How is New Years celebrated in France?

Despite the fact that in European countries Christmas is considered the main winter holiday, the New Year is given no less attention. Each country has its own traditions and ways to celebrate the New Year, however, certain nations celebrate it on a special scale, not sparing money for gifts and pleasant emotions from the celebration. One of these nations is the French. It is there that New Year's holidays have a special charm.

New Year in France traditionally begins on January 1, and is celebrated on the night of December 31 to January 1. Such numbers were not always relevant: several hundred years ago there was no standard date for the celebration, and it fell on different days. The final decision was made only in 1564, and it is still not completely clear why this date was chosen. Historians believe that the reason for the choice was the neutrality of this day: it did not fall on big holidays, church celebrations, and folk festivals.

In addition, there are other opinions about the date of the holiday. New Year's Eve in France is called Saint Sylvester, in honor of the Pope who established Christianity. According to legend, the saint died on December 31. On this day, the French honor the memory of Sylvester, have fun, dress interestingly, make noise.

National holidays are December 31st and January 1st. Then residents go to work, but the holidays last at least another 7-10 days. During the Christmas and New Year holidays, the cities and villages of France are very beautiful, but for many, Paris is the best choice.At night, the Champs Elysees are lit up with hundreds of colored lights, and a gorgeous light show is also held at the Arc de Triomphe. All clubs and cafes work, boats ply along the main river of the city. Another feature of New Year's Paris is the sales, which continue for several weeks after January 1st.

The French begin to prepare for the holiday in mid-November. Residents of apartment buildings decorate windows using multi-colored stickers, snowflakes, artificial snow, garlands. The latter are necessarily hung in the rooms. The French also like various beautiful figurines depicting angels, Christmas gnomes, Santa Claus.

As for the streets, here the variety of decorations is amazing. Shop windows shine with lights of all kinds of colors, and wreaths of spruce branches and mistletoe hang on the doors. In addition, store owners can supply a live or artificial Christmas tree to continue the festive atmosphere. A huge Christmas tree is also displayed in the central square of the city. Trees and shrubs are wrapped in garlands, and you can often find glowing figurines of deer, gnomes and other symbols of the New Year.

The French are a nation that loves to do everything on a grand scale, so the New Year's table is unlikely to leave anyone indifferent. On this holiday, residents cook and eat a variety of dishes. The main ones are meat products: homemade sausage, roast beef, baked pork. Boiled or baked potatoes, salad of vegetables and herbs are served as a side dish.

It is noteworthy that the New Year's table may differ depending on the region. For example, in one city, residents always cook a turkey for this holiday, in the second they prefer to eat seafood, in the third they start the feast with foie gras. A classic dish for most parts of France will be barley or buckwheat cakes served with sour cream. As for your favorite drink, it is, of course, champagne. In addition to it, light white and red wines, cognac, various types of juices and fruit drinks, plain water with the addition of lemon are often put on the table.

There are many ways to celebrate the New Year in France. The older generation prefers home comfort and gathers family and friends around them, while the young French love noisy festivities in the streets and in clubs.

Choosing a city to celebrate will not be easy if you are traveling to France. Let's see what different regions of the country can offer.

• Paris. It is the most beautiful and famous city in France. At least half of the city's population gathers here on the central square on New Year's Eve. A huge Christmas tree, various competitions, shows, parades, solemn processions - all this awaits those who have chosen the capital of France. All restaurants are open on New Year's Eve, but those who have already visited Paris advise the Moulin Rouge cabaret - it is there that the most spectacular New Year programs are shown.
• Provence. For many people, the Provence style is a symbol of comfort, home warmth, family hearth. Provence will not offer noisy festivities, but it has its own charming atmosphere. The town shines with lights, and the quiet cafes and restaurants serve fine dining and icy champagne. This is the perfect place for couples in love. Another advantage of Provence is the flowers: here they are presented to everyone for the New Year. This is a must-have gift if you are visiting.
• Strasbourg. This city is popular because it was on its territory that the very first fair-sale was held. Since then, the tradition has been preserved, therefore, both residents and the government are doing everything to ensure that the atmosphere of the holiday is at its best. Every house and street is beautifully decorated, shows, fireworks, parades are held everywhere. The city is quieter on New Year's than on Christmas, but for many it's even better.
• Midi Pyrenees. This is a tiny village located next to Spain. No special celebrations are expected here, but those who have already been to France during the noisy festivities may like the local entertainment - the grape harvest. On New Year's Eve, the settlers go to collect the last harvest of grapes, and although they do not have a ripe and rich taste, they also make wine from them, this is a long and very interesting tradition.
• Ski resorts. People who love skiing will definitely love the French mountain resorts. Here, the surrounding atmosphere seems to be copied from a Christmas card: wooden houses entwined with garlands, hundreds of wreaths of mistletoe and Christmas trees, socks of Santa Claus. There are bars and restaurants in the mountains both afternoon and evening serving traditional French cuisine.

The French have a lot of New Year traditions. Let's list the most interesting and common ones.

• Mistletoe. A plant like mistletoe was revered by the ancient Celts, considering it sacred. On New Years, the French make wreaths out of mistletoe, and when midnight strikes, they exchange kisses under them. This is believed to foster strong love and friendship.
• Wine. Previously, the tradition looked like this: you had to go down to the basement, where there was a barrel of wine, touch it with a glass and say a wish for a good harvest. Today, not every house, let alone an apartment, has a basement, so the version of the tradition has been simplified: you just need to have at least one bottle of expensive alcohol on the table.
• Log. The tree is considered sacred in France, so those who have fireplaces water the log with oil and wine, and then throw it into the fire, cleansing the house of negativity. Coals from a fire can be carried with you, it is believed that it brings good luck. There is also a simpler version: make a cake in the form of a log.
• Present. The French treat gifts very attentively and try to congratulate each other so that the gift will definitely come to court. Young people write a list of what they want, and then publish it on social networks. Thus, it is possible to avoid unnecessary gifts that will collect dust for years. In addition, the French are sure to give each other small New Year's souvenirs.
• Bean King. A very interesting tradition, adored by both children and adults. The hostess of the house bakes a large cake, and puts a bean inside it in advance. Anyone who gets a bean will live in happiness and prosperity for the whole next year. Such a person gets the nickname "The Bean King" for one night.

For how the New Year is celebrated in France, see the next video.