How to Say Merry Christmas in French (and Other Holiday Greetings)

“Merry Christmas” in French is joyeux noël, but there is a lot of other useful Christmas vocabulary to learn. From mingling with new friends, to sharing gifts with family or searching for the perfect words for your Christmas card, this post will give you the most important phrases you need to express your holiday excitement.

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Merry Christmas in French: Joyeux Noël !

The most important Christmas phrase to know is of course, “Merry Christmas.”

In French, this is Joyeux Noël. Joyeux translates to “joyous,” while Noël  is simply the word used for “Christmas.”

It’s the most common holiday phrase and you’ll likely hear it a lot once it gets closer to Christmastime. Here are some examples:

Bonsoir ! Joyeux Noël ! — Good night! Merry Christmas!

Je vous souhaite un Joyeux Noël ! — I wish you a Merry Christmas!

After you’ve mastered the pronunciation, you’ll be able to use this phrase in any situation that you normally would in English.

More French Holiday Phrases

Meilleurs vœux — Best wishes/Season’s Greetings

Outside of the holiday season, Meilleurs vœux means “good wishes” or “best wishes.”

At Christmastime, it means “Season’s Greetings,” and is the perfect holiday phrase to encompass all of the Christmas and New Year’s holiday events. 

Meilleurs vœux ! — Season’s greetings!

Bonnes et Heureuses Fêtes / Joyeuses Fêtes — Happy Holidays

If you get sick of saying Joyeux Noël over and over, you can switch to Bonnes et Heureuses Fêtes ! or Joyeuses Fêtes (either one means “Happy Holidays”).

This is a good substitute for Meilleurs vœux and a great way to greet someone and catch all the season’s events together.

This one is also great for people who might not celebrate Christmas.

Joyeuses fêtes ! À l’année prochaine ! — Happy Holidays! See you next year!

Vœux de Bonheur pour un Joyeux Noël — Happy wishes for a Merry Christmas

Here’s an example of when Joyeux Noël is used as only part of the greeting. 

This is a more pleasant and also more advanced way to wish someone a Merry Christmas. 

Je vous envoie vœux de Bonheur pour un Joyeux Noël ! — I send you happy wishes for a Merry Christmas!

Passez un Joyeux Noël en famille — Have a good Christmas with your family

If you’re talking with someone about their plans for the holiday season, and they mention your family, this greeting would be perfectly appropriate.

J’espère que vous passez un Joyeux Noël en famille. — I hope that you have a good Christmas with your family.

Bonne année ! — Happy New Year!

Literally translating as “Good Year,” you can use this phrase if you’d like to wish someone a happy New Year.

Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année ! — Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Bonne année et bonne santé — Happy New Year and good health

Bonne année et bonne santé is one of the most common holiday greetings.

Wishing good health during the holiday season is only natural.

Either way, it’s a lovely phrase that both observes the happiness of the holiday season and wishes a pleasant and happy New Year.

Ça me fait plaisir de te voir ! Bonne année et bonne santé. — I am so happy to see you! Happy New Year and I wish you good health.

Meilleurs souhaits pour le Nouvel An — Best wishes for the New Year

If you’re ready to leave behind the word vœux for a spell, souhaits  means the same thing—wishes—and can communicate something very similar. 

Cette année a été difficile, meilleurs souhaits pour le Nouvel An. — This year was hard, best wishes for the New Year.

Je vous souhaite d’excellentes fêtes, et une bonne année — I wish you an excellent holiday and a Happy New Year

Another way to wish someone happy holidays is to tell them you’re doing so. Je vous souhaite  (I wish you) will communicate just that.

Je vous souhaite d’excellentes fêtes et une année prospère. — I wish you an excellent holiday and a prosperous year.

Que l’année vous procure… — That the year may bring you …

Sometimes, you’d like to be a little more specific in what kind of happiness you wish upon someone in the New Year.

Here’s a phrase that does just that.

Que l’année vous procure… goes beyond the usual Meilleurs vœux and outlines the positivity you’re wishing into someone’s life for the upcoming year. 

J’espère que l’année vous procure bonheur, santé et prospérité. — I hope that the year brings you happiness, health and prosperity.

Que cette année soit la meilleure ! — May this year be the best!

If you want to wish your friend or loved one a great year, try using this phrase!

Remember that this structure requires the subjunctive form.

Bonne année ! Que cette année soit la meilleure pour vous et vos proches ! — Happy New Year! May this year be the best for you and your loved ones!

Joyeuse Fête des Rois — Happy Three Kings Day

This is how you wish someone a happy Three Kings Day. 

Joyeuse Fête des Rois ! Passez une excellente journée avec vos proches ! — Happy Three Kings Day! Have a great day with your loved ones!

Essential French Christmas Vocabulary

French	English
Le Père Noël	Santa Claus/Father Christmas
Le sapin de Noël	The Christmas tree
Les boules de Noël	The baubles
Les guirlandes de Noël	The tinsel
Une étoile	A star
Un ange	An angel
Un chant de Noël	A Christmas carol
Une chaussette de Noël	A Christmas stocking
Un cadeaux de Noël / Les étrennes	A Christmas present/The Christmas presents
Le repas de Noël	The Christmas dinner

If you’d like to learn more French Christmas vocabulary, check out this post!

One of the best ways to commit French Christmas phrases and vocabulary to memory is to see how they’re actually used in context! You can watch movies, listen to music, or read books in French that are Christmas-themed to see how these phrases come up.

Another great option is to try an immersive language learning program like FluentU.

French Christmas Traditions

• Le Réveillon — This is the huge feast that takes place on Christmas Eve and features the finest of French delicacies. In typical French fashion, this meal takes hours and hours and is accompanied by lots of drinking!
• Midnight Mass — Somewhere in between courses of the Réveillon, most French people will take the time to attend a midnight mass.
• Shoes by the fire — While we may put stockings up to be filled with gifts, French children actually put out their shoes to be stuffed!
• Père Noël and Père Fouettard — During the night of Christmas Eve, Père Noël delivers presents to all of the children. He is accompanied by Père Fouettard, who spanks those that are unfortunate enough to be considered naughty.
• Postcards from Père Noël — There’s actually a French law that requires any letters sent to Père Noël to be answered with a postcard!
• La Fête des Rois — Three Kings Day or L’Épiphanie on January 6th celebrates the day the three wise men brought gifts to the Christ child. 
• La Galette des Rois — For L’Épiphanie, French families bake a galette des rois, or a Kings’ Cake, and put a small figurine inside. The person who finds the figurine in their slice of cake is crowned King or Queen.

 

So set out your shoes and hang up the mistletoe, because it’s time to celebrate!

Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année ! (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!)

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)