hoping for the trinket, or fève, that has been cooked into the batter. My first experience with the Galette des Rois was in Grenoble, as an exchange student. My host family held one of these parties where the cake was presented to the guests. It is understood that whomever finds the fève must hold the next party. It is a jovial time that I remember fondly. Years later, I would be offering the "Galette des Rois" cakes to my college students before the holidays. My own children always loved this tradition so much that we organized a Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday celebration for my daughters' elementary school. We ordered "King Cakes" from New Orleans for the students to try. These cakes are decorated in the official Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and gold and in the tradition of the "Galette des Rois," they also have a fève baked into the cake. The students that found the little plastic babies as the fèves, were then crowned the Kings of Mardi Gras that day. Quelle soirée!! It was so much fun!!)