Jacques de Ginestel is Custer County High School’s foreign exchange student from Lille, France. The 16 year old is looking forward to spending Christmas here in the Wet Mountain Valley with his host family, John, Jeanene and Matt Comerford. Lille is the fourth largest city in France with a population of around 200,000 about two hours north of Paris near the English Channel. 

Jacques’ father is Catholic and his mother is Protestant. The family attends both churches and observes all the traditions of Christmas.

When in France, Jacques said the focus of the holiday season is about family, and his 12-year-old brother, Albert, his parents and he all go to his grandparent’s home in southern France in Réalmont near the coast of the Mediterranean. The weather in both Lille and Realmont is generally cold and rainy this time of year. Jacques said it doesn’t snow much because they are so close to the ocean. 

For the Christmas holiday, he gets a two week break from school like he does here. The family puts up the Christmas tree, and they often have a theme, so they do something different each year. The children leave milk and carrots out by the mantle on Christmas Eve. The milk is for Santa, called Pere Noël, or Father Christmas. The carrots are for the reindeer. Jacques’ family also puts out a nativity scene, attends mass on Christmas Eve and eats special foods.

Foie Gras — duck or goose liver — is a Christmas delicacy. They also have duck ala orange, turkey and a special dessert cake, Bûche de Noël: a sponge cake with frosting made to look like a fallen log ready to put on the fire. Brioche is also a tradition, as is the Christmas Advent count-down calendar with a little piece of chocolate for each day.

For the holiday repast, the family eats a big meal with appetizers, then the entrée, always cheese, said Jacques, then dessert and coffee. Champagne is generally served and wine is a big part of the culture. Jacques said that his grandfather asks if he wants to try different wines, but he doesn’t really like it that much.

Jacques’ mother, Anne, is a webmaster. His father, Pierre, is a quality director for Auchan, a chain store similar to America’s box stores. 

This year, Jacques got to go out with the Comerfords at Thanksgiving to cut a tree. “It smells good,” he said. “I come here and there’s nature everywhere.”

Jacques is definitely enjoying the mountains and the rural atmosphere. Besides all the sports in which he’s involved, he has also been having fun riding the four-wheeler with Matt. In France, Jacques spends time with friends going to the theater or bowling. He prefers to spend time outside and said there are a lot of parks near where he lives.

 The best Christmas Jacques remembers is when they all went to Hawaii. He said, “For me, Christmas is the best moment where the family can be together and everybody’s happy. At Christmastime everybody forgets their problems.”

– Jacque Keller