pooh&tigrou Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 We are moving to the Dordogne area at the beginning of December, and wonder how different the traditions for Christmas are. Do they send Christmas cards for instance. I do not want to get on the wrong side of the neighbours straight away!! Please help educate me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert the InfoGipsy Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 Can't answer for the Dordogne, but I've got family in Britanny & Alsace and neither lot are that worried about Xmas cards. The big present giving is Christmas eve, together with a ginormous meal and at least a bottle each. The 25th is generally a day for (very!) gentle walks to try & clear the heads.Boxing day doesn't exist and if the 25th is on a weekend then they don't automatically get the following Monday off.I'd be surprised if there are not big regional variations in traditions, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 P&T, They are really not big on Christmas cards at all. Those that they do send are New Year cards, so not despatched till after 1 Jan., just when we would be preparing to throw them all out! But they wouldn't dream of sending cards to people they see regularly. So your French neighbours won't be expecting cards from you.But you do have to be ever-ready with saying "Tous mes voeux", or "Bonne et heureuse année" or something to everyone - friends, neighbours, shopkeepers etc - you meet during January. They often add fervently "...et surtout une bonne santé", so stressing their wishes for a healthy new year.Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 Agree with Angela. No Xmas cards (though they might like it as a strange eccentricity and are unlikely to take offence). Close friends and neighbours here we do not get anything from - the ones we see occasionally we get New Year cards from. These arrive anytime from 1 to 31 Jan. Add "Meilleurs voeux" to the list above.PS The health wish thing may be linked to nationwide hypocondria and interest in the telling you about their bowels and bladders ... [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vickybear Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 Last year was our first Xmas in France and we got chocolates from every one of our French neighbours, which caused us a trauma as we hadn't done anything for them other than give them fresh eggs since the previous May. In our hamlet all our neighbours have moved here from various distances away. The longest habitation being one couple of 15 years. So, we really don't know what to do/expect this year as this doesn't seem to be the norm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusheslake Posted October 7, 2006 Share Posted October 7, 2006 We send Christmas cards to our closest French friends children who really appreciate them! They all think we are pretty eccentric anyway!I always keep a few goodies put by in case over the Christmas period we have visitors bearing gifts (not much different to the UK I suppose!)If you get invited to any French homes for meals over Christmas you wont be expected to take Christmas gifts just the usual gifts of chocolates and a nice bottle of bubbly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TarnGranny Posted October 7, 2006 Share Posted October 7, 2006 Christmas cards have appeared in all the shops in December wherever I have been in France (5 Departments) to my knowledge for the last 6 years, so I guess that the French do send them to each other, and we have received them from French friends.A lovely tradition in our area is that the Boucherie and Traiteur in our local village will take advance orders for prepared meals and they open Christmas day morning so that people can collect the meals and save themselves lots of preparation time (leaves lots of time for the better activities on the day like socialising and having a few drinks!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tia Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 We have just been to our house in France and ordered some logs from our local farmer as we are going over there again for Christmas and need some for then. He doesnt speak a word of English and we are not very good with French but when I tried to pay him he wouldnt take any money and we think he was trying to say they are a gift. Hopefully when we get there at christmas the logs will be there and we will try again to pay for them. If however he insists they are free then what do you suggest we can get him as a thank you in return without them taking offence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 Wood is about 40-50 euros per stère (cubic metre). Like you, I would be a bit embarassed about accepting any quantity of firewood without paying. What quantity of firewood did you ask him for? If it was just a fewlogs for your fire, how about taking a nice Xmas Pudding as a thank you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tia Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 Thanks for the idea of price as we havent a clue. We ordered 4 cubic metres as we have none at all left from the previous owners. I will make sure I have at least 200 euros ready for him then and thanks for the idea of xmas pudding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 [quote user="Tia"].....If however he insists they are free then what do you suggest we can get him as a thank you in return without them taking offence .... [/quote]A bottle of whisky, a fair chunk of proper Stilton, pour Monsieur et pour Madame des mince-pies..... It's not money, it's just saying 'Merci pour les bûches' and it is topical as it is Noël soon and it's just another tradition be it from a different culture.... Other traditions : for kids : I remember that on Christmas Eve we were made to polish our school shoes. Quite a competition in a household of 4 siblings!! as to who will have the shiniest shoes!.... in the belief that Père Noël would be kind and generous....These were put by the Xmas tree after supper. We were allowed to watch some TV -whatever Christmassy program the french TV had at the time.... I'm talking of the 60's!- then we were told to go to our rooms and read, play quietly or go to sleep but not to re-appear in the lounge, kitchen or dining room!! ... Mother would go to the midnight mass and Father had been detailed to 'Bienvenue Père Noël' and help him with the presents.... When we were older we HAD to go to the mass with Mother as Father had his usual duties..... As French kids don't have a Xmas stocking, the shoes are instead filled up with all kind of Xmassy things and the presents piled under each pair. This way each kid knew their own stuff and no fighting or disappointment if the 'wrong' present had been opened by someone else.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tia Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 Thanks. I was thinking of a bottle of whisky what do they class as a good whisky dont want to take a cheap one. Also what do they class as a good bottle of champagne I have seen so many in our local Achun and not sure whether it is a case of the dearer the better. Maybe I should bring the whisky from England instead of buying over there. Sorry for being naive but we have only just bought our house and it will be a first Christmas in France but to any of the restaurants open on Christmas day for Christmas dinner or is it a family occasion at home. I read on the forum they tend to have large family meals on christmas eve and spend Christmas day going on walks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 [quote user="Cassis"]how about taking a nice Xmas Pudding as a thank you?[/quote]We brought some puds back from the UK after last Xmas and gave a couple to our neighbours. Happily, we now know them well enough for them to have been able to say, when asked "How were they?" a week or so later ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, "Ummm - not for us"."Le Pudding Anglais - bizarre!"They told me this afternoon that they'll be barbequeing a lamb and (presumably) casseroling a haunch of sanglier . There'll be the whole army of the family round (20+) and the meal on the evening of the 24th will go on till the early hours. "Why do you have to go back to Mars (the UK) for Christmas?" Beginning to wonder myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 [quote user="Tia"]Thanks. I was thinking of a bottle of whisky what do they class as a good whisky dont want to take a cheap one. Also what do they class as a good bottle of champagne I have seen so many in our local Achun and not sure whether it is a case of the dearer the better. Maybe I should bring the whisky from England instead of buying over there. [/quote]...... oh, and whisky / champagne.For the former, a good premium brand that you can buy over here would probably do fine - you don't want to lug it down unless you're driving.As for champagne, rose often seems to be brought by them as an offering - I guess that it works well as an aperitif or (more likely) as a dessert wine. Even better, a magnum - now that would be impressive and they'd have to invite you to help shift it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 [quote user="Ian Horn"][quote user="Cassis"]how about taking a nice Xmas Pudding as a thank you?[/quote]We brought some puds back from the UK after last Xmas and gave a couple to our neighbours. Happily, we now know them well enough for them to have been able to say, when asked "How were they?" a week or so later ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, "Ummm - not for us"."Le Pudding Anglais - bizarre!"[/quote]Each to their own. We had an order for half a dozen from our neighbours this year! [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeanneclaire Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 Hi, If your farmer is a neighbour, he is probably being neighbourly so you could reciprocate with a nice bottle of whisky for him and perhaps some short bread for madame. We have the same situation, when we ask our neighbour for manure, he will not take money, he says he cannot charge a neighbour. We now give them gifts for the children at Christmas and at Easter, but even this embrasses him. jeanneclaire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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