I am an international student from France, and Christmas is probably the most amazing time of the year for me! In my city, Aix en Provence, there is a Christmas market every year, and all the streets and fountains are decorated. It’s really pretty!
My family and I remain very attached to the Christmas traditions, and we always decorate the Christmas tree all together. Even if the youngest in my family is my 18 years old sister, we still put a glass of milk and biscuits for Santa Claus next to our Christmas tree, as well as carrots for the reindeer.
Alongside the Christmas tree, we also do a “creche” with santons, which are small hand-painted terracotta nativity scene figurines, produced in the Provence region of south-eastern France, where I am from. In a traditional Provençal crèche, there are 55 individual figures representing various characters from Provençal village life such as the scissors grinder, the fishwife, the blind man, and the chestnut seller.
The 24th of December, we eat “les 13 desserts”. It is an old Christmas tradition in Provence. Thirteen desserts are enjoyed after Christmas Eve dinner, traditionally representing Jesus and his twelve Apostles. Each guest must eat all thirteen in order to guarantee good luck for the year to come.
We open our gifts the morning of the 25th of December, and then we celebrate Christmas with all of my family. I am really looking forward to celebrating Christmas this year!!
