Les Étrennes – A French Tradition
If you are Anglophone and live in France, you may have
heard this word and not understood its significance. Even nowadays, les étrennes are still part of French traditions,
so what are they?
Les étrennes refer to any
gift given at the beginning of the New Year in early January. This tradition
goes back to Roman times and is still in use today in French families where
small gifts are exchange on the 1st of January. Shopkeepers also may
give calendars, diaries, pens etc. but the étrennes are mostly given (in the form of money) to firefighters,
postmen and women and concierges to thank them for their help and efforts
during the previous year.
So now, you know...
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