In France it is considered bad luck to say "Happy New Year" before the 1st. 15 Fabulous French New Year's Eve Traditions In France
10- You can start wishing people “Happy New Year”:
but only after midnight on Decembre 31st-not beforeIn most English speaking countries, you can utter the words “Happy New Year” well before the actual new year begins. In France, this isn’t so.
Instead, you will hear friends, family and shopkeepers say ”Bonnes fêtes de fin d‘année” which literally means “Happy end of year celebrations” but idiomatically it means Happy Holidays. Only after the stroke of midnight on December 31st will French people actually wish you a Happy New Year (Bonne Année) followed by “best wishes”(meilleurs Voeux).The exception is the president who wishes his people a happy new year in his presidential new years greetings before the New Year begins at 8 pm on the 31st of Decembre.
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