Do you speak Noël? - try our phrases
We have been brainstorming some useful – and some more tongue-in-cheek – expressions related to the festive season
CHRISTMAS is just a week away so we decided to share some French seasonal expressions – they range from the basic to the more unusual (or tongue-in-cheek!).
How many did you already know? Have you any other suggestions of ones you like? Let us know at: news[at]connexionfrance.com
Joyeux Noël! – Merry Christmas
Bonnes Fêtes! – Happy Holidays
Meilleurs Vœux ! – Best Wishes
La période de Noël or la période des fêtes – the Christmas season
Le père Noël - Father Christmas
Le jour de Noël – Christmas Day
La veille de Noël – Christmas Eve
Le réveillon de Noël – Christmas Eve celebrations, involving a family dinner in the evening, and, traditionally, going to Midnight Mass
Le réveillon du Nouvel An (or ‘de la Saint-Sylvestre’) – New Year’s Eve celebrations; involves a copious meal and dancing
Le jour de l’An – New Year’s Day
Les étrennes – a New Year’s gift of money to people like the postman, a caretaker, cleaner etc
La carte de Noël (vœux) – the Christmas (greetings) card
Le sapin de Noël - the Christmas tree
Une guirlande électrique (or ‘lumineuse’) – fairy lights
Offrir un cadeau (de Noël) – to give a (Christmas) present
Gueule de bois(‘wooden gob’) – hangover; comes from having a dry mouth due to dehydration (one of the symptoms of having over-indulged)
Une crise de foie (‘liver crisis’) – indigestion from eating and drinking too much
Etre le dindon de la farce (‘to be the turkey of the farce’) – to be duped/conned
Les treize desserts – 13 desserts traditionally served in Provence at the Christmas Eve meal
Cheveux d’ange, boules de Noël, – kinds of Christmas decoration
Noël au balcon, Pâques aux tisons – proverb meaning if it’s warm at Christmas, Easter will be cold
Les Rois Mages – the Three Wise Men
La crêche – crib or manger
Une chaussette de Noël – Christmas stocking
Un enfant pourri gâté – a spoilt-rotten child
Un découvert – an overdraft
