Christmas and New Year : The holidays end of the year are annual celebrations celebrated approaching and around the end of theannée, during the month de December and in particular on the occasion of the second half of the month de December and the very first days de January.
Depending on the cultures, countries and traditions, they take place according to particular calendars setting the holidays and uses. Among the best known elements are those around:
– from December 6 with the character of Saint Nicolas, who inspired Father Holidays, and who goes from house to house to distribute her gifts to the children;
- December 8 or 13 with the feast of Saint Lucia (mainly in Sweden, but also in Italy, and in France), it marks the caesura of the Advent period and the symbolic return of the Light;
- from December 25 with the feast of Holidays :
with for Catholics and Protestants the preparation of the Crib of Holidays, then the Night of the Nativity which celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, and which is marked in particular by the midnight mass or the celebration of worship;
Catholics also have the custom of celebrating the Mass of Dawn, the Mass of Emmanuel and the Mass of the day on December 25;
with the passage in this same night of the father Holidays who rewards good children where he can;
- December 26 or Boxing Day;
- December 31 punctuated by the New Year's Eve New Year's Eve;
- from January 1, with the New Year's Day and which marks the official beginning of the Christian era in year I;
- January 6, feast in the Christian tradition ofEpiphany, marked by the arrival of the Three Kings and the galette des rois and the feast of Holidays for the Orthodox Church.
This period is also marked:
- by the rapid succession of public holidays which often leads at the end of December to numerous family trips or departures on vacation;
– by innumerable preparations: the installation of the illuminations of Holidays by individuals and cities;
- by the exchange of gifts, the presentation of best wishes and the presentation of New Year's gifts;
- by a significant commercial activity at the end of November and during December;
- by the festive celebrations with in particular meal composed of spot festive traditional, as the turkey with chestnuts or Christmas log for Holidays or Oysters for the New Year's Eve New Year's Eve and the opening of bottles de champagne at the fateful hour, as well as products de season (hot wine de Holidays, capon, game) or exception (caviar, foie gras).