As of 2011, I have decided to no longer maintain nor use this site. You may copy the questions and use them as you please. I found that my students were just googling the questions and not using the Useful Links.
French Christmas Activity
Go to the Useful Links below to find sites to answer these questions.
Please write your answers on another piece of paper to turn in.
1. How do you say “Happy New Year” in French?
2. For New Year's Day people are sometimes given "étrennes". What are "étrennes"?
3. What do Parisians prefer to eat or drink for their Christmas dinner? (2-4 things)
4. What is the réveillon?
5. What do people put on their heads on Epiphany (the 6th January)?
6. What is in the galette served on Epiphany?
7. When is the Feast Day of St. Nicholas?
8. In the legend of St. Nicholas told in France, what happens to the 3 children?
9. Who is Père Fouettard? What does he do?
10. What should one do with a pain calendeau?
11. According to legend, what do farm animals do at the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve?
12. What special properties are attributed to the ashes of a Yule log?
13. Why is Mass celebrated at midnight?
14. What are the three other names for Midnight Mass, Dawn Mass and Christmas Day Mass?
15. What is the origin of the custom of hanging mistletoe?
16. What are three possible origins of the word Noël?
17. Who introduced the first Sapin de Noël (Christmas tree) to France in 1521?
18. What are "santons"?
19. What is the "calendale"?
20. Why do they “sow” wheat on cotton wool in Provence on December 4?
21. How many tablecloths are on the Provençal Christmas table?
22. Why do they traditionally have thirteen desserts at the Christmas dinner in Provence?
23. What do they do with the thirteen desserts when they leave for Midnight Mass?
24. What type of soup is served after all this feasting?
25. What is a bûche de Noël?
Created December 17, 2000.
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