New Year’s Day Etrennes tradition
As the year draws to a close, the rhythm of daily life blends with the excitement of the holidays. December opens with sparkling Christmas markets, carefully prepared meals, and the frenzy of last-minute gift shopping before Christmas and New Year’s Eve. These celebrations mark the season, guiding families toward their annual rituals of sharing, indulgence, and renewal.
Yet, once Christmas and the grand New Year’s Eve festivities are over, another tradition quietly takes hold: Étrennes Day, celebrated on January 1st, which is less ostentatious, less commercial, but deeply rooted in French culture. On New Year’s Day, many French people take a moment to thank those who make their daily lives easier. It is at this time that concierges and cleaning helpers typically receive their Étrennes, small but meaningful monetary gifts discreetly slipped into a small envelope. The postmen (or women) and the firefighters, for their part, come by earlier in December to offer their New Year calendars, giving households the opportunity to thank them in return with a modest contribution.
These étrennes are not a sign of extravagance. They express appreciation for their unseen work and mean “Thank you for being there throughout the year.” This tradition is like Boxing Day, which takes place on December 26, the day after Christmas, and was originally a day dedicated to distributing gifts to people in need.
But this custom is much older, and much more symbolic, than you might think.
Étrennes’ ancient roots
The tradition of New Year’s gifts begins in ancient Rome, a civilization deeply connected to omens and the rhythm of the seasons. The Romans believed that a year beginning under auspicious circumstances would bring good fortune.
The Roman New Year originally began on March 15 (the Ides of March), the date on which the consuls took office. However, in 45 BC, Julius Caesar ordered a significant reform of the Roman calendar: the New Year was now celebrated in January, not March, in honour of Janus, the God of Beginnings, Transitions and Ending, who is usually depicted as having a double-sided head. Thus, at the start of the new earthly cycle, on January 1, the Romans would gather sprigs of vervain from the sacred groves dedicated to the goddess Strenia, associated with health, prosperity, and renewal, and offer them as auspicious gifts (strena). The Latin word strena, meaning omen, sign, or blessing, gave rise to the French étrennes and the English strennians.
This custom became deeply rooted in Roman life. But as Roman society became more complex, the meaning of gifts evolved. People began exchanging figs, dates, and honey, foods laden with symbolism: sweetness for the coming year, abundance, and the hope of a peaceful life. Later, these gifts transformed into coins, medals, and other precious objects.
When the Roman Empire expanded into Gaul, bringing its customs with it, New Year’s étrennes became a familiar and eagerly awaited ritual throughout the region. Although popular, the tradition of giving New Year’s étrennes was not universally accepted in France in the early centuries of Christianity, as ecclesiastical authorities considered it a surviving pagan rite, linked to a Roman goddess. In the 6th century, the Church formally forbade this custom, fearing it would lead the faithful astray from Christian teachings. Despite these prohibitions, the custom persisted. After all, human beings are drawn to traditions that celebrate gratitude, good fortune, and renewal!
However, from the Middle Ages to the late 18th century, New Year’s étrennes remained very popular among the aristocracy. Under the reign of Louis XIV (the Sun King), this ritual attained a theatrical splendor. Courtiers vied with one another to impress the king with sumptuous New Year’s presents, objects so luxurious that they became as much instruments of political strategy as tokens of devotion. Giving étrennes meant being seen, appreciated, and, ideally, rewarded. The gift-giving season transformed into a kind of social ballet: extravagant, ceremonial, and quintessentially French.
Etrennes, forbidden in the name of morality
The French Revolution (1789) brought an abrupt end to these displays of generosity. Revolutionaries denounced New Year’s tips as a source of corruption and favoritism, particularly among civil servants who might be tempted to “reward” those who offered the most. This suspicion persisted well into the 20th century. A Parisian police ordinance from 1955 (surprisingly still in effect) still prohibits municipal employees, such as garbage collectors or sewer workers, from soliciting New Year’s tips. In practice, however, many Parisians continue the tradition out of pure gratitude. The amount may be modest, but the gesture is imbued with a warmth that rules cannot erase.
Democratization of the custom
With the Revolution over, tempers cooled, calm and a return to traditions slowly took hold and the tradition of New Year’s étrennes spread throughout all social classes. Families gave them to relatives, godchildren, and servants. For many, these New Year’s presents were essential support, sometimes more important than their monthly wages. For children, these gifts were often the highlight of the holiday season, long before Christmas presents became the norm in France.
New Year’s Day étrennes, a vanishing but still meaningful tradition
Today, New Year’s Étrennes have lost their sacred aura and political significance. They remain merely a symbolic gesture of generosity, a moment to thank those who help make life a little sweeter.
Yet, this custom is fading. In large cities, in particular, people often don’t know their neighbors. Younger generations, less attached to traditions, may even forgo them altogether. Nevertheless, every New Year’s Day, countless envelopes circulate discreetly. A small gift, a fleeting smile, a sincere “Happy New Year!”: these gestures perpetuate the tradition.
And perhaps this is the very essence of New Year’s gifts: not wealth, but social connection, gratitude, and the timeless hope that a new year begins under the sign of generosity.
Wikimedia Commons: Janus by Giuseppe Savo is CC BY-SA 4.0 – Credits: Freepik Header – Christmastide
