“Joyeux Noël” & More French Christmas Vocabulary

If you’ve seen season 4 of Emily in Paris, you know the most recent season was divided into two parts. Then, you must remember that evening scene where Emily drags her luggage in whatever-that-time of the night by a church. And out of nowhere comes Alfie. Dun dun dun. She leaves her luggage by the fountain to talk to Alfie. They chat. Blah blah bleh. And Alfie casually mentions he’s attending midnight mass with his girlfriend and her family.

Okay, that’s all I’m going to say about that scene because I’m not here to have an entire yapping session about Emily in Paris (we could talk about that another time, or send a message and I’d be glad to share my thoughts). Instead, I’m just going to share a little tidbit about the French Christmas tradition of midnight mass or la Messe de Minuit.

Midnight Mass is a cherished event held on Christmas Eve all around France. This holiday service is attended by both religious and non-religious families, with lots of singing, chanting, and caroling in beautifully decorated churches, celebrating the magic of the season.

French Christmas Vocabulary

• The Advent: l’avent (lah-vahn)
• Christmas Eve: la veille de Noël (lah vey-uh duh noh-ell)
• Christmas Eve meal and party: le Réveillon de Noël (luh reh-vay-ohn duh noh-ell)
• Christmas: Noël (noh-ell)
• Christmas Day: le jour de Noël (luh zhoor duh noh-ell)
• Christmas party: la fête de Noël (lah fet duh noh-ell)
• December 25th: le vingt-cinq décembre (luh vank-sank day-sahmbr)
• Merry Christmas: Joyeux Noël (zhwa-yuh noh-ell)
• Happy Holidays: Joyeuses Fêtes (zhwa-yuhz fet)
• Happy New Year: Bonne année (bohn ah-nay)
• Hanukkah: Hanouka (ah-noo-kah)
• Epiphany: l’Épiphanie (lay-pee-fah-nee)
• Feast of the Kings: la Fête des Rois (lah fet day rwah)
• Yule log: la bûche de Noël (lah byoosh duh noh-ell)
• Mulled wine: le vin chaud (luh van shoh)
• Christmas tree: le sapin de Noël (luh sah-pan duh noh-ell)
• Midnight Mass: la Messe de Minuit (lah mess duh min-wee)
• Christmas ornaments: les décorations de Noël (lay day-ko-rah-syon duh noh-ell)
• Saint Nicholas: Saint Nicolas (san nee-ko-lah)
• Santa Claus: le Père Noël (luh pair noh-ell)
• Christmas traditions: les traditions de Noël (lay trah-dee-syon duh noh-ell)