La+Saint-Sylvestre,+Le+Jour+de+l'An,+et+L'+Epiphanie

//When// : La Saint-Sylvester is **New Year’s Eve** and is celebrated on the **31st of December** //Special Characteristics// : Symbols of New Year’s Eve include **images of Frances' winter landscape**, **winter sports**, **champagne bottles**, and some **New Year fireworks are in the form of traditional symbols associated with France.**  //What do p// people **attend special parties** or other events to mark the end of one year and the start of the next one. On New Year's Eve, social gatherings of all sizes are organized to mark the end of one year and the start of the next. These range from **small parties with family members and a few good friends in private homes** to **huge street parties** with live entertainment, music, dancing and even public fireworks. Many events start in the middle of the evening on December 31 and continue into the early hours of January 1. A **church service** is held late in the evening, afterwards people **walk to the vineyards** in a torchlight procession.

//Did you know:// Saint Sylvestre, for whom the holiday also known as Eve or New Year first was named, was the **33rd pope in Christendom**. He lived in the **4th century AD**, in the heart of Roman empire, and was a contemporary of Constantine, the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. Another awesome fact, La Saint-Sylvestre is usually celebrated with a **feast**, called **le Réveillon de Saint-Sylvestre.** The feast tends to include special items like **champagne and foie gras.**

__//**le Réveillon de Saint-Sylvestre** //__









Crowds fill the streets late at night during Saint-Sylvestre in anticipation of the coming year. //When:// Le Jour de l'an is celebrated on **New Years day or January 1st.**

// Special Characteristics: // Certain **types of cake** are also common characteristics found in France to eat such as heart shaped cakes; **le couer de l'an or log shaped cakes made of ice cream**; gateau glace. These cakes are normally decorated with wintry things such as birds, evergreen and trees. //What people do:// Normally, like the United States, families and friends share there **New Year's Resolutions** and may also **exchange cards and gifts.** Also public and **private fireworks displays** are common. People of France will also sing **//The Song of the New Year//,** or //Chanson du Nouvel An.// People usually spend the rest of the day quietly. **Short Vacations** to skii or simply to enjoy France's natural beauty at its **wintry best** is common as well.

__**// Pictures of La Saint Sylvestre and Le Jour de L'an //**__



media type="youtube" key="-oqOvkrYeg4" height="315" width="420" align="right"

The Eiffel Tower during a Saint-Sylvestre/Jour de l'an fireworks show.

<span style="color: #ce0000; display: block; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; font-size: 22.4px; text-align: center;">A Different Saint-Sylvestre show.



<span style="color: #ce0000; display: block; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; font-size: 170%; text-align: center; text-decoration: inherit;">// When //: The end of the holiday season is Epiphany**, on January 6th.** <span style="color: #06048d; display: block; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center;">// Special Characteristics<span style="color: #06048d; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; font-size: 130%; text-decoration: inherit;">: // a traditional <span style="color: #06048d; display: inline !important; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center; text-decoration: inherit;">cake called **la galette des rois** is normally served on l'epiphanie. <span style="color: #de1000; display: block; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: center; text-decoration: inherit;"><span style="color: #de1000; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; font-size: 160%;">//What do people do:// In France, people normally will have the kings cake of La galette des rois and search for a kickknack or a fave bean ( like king cake but looking for a baby) they will keep the cake and snack on it throughout the month.

<span style="color: #06048d; display: block; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center; text-decoration: inherit;">//<span style="color: #06048d; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; font-size: 160%; text-decoration: inherit;">Did you know: // l'epiphanie is also a **Christian feast day** that celebrates the revelation of God the Son as a Human Being in Jesus Christ and also the l**egend of the three kings.**

<span style="color: #ce0000; display: block; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: center;">A traditional Gallette des Rois, a cake often served as a part of celebrations for l'epiphanie <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #05179b; display: block; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; font-size: 30.4px; text-align: center;">__Vocabulary__ <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ce0000; display: block; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; text-align: center;">__LA SAINT-SYLVESTRE__ <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; text-align: center;">une soirée dansante: a ball <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; text-align: center;">Pétard: a firecracker <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; text-align: center;">Serpentin: streamer, ticker tape <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; text-align: center;">Le Gui: mistletoe (French people kiss under mistletoe on new year’s eve instead of Christmas.) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; text-align: center;">Foie Gras: goose liver <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #05179b; display: block; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; text-align: center;">__LE JOUR DE L’AN__ <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; text-align: center;">La Galette des Rois: traditional French cake <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; text-align: center;">Jour des Etrennes: day of new years gifts (given to Jan. 1st because of the custom of giving gifts on that day) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; text-align: center;">Bonne Année: Happy New Year <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ce0000; display: block; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; text-align: center;">__L’EPIPHANIE__ <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; text-align: center;">la galette de goumeau: traditional French epiphany cake. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; text-align: center;">Feux des Rois: Kings’ lamps (lit to celebrate the legend of the three kings) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; text-align: center;">Fête des Rois: Celebration of the kings (another name for epiphany.) media type="custom" key="10515106" align="center"



<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #05179b; display: block; font-family: "Palatino Linotype","Book Antiqua",Palatino,serif; font-size: 170%; text-align: center;">Sources:

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