Broaden your christmas vocabulary with these festive french phrases

IF YOU ARE READY TO MOVE ON FROM THE BASIC ‘JOYEUX NOËL!’ TAKE A LOOK AT THESE YULETIDE EXPRESSIONS This is such a wonderful time of year, but one in which misunderstandings are rife when

speaking with French neighbours. Most of us have got to grips with _Joyeux Noël_, so wishing someone a Merry Christmas is straightforward, until you are confronted with _Bonnes Fêtes!_. You

might already know that_ faire la fête _is ‘to have a party or celebrate’, but in December _bonnes fêtes_ is bandied around whether you are planning an event or not. It is rather like the

American ‘Happy Holidays’, a wish that you will enjoy all your festive celebrations. READ MORE: 5 FRENCH FILMS TO WATCH IN DECEMBER TO IMPROVE YOUR FRENCH CHRISTMAS EVE TRADITIONS IN FRANCE

Next up, be prepared for questions about your plans for_ le réveillon_ (ray-vay-yon), which typically relates to New Year’s Eve dinner, but can also refer to Christmas Eve. Remember that

many French families still have a traditional dinner of several courses on December 24, often followed by a church service, concluding with gifts after midnight. This sounds like a recipe

for disaster for excited children – giving them toys, then sending them to bed! – but waking at 05:00 on the 25th is probably not much better. SAINT CELEBRATED ON NEW YEAR’S EVE You might

also be asked _Où passez-vous la Saint-Sylvestre?_ This is a shortened version of _le réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre_. The official feast day of 4th-century pope Saint Sylvester is December

31, so really this person is asking: ‘What are your plans for New Year’s Eve?’ READ MORE: WHAT IS SAINT NICHOLAS DAY CELEBRATED IN FRANCE ON DECEMBER 6? LISTEN OUT FOR THIS PHRASE IF YOU

WANT GIFT WRAPPING Finally, remember that the French do not give (_donner_) presents, but instead use the verb _offrir_. Consequently, _mon père m’a offert €100_ is often misinterpreted as

‘my father offered me €100’. English speakers might understand from this that the money was offered but not accepted. The phrase actually means ‘my father gave me €100’. This also explains

why, when a salesperson asks _c’est pour offrir?_, they are inquiring if your purchase is intended as a gift. If it is, they might even gift-wrap it for you – and usually do a far more

impressive job than the rest of us. However you plan to celebrate this year, bonnes fêtes to you and yours. RELATED ARTICLES WHAT ARE CHRISTMAS DEADLINES FOR PACKAGES TO UK AND US FROM

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