Noel - La crèche

An important French tradition is to display une crèche somewhere in your home.   This tradition is most popular in the area of Provence. 
La crèche is a pretty arrangement of little buildings and figurines surrounding the Christmas crib.  The figurines are called santons and they include:

The Baby Jesus - L'Enfant JésusMary and Joseph - Marie et Josephthe shepherds - les bergersthe angels - les angesThe Three Kings - Les Rois Magesthe animals - les animauxvillage people - les habitants d'un village
In la crèche, the figurines of the village people represent lots of different professions, for example:-
le boulanger - the baker,

le fermier - the farmer,
le chasseur - the hunter,

la lavandière - the washer woman. 

There is also a figurine called le ravi, meaning 'the delighted one', and he always has his arms raised to express his delight.
         

Some figurines are placed in la crèche later than the others:- The figurine of Jesus is placed in His manger on Christmas Day.  The figurines of The Three Kings appear on the night of 5 January.

It is the tradition in France to display the Nativity scene until the 2 February - a date known as La Chandeleur. 
This date is forty days after Christmas Day.

Everybody is welcoming the Baby Jesus.