Are you wondering what the most common French Christmas greetings are? If you have French friends or visit Paris during the holiday season, it is always good to know the appropriate greetings or how to write suitable greeting cards.
You could surprise your friends by learning several Christmas greetings and using different ones depending on the occasion.
Best Common French Christmas Greetings
There are many variations to saying Merry Christmas in French. People use different sentences to change the meaning slightly depending on the situation and the person being addressed.
The French language covers formal and informal greetings. So it is necessary to differentiate when you want to wish Merry Christmas to friends or family members and when you are addressing older people or strangers.
Here are some of the most common French greetings to use over the holiday season:
- Joyeux Noël – Merry Christmas (the most common and easy sentence to use)
- Bonnes fêtes – Happy holidays
- Je vous souhaite un joyeux Noël – I wish you a Merry Christmas (to be used in formal situations or when addressing more than one person)
- Je te souhaite un joyeux Noël – I wish you a merry Christmas (can be used in informal situations)
- Joyeux Noel et bonne année – Merry Christmas and happy new year
- Bonnes et Heureuses Fêtes – Good and Happy holidays
- Joyeuses Fêtes – Happy Holidays
- Bonne année et bonne santé – Happy New Year and good health
- Vœux de Bonheur pour un Joyeux Noël -Wishes of Happiness for a Merry Christmas
- Meilleurs Souhaits pour Le Nouvel An– Best Wishes for New Year
- Je vous souhaite d’excellentes fêtes, et bonne année – I wish you happy holidays and a happy new year
- Que l’année [year] vous apporte bonheur, santé et prospérité – May the year [year] bring you happiness, health and prosperity
- Passez un Joyeux Noël en famille – Have a Merry Christmas with your family
- Joyeuse Fête des Rois – Happy Kings Day ( it is used for the Epiphany)
- Joyeuses fêtes de fin d’année – Happy New Year celebrations
Christmas Greetings And The Holiday Season
When the French say merry Christmas, it is common to wish the best for the new year and refer to the Christmas season. It is common to hear:
Bonnes fêtes de fin d’année -Happy New Year
It is usually said after wishing Merry Christmas. So don’t be surprised if your friends don’t say Merry Christmas only, but wish you an excellent holiday season too.
What Can You Write On Greeting Cards?
On Christmas cards is common to write short sentences wishing others to spend a happy Christmas day, including happy wishes for the entire holiday season.
Here are some things you can write on holiday cards:
- Meilleurs vœux pour cette nouvelle année – Best wishes for this New Year
- Je vous souhaite tout le meilleur pour cette nouvelle année – I wish you all the best for this new year
- Tous mes meilleurs voeux pour la nouvelle année – All my best wishes for the new year
- Pour cette nouvelle année, nous te présentons nos meilleurs vœux – For this new year, we send you our best wishes
- Je te souhaite une année riche en belles surprises – I wish you a year full of beautiful surprises
Christmas And Holiday Seasons Vocabulary
It is essential to know some basic words that are likely to be used during Christmas eve or the holidays. It can make your life easier, and you could even start a conversation with others.
Here are some French words likely to be used during the Christmas holidays:
- Réveillon de Noël– christmas eve
- Fêter Noël – Celebrate Christmas
- Sapin de Noël – Christmas tree
- Décorations de Noël – christmas decorations
- Chant de Noël – Christmas Carol
- Père Noël – Santa Claus (literally means “Father Christmas”)
- Esprit de vacances – Holiday spirit
- Marchés de Noël – Christmas markets
- Cadeaux – Presents
- Un bonhomme de beige – A snowman
- Écrire une carte de vœux – Write a greeting card
- Se retrouver en famille – Get together with family
- Déballer les cadeaux – Unwrap gifts
How Do French People Celebrate Christmas?
The French Christmas traditions start with the use of the Advent calendar. People, mainly children, use this calendar to count down the days until Christmas eve, on December 24th.
The calendar has several doors or windows that children open each day of the month to get treats behind each door. It is a lovely tradition to have children excited while waiting for Christmas.
In addition, French families will always have a Christmas tree with presents placed under it.
However, all presents should be placed after December 25th, since Santa Claus is supposed to bring the gifts overnight.
Children wake up on Christmas day and happily run to the tree to open their presents.
Another wonderful French tradition is that of writing to Santa.
In France, it is even more special than in other places because kids actually get an answer from Santa.
France has a law in force since 1962 mandating that all kids writing to Santa must get a reply back.
Therefore, it is up to the French postal service to answer them on behalf of Santa Claus.
Isn’t it interesting and lovely?
Learn French With Ling App
Now that you know the common French Christmas greetings and traditions, you are ready to embark on a journey to France during the festivity. But before that, learn more French and get ready to have amazing conversations with the locals.
If you are into French culture and language, you can become fluent quickly with the Ling App.
Ling is an application that can help you learn French through lessons and videos. You can master pronunciation, verbs, grammar, and much more. But you can have the opportunity of learning other languages, in fact, you can choose between 60+ options.
If you want to know more about French, check out our great blog posts: Happy New Year In French and Basic French Pronouns.
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