How to Prepare a French Christmas Eve Feast

In France, families gather together after Midnight Mass to partake of a late-night feast called the reveillon.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Candles
• Turkeys
• Wines
• China Plates
• Tablecloths
• Wine Glasses
• Candles

1. Remember that while this special meal is similar to the one served on Christmas day, it is also more intimate.

2. Begin preparing the meal well in advance, since this is considered the most important feast of the season.

3. Limit your guest list to close family members, as is typical in France. Plan to exchange gifts with them as part of this event.

4. Make pea or garden vegetable soup, which is a traditional part of the meal.

5. Consider serving foods such as goose, turkey, oysters or pâté.

6. Bake or buy a variety of pastries to serve for dessert.

7. Offer candied or fresh fruit to your guests. In particular, apples and grapes are often served at Christmastime.

8. Prepare a Yule log or bûche de Noël, which is a type of cake in a log shape.

9. Serve wine with the meal.

Tips & Warnings

• Select regional favorites to include in your meal. Each area has its own special dishes that form the basis of the menu.
• This meal originated as a light snack, but over time it has evolved into an elaborate meal.

Resources

• Santa Letters
• Christmas Recipes

[jbcinsc]

on 12/20/2009 Reveillier is French for to awaken or to wake up; it is meant to symbolize something like waking up to Christ's presence. And the totally traditional Catholic French Christmas Eve feast would be meatless and includes 13 dishes (one for each apostle and one for Jesus). :) Joyeux Noel!

[bergie54]

on 11/17/2009 The french canadian meat pie Tourtiere, which today is generally made with porc and spices in Quebec(there are all kinds of variations to this that exist) was originally made by the colonists from the tourte, which was a close relative to the pigeon; thus the name Tourtiere.

on 11/22/2005 In our tradition, the matriarch (Memere) spends a lot of time Chrsitmas week making Tortiere (minced pork)pies. On Christmas eve day, each of the families gets one or more of Memere's pies to bake for what we called the "Reveillier". (Incidentally, in our little New Hampshire town, it was called Tourque (pronounced: tour kay).


On Christmas Eve, the adults and older children of the extended famlily attend Midnight Mass together. After Mass, each nuclear family heads to their own home for the Reveillier - which means something like: staying awake or staying up late. The mother of the family bakes Memere's pie(s). While waiting for it to bake, the family members are each allowed to open one gift from under the tree.

The Reveillier is capped off with a meal of Memere's Tourque. The family then goes to bed only to arise early in the morning for Christmas morning with the younger children.

On Christmas day in the afternoon, the nuclear families gather at the grandparents' house to exchange family gifts and to rave endlessly about the excellence of Memere's Tortiere. Merry Christmas.

on 11/22/2005 Don't forget the Tortiere!! This French-Canadian meat pie is a staple at our Christmas Eve or Christmas dinner.