Christmas in France by: Kendal Keene and Tyler Barfield

France

By: Kendal and Tyler

We dedicate this book to Mrs. Turner

December 16 2013

Reading class

Mrs. Turner

Covington Street

5th grade

In France Christmas is called Noel. This comes from the French phrase

les bones which means ‘’the good news’’ some people burn a log from

Christmas Eve until New Year’s Day. Unlike some countries gifts are

given out on the 6th of December. That is called Saint Nicholas Day.

Christmas has turned out to be one of the main religious festivals in

France.

In France, although Easter remained the major religious festival,

the festivities connected with Christmas grew, as the many carols and

church or family. In the middle Ages, French carols were dances

accompanied by singing. Also the "carol" was a kind of round dance.

In time the "carol" changed its meaning, referring to only to certain

kinds of songs. A number of currently popular American Christmas

carols came directly from France.

Christmas is usually celebrated with all of the family coming

together on Christmas Eve. Children in France put their sabots

(shoes) in front of the fireplace where they hope Pere Noel, Father

Christmas, will fill them with presents. Pere Noels French partner is

Pere, and he will "reward" bad children with a spanking.

Two traditionally songs are Jingle bells and

Deck the Halls.

Dashing through the snow on a one-horse open sleigh Over the fields we go

laughing all the way; Bells on bob-tail ring making spirits bright What fun it is to

ride and sing A sleighing song tonight Jingle bells jingle bells jingle all the way! O

what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh Bells on bob-tail ring making

spirits bright what fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song tonight Jingle bells

jingle bells jingle all the way! O what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh

A day or two ago the story I must tell I went out on the snow And on my back I

fell; A gent was riding by In Jingle Bells Jingle Bells Jingle all the way! What fun it

is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh Now the ground is white Go it while you're

young Take the girls tonight And sing this sleighing song; Just get a bob-tailed

bay two-forty as his speed Hitch him to an open sleigh And crack! You’ll take the

lead Jingle Bells Jingle Bells Jingle all the way! What fun it is to ride in a one-

horse open sleigh

Deck the halls with boughs of holly Fa-la-la-la-la- la-la-la-la' tis

The season to be jolly Fa-la-la-la-la- la-la-la-la Don we now our

gay apparel. Fa-la-la-la-la-la- la-la-la trolls the ancient Yule tide

carol. Fa-la-la-la-la- la-la-la-la. See the blazing Yule before us.

Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la Strike the harp and join the chorus. Fa-

la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la Follow me in merry measure. Fa-la-la- la-la-

la- la-la-la while I tell of Yuletide treasure. Fa-la-la-la-la- la-la-la-

la fast away the old year passes. Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la Hail the

new ye lads and lasses Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la Sing we joyous all

together. Fa-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la Heed less of the wind and

Weather. Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la

In France Merry Christmas is said

Joyeux Noel

In France thankful is said

Reconnaissant

In France Santa is said pere

In France please is said s’il vous plait

In France Joy is said joie

The Oceans around Europe is Arctic Oceans and

Atlantic Oceans. The location based on the equator is

north. The location based on the hemisphere

Northern. The population of France is 65.7 million.

The borders around France are Italy, Germany and

Spain. Their official language is French. The continent

is in Europe. France is the largest European country in

terms of land area after Russia and Ukraine.