Saint Nicolas – the French Santa Claus 🎅

Author: Camille Chevalier-Karfis

Practice your French and learn about “Saint Nicolas”, the French Santa Claus, with my easy French English bilingual story.

Who is Saint Nicolas?

Use the floating blue icon in the bottom right to hide/reveal the English translations below or just click here.

Dans la nuit du 5 au 6 dĂ©cembre, Saint Nicolas passe dans les maisons pour apporter aux enfants sages des friandises (fruits secs, mandarines, gĂąteaux, bonbons, chocolats et surtout de grands pains d’épices reprĂ©sentant le saint Ă©vĂȘque). Dans certaines maisons qui s’inspirent de cette tradition, c’est mĂȘme lui qui remplace le PĂšre NoĂ«l, et qui apporte les cadeaux.

On the night of December 5th to the 6th, Saint Nicolas goes to houses to bring candy to good children (dried fruits, mandarin oranges, cakes, candies, chocolates and especially a large gingerbread cookie representing the Holy Bishop). In some households inspired by this tradition, he even replaces Santa Claus and brings the Christmas gifts.

Il porte une longue barbe blanche, une mitre et une crosse et un long manteau, souvent violet (quelques fois bleu our rouge). Il est accompagnĂ© du pĂšre Fouettard : c’est l’opposĂ© de saint Nicolas. Le pĂšre Fouettard fait peur, et il distribue des verges pour fouetter les enfants mĂ©chants


He wears a long white beard, a miter and a crosier and a long coat, often purple (sometimes blue or red). He is accompanied by Father Flog: he is the opposite from Saint Nick. He is scary looking and distributes flogs to flog naughty children.

Saint Nicolas de Myre – The French Santa

Saint-Nicolas est inspirĂ© d’une personne ayant rĂ©ellement vĂ©cu, Nicolas de Myre. NĂ© Ă  Patara au sud ouest de la Turquie entre 250 et 270, c’était l’évĂȘque de Myre. De son vivant, Nicolas de Myre Ă©tait le protecteur des enfants, des veuves et des gens faibles. Il Ă©tait bienveillant et gĂ©nĂ©reux.

Saint Nicholas is inspired by a person who really lived, Nicholas of Myra. Born in Patara in the southwest of Turkey between 250 and 270, he was the Bishop of Myra. During his life, Nicholas of Myra was the protector of children, widows and people. He was kind and generous.

Pendant les croisades, une relique de St Nicolas est rapportĂ©e en France, et Saint Nicolas devient le saint patron de la Lorraine. Selon la lĂ©gende, saint Nicolas aurait ressuscitĂ© trois enfants tuĂ©s par un boucher, et il est donc devenu le saint patron des enfants.

 During the Crusades, a relic is brought back. Saint Nicolas becomes the patron saint of Lorraine. According to legend, St. Nicholas raised from the dead three children killed by a butcher, and so he became the patron saint of children.

saint-nicholas legend

Saint Nick’s Day is Very Popular in Eastern France

Aujourd’hui, saint Nicolas est fĂȘtĂ© par un grand nombre de pays d’Europe : quelques rĂ©gions de France (en particulier L’Alsace et la Lorraine), l’Allemagne, la Suisse, le Luxembourg, la Belgique, les Pays-Bas, la Russie, la Pologne, l’Autriche


Today, Saint Nicholas is celebrated in many countries in Europe: some regions of France (especially in the Alsace and Lorraine regions), Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, Russia, Poland, Austria 


What’s the Difference Between Santa and Saint Nick ?

On appelle “Santa” le PĂšre NoĂ«l en français. Typiquement, il porte des vĂȘtements rouges bordĂ©s de fourrure blanche, un grand chapeau, et il a des cheveux blancs et une longue barbe. Il habite au PĂŽle Nord avec La MĂšre NoĂ«l, a des elfes, des rennes et une grosse luge magique.

Le PÚre Noël is how we call Santa in French. Typically, he wears red clothes trimmed in white fur, a big hat, and has white hair and a long beard. He lives in the North pole with Mrs Claus, has elves, reindeers and a large magical sleigh.

Saint Nicolas est un Ă©vĂȘque Catholique. Il porte des vĂȘtements d’évĂȘque: une mitre sur sa tĂȘte, un long chasuble et sa crosse (le beau bĂąton). La couleur des habits des Ă©vĂȘques varie selon les cĂ©rĂ©monie:  le violet, le rouge
et Saint Nicolas porte plusieurs couleurs. Comme je le dĂ©cris plus haut, il a sauvĂ© des enfants qui allaient ĂȘtre mangĂ© par un ogre.

