Flora

We will be spending our first Christmas in our house this year and I wonder whether anyone can give me an idea of what it will be like. At the moment I am assuming that most of the shops and businesses will be closed - but for how long? Can I get a Christmas tree as I understand that this is not a particularly French decoration (and I don't want to get done for nicking one from the Landes forest either!). What about turkeys or should I be looking a goose recipes....etc etc

Hope someone can shed some festive light on the matter.

Flora

Somebody, anybody, please

treaclepuss

Will a few comments from Brittany help to put you on? First and foremost - the French are much more laid back about Christmas than we are in the UK. I once saw a couple of women actually fighting over the last bag of sprouts in Sainsbury's!

Christmas Eve is the most important time round here. A long evening meal for the extended family, traditionally starting with oysters (other seafood or smoked salmon now popular too), then foie gras, then roast poultry - capon is considered in the same league as turkey & goose (we tried it last year and it was really good) followed sometimes by a cheeseboard, but always by a Buche de Noel, usually chocolate. The best wines and place settings will be out! Depending on the family, some go off to mass and others see in the midnight hour in party style. The children leave out their shoes for Pere Noel.

The next morning, the 25th, hopefully the shoes are filled and there is all day to play with the toys and not a sprout in sight. Bliss.....

Back to work on the 26th. Not so good?

So, to the practical bit. Here in Brittany most of the shops normally close early on Christmas Eve. This year (being Sunday) they may not open at all but there will be signs out nearer the time. The boulangeries are open on Christmas Day morning, believe it or not! Everything then quickly gets back to normal. Christmas trees are available and are not the skinny efforts I remember strung up in years gone by. American style flashing lights for houses are unfortunately creeping in and, as the French are very lazy about removing their decorations - odd as they seem such a superstitious lot - the place has a unreal air mid January.

New Year's Eve - St Sylvestre - is every bit as important and is a repeat of Christmas feasting, often with friends rather than family. January 1st is a public holiday, which is perhaps just as well.

The Maire's office may know what your local opening hours are as they are strictly regulated. Even the Sales have to all start on the same day in France!

Hope someone local gets in touch to advise, though. Meilleurs voeux xxx