Frenchie Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 This morning I remembered what my mum used to do on Christmas eve, she used to put one more plate than necessary, it is a custom in provence, the plate being intended for any person who would turn up , a lonely person, a beggar, a lost soul ..My mum said " c'est l'assiette du pauvre " ..I'm going to place one more plate on the table this year , because it is a lovely custom, and it can teach my son that we must never close our door to others. Do you also have Christmas customs to tell us about ? [IMG]http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r20/regine79/snoel.gif[/IMG] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugsy Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 A glass of sherry, a mince pie and a carrot (for the reindeer) left by the fire on christmas eve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchie Posted December 16, 2007 Author Share Posted December 16, 2007 Oh yes, in my case it was a bowl of milk for santa ( he was sober .. lol) , and a carrot for the reindeer ... [IMG]http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r20/regine79/07.jpg[/IMG] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eos Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 Candles burning in the windows to the front of the house to let the lost or lonely know there was room at the inn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DZ Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 Looking out for the first star in the sky on 24 December, a sign for the family to sit down to the Christmas Eve supper. Like Frenchie, we would have an extra plate and cutlery for the unexpected and hungry guest (and still do). Then starting the meal by sharing a special wafer with everyone present, breaking it with each guest and giving each other some special Christmas wishes, hugs and kisses. And then, of course, going to another room where the Angels would have deposited all the presents while the family was eating. After all the presents are opened, turning off all the lights, lighting candles and singing carols. Pure magic and not just for the children!All these are Polish customs and I cherish them greatly and will do so wherever I happen to live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cendrillon Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Lovely to read about these traditions, keep them coming. [:)]So much better (IMHO) than all the spend, spend, spend and tinsel and tat that seems to have become the norm[:(] Frenchieisn't it also a Provencal custom to not clear the table after the meal and to leave the crumbs.............for the poor ? (.......or the mice!) Do you have Santons as well? When my children were small I sometimes took them to a French church in London to see the crib scene with the Santons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchie Posted December 18, 2007 Author Share Posted December 18, 2007 [quote user="Cendrillon"]Frenchieisn't it also a Provencal custom to not clear the table after the meal and to leave the crumbs.............for the poor ? (.......or the mice!) Do you have Santons as well?.[/quote]Hello ! Oh ; we always cleared the table after the meal, and we have no mice !! [:D]But yes, we have santons for the whole nativity scene, and Jesus is not to be put into the crib scene before midnight on Christmas eve ( tradition).My grand dad died ten years ago,; my gran gave me his whole collection of santons. They are precious to me . Santons are hand made and can be very expensive, but obviously mine have a sentimental value to me . We also have the tradition of the " 13 desserts" . On every Christmas table in Provence you should find 13 desserts , they symbolically represent Jesus and his 12 apostles. You have to eat at least a very tiny bit of each to be lucky all year..Some can change, but some are necessary, since they are symbols.Régine . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monika Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Our tree was put up in great secrecy on Chrismas Eve and the "Christkind" would bring the presents, a bell would ring and this was the sign that we now could enter the secret room with the Christmas tree lit up by real candles. After "unending" prayers and carols we were allowed to open the presents. After we would sit down to the Christmas Meal and at Midnight we would make our way through the high snow (in those days they still had snow in Switzerland) to the village church for the Midnight Mass. Christmas day was a very quiet, relaxing day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cendrillon Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 We also have the tradition of the " 13 desserts" ah yes, I had forgotten about that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitty Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Frenchie: What a lovely idea. I'm going to start doing the same i.e. laying an extra place. Maybe someone will fill it?Our kings start their journey on Christmas Day around the drawing room (if we are in the UK) or family room (if we are in La Belle France) and don't get to the crib until the Twelfth Night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 [quote user="Frenchie"] But yes, we have santons for the whole nativity scene, and Jesus is not to be put into the crib scene before midnight on Christmas eve ( tradition).Régine .[/quote]Our three "wise men" slowly made their way around the sitting room over the 12 days and didn't actually arrive until the morning of Epiphany!Great minds, Cathy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchie Posted December 18, 2007 Author Share Posted December 18, 2007 [quote user="Cathy"]Frenchie: What a lovely idea. I'm going to start doing the same i.e. laying an extra place. Maybe someone will fill it? Oh I'm glad you like it .. I also find it is a lovely symbol..Our kings start their journey on Christmas Day around the drawing room (if we are in the UK) or family room (if we are in La Belle France) and don't get to the crib until the Twelfth Night. I love the way you do it .. Interesting! [/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 On Christmas Eve as kids we were made to polish our very best pair of shoes and put it by the Xmas tree. Then with our parents we would go and visit our grandparents and have meal with them as we were too young to stay up very late for the 'Réveillon' . Often we stayed the night at their house and next morning they would drive us back home and spend the day with us. Our joy [:D] to find to find that Father Xmas had come during the night...Under each pair of shoes would be a tall pile of presents and the shoes were stuffed full of almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts and satsumas. Our parents in the meanwhile had been doing the 'Réveillon' with neighbours and friends of course and couldn't tell us what Father Xmas looked like.... Still a mystery...[;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchie Posted December 18, 2007 Author Share Posted December 18, 2007 I love reading all those posts.. It brings back the true sense of Christmas, the magic in it, that thrill we had in our hearts when we were kids ...Merci /... Lovely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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