France has truly perfected the art of holiday celebrations. I’ve been studying abroad in Aix-en-Provence, France for the past semester and if there is one thing that the French sacrifice absolutely nothing on, it is Christmas. The entire city of Aix is decorated for the upcoming holidays, lights on every storefront with red bows and fake snow completing the scene. It almost feels like I’m walking through a Christmas movie set everywhere I go!
The best part about France and Christmas time is by far the “Marché de Noël,” a Christmas Market that goes from the end of November till the New Year. Little festive wooden huts line the main road in Aix and sell everything from Nutella covered Belgian waffles to sheepskin boots. It is the best place to buy all your Christmas presents and the best part is they’re all from local provencal vendors. One of my favorite stands sells Vin Chaud, which is French for hot wine. It’s a red wine that’s spiced. It is the perfect addition to a day of shopping or let’s be real, any kind of day, and it is definitely going to be one of my most missed parts of France.
Aside from its lovely markets and beautifully decorated streets, Aix also has a ton of cool Christmas traditions. One of the most special is the English Christmas Carol Mass that takes place in the cities’ famous Cathedral every December. It was a great taste of home for all the Americans living in the city and a much-loved tradition for all the locals. There is a choir that sings all the classic carols while accompanied by an orchestra. Another tradition is the 13 days of dessert, which they eat in one day on Christmas Eve Dinner because is there really any other way to complete a tradition like that? Each dessert represents a different city in the region of Provence and the last is specially associated with Aix. This is a loved tradition in Aix and one that I’m sad to miss.
Aix-en-Provence and France in general has become my home for the last semester and I wouldn’t have wanted to spent my time abroad anywhere else. The holiday season here is something that is rich with tradition and loved by all members of the community. The only thing missing is a big tree lighting because nothing compares to the lighting of the SHU tree.
Disclaimer: Her Campus and Seton Hall do not endorse underage drinking.