Saint Nicholas is a Catholic Bishop. He wears a traditional bishop attire: a mitre on his head, a long stole, and the cross (the beautiful stick). The color of the bishop’s clothing varies according to the ceremonies: purple, red
 and Saint Nick wears several colors. As I describe above, he saved children from being eaten by an ogre.

Pour plus d’info entre les diffĂ©rences et origines de Santa, Saint Nicolas, Le PĂšre NoĂ«l etc
 lisez cet article on wikipedia.

To find more about the difference between Santa, Saint Nick, Father Christmas etc
 check out this article on wikipedia.

A Different Date to Avoid Conflict Around Christmas in France

Dans ma famille (d’origine Lorraine du cĂŽtĂ© de ma mĂšre), on a une coutume spĂ©ciale : on fĂȘte la fĂȘte familiale de NoĂ«l et on Ă©change les cadeaux autour de la Saint Nicolas ; comme nous sommes une famille de 4 filles, toutes mariĂ©es, cela nous permet d’éliminer la compĂ©tition entre famille et belle-famille qui crĂ©e souvent des tensions terribles autour de NoĂ«l


In my family (from Lorraine on my mother’s side), we have a special custom; we celebrate our family Christmas and we exchange gifts around Saint Nicholas Day ; as we are a family of four daughters, all married, it allows us to avoid “competition” between our family and our in-laws family, which often creates terrible tension around Christmas.

Pour d’autres familles plus religieuses, cette coutume permet de cĂ©lĂ©brer NoĂ«l dans la priĂšre et de sĂ©parer la fĂȘte religieuse de la fĂȘte “commerciale”.

For other, more religious families, this custom allows them to celebrate Christmas in prayer, and to separate the religious holiday from the “commercial” one.

Saint Nicholas Story By French Poet GĂ©rard de Nerval (1842)

I did the translation, so it’s a bit rough but it should give you the idea. It’s supposed to be told or sung, hence the apostrophe sometimes replacing a silent glided e
 Modern French pronunciation already!!

Il Ă©tait trois petits enfants
Once upon a time were three little kids
Qui s’en allaient glaner aux champs.
Who went finding food at the fields

S’en vont au soir chez un boucher.
At night, they went to a butcher’s house.
« Boucher, voudrais-tu nous loger ?
“Butcher, could you give us a roof?”
Entrez, entrez, petits enfants,
Come in little kids,
Il y a de la place assurément.»
There is room for sure.

Ils n’étaient pas sitĂŽt entrĂ©s,
They had not just stepped in
Que le boucher les a tués,
That the butcher killed them
Les a coupés en petits morceaux,
Cut them into little pieces
Mis au saloir comme pourceaux.
Put in the salting bin like pigs

Saint Nicolas au bout d’sept ans,
After seven years Saint Nick
Saint Nicolas vint dans ce champ.
Saint Nick came to that field
Il s’en alla chez le boucher :
Went to the butcher
« Boucher, voudrais-tu me loger ? »
Butcher, could you give me a roof?

« Entrez, entrez, saint Nicolas,
Come in, come in Saint Nick
Il y a d’la place, il n’en manque pas. »
There is room, plenty of it
Il n’était pas sitĂŽt entrĂ©,
He had not just stepped in
Qu’il a demandĂ© Ă  souper.
That he asked for dinner

« Voulez-vous un morceau d’jambon ?
Would you like a piece of ham?
Je n’en veux pas, il n’est pas bon.
I don’t want any, it’s not good
Voulez vous un morceau de veau ?
Would you like a piece of veal?
Je n’en veux pas, il n’est pas beau !
I don’t want any, it’s not pretty!

Du p’tit salĂ© je veux avoir,
I’d like some salted pork
Qu’il y a sept ans qu’est dans l’saloir.
That’s been in the salting bin for seven years.
Quand le boucher entendit cela,
When the butcher heard this,
Hors de sa porte il s’enfuya.
Through his door he ran.

« Boucher, boucher, ne t’enfuis pas,
Butcher, butcher don’t run away
Repens-toi, Dieu te pardonn’ra. »
Say you’re sorry, God will forgive
Saint Nicolas posa trois doigts.
Saint Nick touch with three fingers
Dessus le bord de ce saloir :
The top of the salting bin:

Le premier dit: « J’ai bien dormi ! »
The first (kid) said: “I slept well!”
Le second dit: « Et moi aussi ! »
The second said: “so did I!”
Et le troisiÚme répondit :
The third answered:
« Je croyais ĂȘtre en paradis ! »
“I thought I was in heaven!”

Author: Camille Chevalier-Karfis

Camille Chevalier-Karfis

Born and raised in Paris, I have been teaching today's French to adults for 25+ years in the US and France. Based on my students' goals and needs, I've created unique downloadable French audiobooks focussing on French like it's spoken today, for all levels. Come to Paimpol and enjoy an exclusive French immersion homestay with me in Brittany.

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