Mostly-forgotten Christmas traditions from 1700s French Louisiana

One region in France has a dark-horse version of Santa they call Le Père Fouettard, who dresses in dark clothing and spanks the children who don't make the good list.

SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Modern-day Louisiana was a French colony twice--once from the years 1682 - 1762 and again from 1800-1803, and there is no question that our state's French heritage is still an important part of our culture.

But what traditions did French settlers bring from France to the New World?

The word for Santa Claus in French translates to “Father Christmas,” but the French Santa and the modern-day American Santa stem from two different legends. And that's just a glimpse of what's to come in this article that explores the Christmas traditions of French settlers in the region of New France that we now call Louisiana.

The French reason that stars represent the birth of Christ

King Jean-le-Bon (John the Good) of France founded the Order of the Star in honor of the manger scene. Also called the Order of Knights of the Noble House of Saint Ouen, inviting chivalry to join the order was a way the Pope and the king garnered support from the noblemen--or that was the idea, anyway. But noblemen didn’t go for the idea until the order was recast in 1352.

Members of the Order of the Star wore a red enamel collar with a white star that represented the Star of Bethlehem. The order also has a red banner with the Virgin Mary at the center and a sprinkling of white stars. The noblemen swore not to retreat in battle or move any further than six acres away from a battle and, consequentially, most of the orders’ knights were killed in two battles during the mid-1300s: the Battle of Mauron and the Battle of Poitiers.

But that was more than 700 years ago. When you see a star in someone's yard during the holidays, what do you think about? The manger scene.

Now you know why.

French manger scenes

Saint Francis of Assisi's family introduced the decorative (and contemplative) manger scene (la crèche) to Avignon, France in the early 1300s. By 1682, when French settlers began arriving in what is now Louisiana, they were already accustomed to displaying manger scenes that represented the humble birth of Jesus of Nazareth.

French Christmas trees

The first French Christmas tree was decorated in Strasbourg, France, in 1605. The tree was meant to represent the Garden of Eden, which is where mankind first lived according to the ancient book of Genesis.

The first Christmas tree, or Garden of Eden tree, was decorated with artificial roses, apples, sugar, and thin, round, decorated unleavened bread typically used for communion.

French Christmas trees are called un sapin de noël, and some early French colonists in Louisiana brought this tradition with them from their homeland.

Midnight mass in French Louisiana

In 440, Pope Saint Sixtus III celebrated the first midnight mass in Rome because it was believed that baby Jesus was born at midnight. The new tradition spread across Western Christianity and made its way to France.

In 1631 the French Duke of Espernon held his Christmas at Bordeaux and became so sick that he almost died during Midnight Mass. The French began settling in Louisiana in 1682 when Midnight Mass was already a popular tradition back home in France.

After French families returned home from Midnight Mass they had dinner called le réveillon.

The 6th of January was called twelf-day (yes that's spelled correctly when one looks at the historic documents), or the Epiphany, as it was the twelf-day after Christmas, because it was believed that was the day the baby Jesus was first shown to non-Jews, specifically the 3 kings that came to adore him. A Twelf-cake was made and shared.

Religious holidays were often tied to agricultural tasks in 1600s France. Around twelf-day, roosters crowed at midnight, 3 a.m., and an hour before sunrise, and that was seen as an indication that countrymen should move their bees, set hedges, plum, and other types of fruit trees. It was also time to transplant, prune, and lop trees, plant vines, and sow lettuce, beans, and peas.

French Christmas music

The Christmas songs of 17th century Provençal France included the song Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella, which was translated into English and sung by the Angel City Chorale in this video.

This Baroque Christmas music from France in the 18th century will help take you back to that culture and time period, too.

Did the French bring Christmas music to the New World? Absolutely. But as the years have passed, Christmas music in Louisiana has slowly evolved into something unique and charming. Take a listen here if you're not familiar with Louisiana Christmas songs that are tied to our French heritage.

Père Noël = the French Santa Claus?

Père Noël, translated to "Father Christmas," brings gifts to French-speaking areas across France because he's the old-school, French version of Santa Claus. Both Santa and Père Noël are from different traditions, but they have a lot in common--including their red outfits, their workshops at the North Pole, the way they bring gifts to "good" children, and both Santa Claus and Père Noël have teams of reindeer.

In the French tradition, children leave their shoes by the fireplace on Christmas Eve and fill them with treats for Père Noël's donkey. If the child has been good, he or she will find tiny presents in their shoes--typically candy or small toys.

But one region in France also has a dark-horse version of Santa they call Le Père Fouettard, who dresses in dark clothing and spanks the children who don't make the good list.

New traditions to celebrate Louisiana's French history

The history of Christianity in France dates back to ancient Romans who brought Christmas traditions to France when 3,000 warriors were baptized on Christmas Day in 496 A.D. But the future of French culture in the Louisiana Christmas season is up to us to carry on, whether we maintain old ways or create hybridized traditions that span the gap between the old and the new.

Have you ever considered having French-themed home decor or even French-themed Christmas decorations that celebrate Louisiana's heritage? If so, French Cottage style on Pinterest might be an inspiration, and you can take a peek by clicking here.

Louisiana's tie to France is something to be proud of, after all. And French-Country Christmas style is beautiful, too!

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