French Christmas Vocabulary (70+ Words for Noël" With Audio)

The most important Christmas vocabulary words are Joyeux Noël (Merry Christmas), le père Noël (Santa Claus) and le sapin de Noël (Christmas tree). This page offers a list of 70+ French Christmas terms covering greetings, decorations, foods and much more. Merci et Joyeux Noël !

vocabulaire de Noël

Christmas vocabulary

Holiday Season

In French, Christmas eve is le réveillon de Noël. The réveillon is the eve or night before the holiday. New years eve is le réveillon du Jour de l’An. The most common word for Santa Claus is Père Noël, which means to Father Christmas. Other common names are Papa Noël and Saint Nicolas.

Noël Christmas
le vingt-cinq decembre December 25
la soirée du 24 décembre Christmas Eve
les fêtes de fin d’année holiday season
le réveillon de Noël Christmas Eve
le Jour de Noël Christmas Day
le Père Noël Santa Claus
Saint Nicolas Saint Nicolas
les traditions de Noël Christmas traditions

Christmas Greetings

Merry Christmas in French is joyeux Noël. Joyeux, pronounced jwah-yuh, means both joyous and happy. Another common greeting for the holiday season is joyeuses fêtes which translates to joyous holidays. The greeting meilleurs voeux listed below means best wishes and is commonly used on Christmas cards.

Joyeux Noël! Merry Christmas!
Joyeuses Fêtes / Bonnes Fêtes de Fin d’Année! Happy Holidays!
Meilleurs Voeux! Seasons Greetings!

Christmas Tree

Christmas tree in French is le sapin de Noël. The word sapin translates to pine tree or fir tree. There are several words for Christmas stockings. The French use the term une chaussette de Noël while the French-Canadians use the term un bas de Noël.

le sapin de Noël Christmas tree
le cadeau de Noël Christmas gift
le papier cadeau wrapping paper
la boule de Noël Christmas tree bulb
l’objet décoratif ornament
l’étoile star
l’ange angel
le santon saint figurine
la chaussette de Noël Christmas stocking
le sommet du sapin the top of the tree
la guirlande de Noël Christmas wreath, tinsel
le sapin artificiel fake plastic Christmas tree
les cheveux d’anges tinsel strands

Christmas Decorations

A snowman in French is bonhomme de neige, which translates literally to a gentleman of snow. The term bonhomme also applies to gingerbread man: bonhomme de pain d’épice. In France, a candy cane is bâton de sucre d’orge, which translates literally to a stick of barley sugar.

les guirlandes électriques Christmas lights (outdoor/indoor)
la carte de vœux greeting card
un bonhomme de neige snowman
le ruban ribbon
le sucre d’orge candy cane
le bonhomme de pain d’épice gingerbread man
la bougie candle
le gui mistletoe
la niege snow
la crèche nativity scene
le berger shepherd
le berceau manger
le traîneau sleigh

Christmas Dinner

Many French families enjoy a sumptuous feast on Christmas eve. This festive meal is called le repas de Noël, or the Christmas meal. The French enjoy eating luxury foods during this meal. Common foods include le fois gras, le saumon fumé (smoked salmon) and a chocolate cake called une bûche de Noël or Yule log.

le repas de Noël, le souper de Noël (Canada) Christmas dinner
les huîtres oysters
le foie gras le foie gras
le saumon fumé smoked salmon
l’oie (f) goose
le pain calendal Christmas loaf
le magret de canard duck breast
le homard lobster
la dinde turkey
la farce stuffing
la sauce le jus de viande gravy
la sauce aux canneberges cranberry sauce
le rôti de bœuf, rosbif roast beef
le jambon ham
la bûche de Noël Yule log
le lait de poule egg nog

Historical & Religious Vocabulary

The French often go to church on Christmas for a midnight mass. The church is called l’église and the midnight mass is la messe de minuit.

l’église (f) church
le christianisme Christianity
la messe de minuit midnight mass
la naissance birth
Jésus de Nazareth Jesus of Nazareth
la ville de Bethléem The city of Bethlehem
le solstice d’hiver winter solstice

Christmas Songs

Singing Christmas songs in French is one of the most fun ways to learn the language. A Christmas carol in French is un chant de Noël. This page on our site contains five fun Christmas songs in French with French lyrics translated into English.